Alongside developments with the ongoing climate crisis, there's a growing focus on sustainable or "green" business. Today, many consumers are equally interested in a company's sustainability status as they are in its products and services. With consumers across the world taking an interest in corporate social responsibility, green business practices have become the key to many entrepreneurial success stories.

Starting a business is a substantial challenge in itself, and it's normal to feel overwhelmed with the additional pressure to be green and sustainable. Luckily, there are many easy practices you can put in place from the beginning to show consumers that you care about the environment. Here are some ideas from Sophisticated Cloud.

Go Paperless

It may seem obvious, but going paperless is one of the easiest ways to ensure your company limits its carbon footprint. Today's technological world makes it easier than ever to be totally paperless. Consider communicating with potential clientele electronically; it's cheaper and you can reach more people. 

Start a "Plant a Tree" Initiative

Consumers love to see businesses that feature tree-planting initiatives. It might take some networking and organization to get the system up and running; however, when it's ready, all you have to do is ask consumers if they'd like to donate an extra few cents to plant a tree.

You can implement it on the web page where consumers go to pay for your goods or services. Word will quickly get around that your business is eco-friendly, and you'll hopefully see an influx of environmentally conscious consumers supporting you.

Sustainable Packaging

Something that environmentally conscious consumers notice immediately upon opening product packaging is whether the packaging materials are sustainable. Rather than contributing to the overuse of single-use plastics, why not use recyclable packaging?

Green Branding

Research shows that using the color green can help your brand positioning. If you're going for a green and sustainable business model, why not let consumers know by associating your brand with the color green. People naturally associate green with eco-friendliness, and using it in your branding can be beneficial. 

It's worth noting that the beneficial effects of using green in branding are mediated by ad believability. So, make sure you're really doing what you're claiming.

Grants for Going Green

As the focus on sustainable business grows, more funding opportunities for eco-friendly businesses are becoming available. With a bit of research, you may find multiple opportunities to explore. Grants for green businesses are one way to fund your venture.

Spread Your Green Message

As a green business, it is important that you publicize your green initiatives. One way to do that is through your digital messaging. You can try this online banner creator to create customized graphics for your various social media channels. Change images, fonts, and text around until you find something that works for you, and download it to use.

Starting Your Green Business Journey

The ever-growing focus on creating worldwide sustainability has made it more important than ever for businesses to adopt practices that are eco-friendly and socially responsible. Going green can be as easy as not using paper, starting a tree-planting initiative, or opting for sustainable packaging.

GUEST BLOGGER AUTHOR:

SHARON WAGNER