Why your brand needs sustainability

We have entered a new era in business that I’m excited about. As the internet and technology makes our world smaller, businesses are realizing that when they step up their game and do things right, the market will notice. Thirty years ago, nobody really cared what a company was doing to minimize their environmental impact. Today, if your company is trying to supply the marketplace with something, it is becoming a requirement placed upon you by the consumers to be sustainable. If you manufacture a widget, you can’t just be good at making widgets. You must be good at making widgets with the least impact to the environment as possible.

I’m excited about the future of business! The most successful companies in the world are getting past the notion that they just need to comply with the EPA standards and that is their sole responsibility when it comes to the environment around us. Businesses that want to be great recognize simply being compliant in their regulatory commitments, whether it’s safety, environmental, or other areas, is not enough.

Today’s consumers want a story with your brand. They want to relate. What makes your business unique? What are they supporting by buying from you? What story can they tell their friends about their association with your product? Does your brand have a story? Has your brand made an impact other than simply producing yet another widget?

What does a responsible environmental policy look like? You don’t need to change the world or solve climate change. Here are five projects that many facilities can enact:

·        Contact your local watershed and develop a project that will impact your local water quality. For businesses that have large impervious surfaces that might include a roof or parking lot, can you divert the runoff to a large rain garden or retention pond? This kind of project can play a role in reducing flood effects and sediment load to your waterway.

·        Work with your local electric utility to conduct an energy audit and implement a plan to become more efficient. Many utilities offer energy audits at little or no cost and will offer you rebates that bring your ROI to unbelievable levels for these projects. Projects may include LED lights, changing motors to VFD, or altering your air pressures in your compressed air system. Even something as simple as an annual tune-up of your boiler system and steam traps is important.

·        Contact your waste handler to find out how you can become zero-waste-to-landfill. Is there a waste-to-energy facility nearby? Can you move to all recyclable materials?

·        Support renewable energy. This is the future of our energy, and now is the time to get on board. Many utilities have ways for you to ensure that more of your energy comes from renewables. Determine if your facility can have solar panels on your roof.

·        Evaluate where your raw materials come from and go after those sustainable sources. Are you using recycled materials for packaging? Can you move to bio-plastics that come from sustainable sources such as hemp or soy oils? What would happen if your raw materials could no longer be produced and you were forced to change your production mode down the road?

Businesses that go after projects like these and credentials like ISO 14001 have leverage in the marketplace. Large corporations are often not even willing to do business with you unless you have them. By investing in your company’s sustainability, you are opening markets you may not have otherwise had access to previously. And you’re making the world a better place for your kids.

Brad Kramer is a safety and environmental professional who brings his passion for community, the outdoors, and continuous improvement into industry. As a former Boy Scout and wilderness guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, he recognizes the need for protecting our resources, and that businesses don't have to lose money to be responsible. He's led projects in all sizes of businesses and in different sectors of the manufacturing field and helped businesses thrive with high ROI projects that make a difference.