The age of sustainability is well and truly upon us, with individuals and businesses alike doing all they can to reduce their ecological footprint.
One sector that tends to generate a lot of waste is eCommerce, with thousands of tonnes of packaging discarded every year. If you own an online company and you’re concerned about the impact your company is having on the planet, there are ways you can turn yourself into a greener, cleaner operation.
In this post we’ll offer some valuable tips on how to do just that, helping you do your bit for the environment and save a few quid while you\’re at it!
Right-Sized Packaging
As an e-Commerce business, naturally you’ll be sending out a lot of orders to your customers. Ensuring these packages are optimally-sized with boxes made to measure can make a huge difference not just on the planet but to your shipping costs too.
Try to optimise your packaging sizes to match product dimensions – known as “right-sizing”. Doing this comes with a variety of benefits as it reduces the amount of packaging materials you use, as well as bringing down the weight of your parcels which saves on fuel and means your shipment costs are lowered.
Right-sizing also reduces the need to use fillers in your packages which cost money and contribute to plastic waste, so with all this considered it’s clear to see just how rewarding efficiently packaging your goods can be!
Energy and Water Conservation
Most businesses use a lot of water and energy and chances are yours is no different. Using these valuable resources conservatively not only reduces our impact on the planet, but it also reduces our bils – winner winner!
There are many ways you can reduce the amount of energy and water you use. Start by implementing energy-efficient practices within your warehouse facilities, such as using LED lighting, optimising heating and cooling systems and investing in renewable energy sources.
This will help bring down your energy consumption and depending on the nature of your business and the steps you choose to put in place, the difference could be significant.
Likewise, you should look to implement water-saving technologies. While many people underestimate the impact waiting water has on the planet, the results can be catastrophic.
As well as putting unnecessary strain on natural water reserves, the pumping of water requires a large amount of energy which comes with a large carbon footprint. So by reducing the amount of water your company uses, you can contribute to a green planet.
Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials
So now we’ve been over how optimally-sizing your packages can have a massive environmental benefit, now let’s take a look at how using the right type of packaging can do the same.
One of the biggest concerns with all the goods being purchased online is the amount of waste – much of it plastic – that this tends to generate. In a world that’s trying to reduce the amount of plastic it uses, at the same time as an increasing percentage of the goods we buy is done so online, something here has got to give.
One solution to this is to transition to eco-friendly packaging materials. These are a real game-changer in reducing the environmental impact of e-commerce businesses as they use sustainable options rather than plastic.
If you’re concerned about the amount of waste you’re potentially producing, switch to fully biodegradable packaging. This includes cardboard boxes, biodegradable tape and paper filling. You should also avoid polystyrene or cellohance as these aren’t eco-friendly.
Educating Staff
When it comes to putting in place measures to help your business reduce its environmental footprint, you need to have a workforce that’s on board with your ideas. After all, there’s only so much you can do and you can’t be everywhere all of the time, so in the end much of it comes down to your staff following your orders.
To ensure your instructions are adhered to, try educating your staff on the importance of sustainability. By clearly setting out your ideas and goals, you can drive home the significance of protecting the planet which should encourage them to take sustainability in the workplace seriously.
This will undoubtedly increase the chances of your staff following your instructions which is crucial if you want to become a cleaner, greener company.
Greener Delivery Companies
Collaborating with delivery companies that prioritise eco-friendly practices in their operations is another way to potentially reduce your footprint.
As an eCommerce company, you’ll be using your courier a lot. So consider couriers that have eco-friendly initiatives in place, such as carbon-neutral, electric vehicles, or reduced emissions as these sustainable delivery services can make a huge difference.
Lead The Way
Sustainability is a team effort. Without us all collaborating and coming together to achieve a common goal – the goal of saving the planet from eventual annihilation – the efforts of one person are futile.
As a business owner, this is why it’s your job to set an example and lead the way. By demonstrating that you’re serious about sustainability and not just exploiting the climate crisis to tap into the growing number of people choosing to shop with companies that are employing eco-friendly practices, you can set an example for your staff and customers.
By adopting the environmentally-friendly practices we’ve mentioned above, you can have a positive impact on the behaviour of your staff who will hopefully take those messages home with them and use them to make changes in their personal lives. Likewise, customers will see you’re taking your responsibility to the planet seriously and that should foster trust.
So that’s how you can make your eCommerce business greener. As you can see, there are many different approaches you can take and obviously the strategy you choose will depend on your circumstances, as well as the nature of your business.
But by right-sizing your packages, cutting down on waste, using eco-friendly packaging and encouraging your staff to use less energy and water, you can drastically reduce your company’s carbon footprint.
