In today’s business world, sustainability can sometimes feel like a fashion accessory: a stylish green badge you wear proudly, after paying a significant portion of your income to whichever organisation issues it.
Now, don’t get me wrong; some certifications have their place. They can help industries standardise and communicate important practices so their customers have that reassurance, particularly in relation to quality and safety. But let’s be honest: you don’t need an expensive sticker or a glossy certificate to start making a genuine difference. You just need to roll up your sleeves and get on with it. Because real sustainability isn’t about being seen to care. It’s about actually caring.
There’s a big difference between doing good and looking good while doing very little. A certified “eco-friendly” logo may impress a few people, but sustainable action builds lasting trust and hopefully this means lasting businesses.
Instead of waiting for external approval, companies can simply start making real changes. Here’s how:
It’s cheaper, smarter, and infinitely more sustainable to design waste out of your business from the beginning.
For example, Patagonia designs clothing that can be repaired, reused, and eventually recycled. They didn’t need a badge to tell them that “making fewer things that last longer” was a sensible idea; it’s just good business (and common sense).
Shipping raw materials halfway across the world so they can be assembled somewhere else and then shipped back to your customer? That’s a huge carbon footprint.
Companies like Riverford Organic Farmers in the UK focus on local, seasonal produce. No expensive international certifications needed, just a solid commitment to doing things the right way.
You don’t need to throw a “We Installed Solar Panels” gala. Businesses like BrewDog quietly shifted their breweries to renewable energy sources and invested in reforestation projects.
If your product is destined to fall apart after six months, you’re not sustainable, you’re just selling future landfill.
Brands like Vitsoe (furniture) and Hiut Denim (jeans) focus on timeless design and repairability. No glittery eco-badges required; just high standards and a promise to customers that “buy once, buy well” beats endless replacement.
Sustainability isn’t just about the environment. It’s about your employees, suppliers, and communities, too.
Companies like John Lewis (a partnership owned by its employees) have long built their businesses around treating people fairly. Long before “ethical employment” became a buzzword, they understood that sustainability starts with respect.
If the moral case isn’t enough to sway you, let’s talk numbers. Sustainability isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s smart because.
1. Reducing energy use, minimising waste, optimising transport, save money. Simple things such as installing LED lighting, using energy-efficient appliances, cutting unnecessary packaging are all good for the bottom line.
2. Modern consumers are savvy. They can sniff out greenwashing faster than you can say “biodegradable packaging.”
Building real practices into your operations gives you authenticity and customers value that more than a thousand logos.
3. Environmental regulations are tightening globally. Businesses that adapt now will be in a stronger position when the rules (inevitably) get stricter. It’s a bit like buying winter tyres before the first snowstorm hits: proactive beats reactive every time.
4. While your competitors are busy filling out application forms for Eco Hero of the Year, you’ll be out there doing the work and reaping the benefits. Being known as a business that actually delivers on sustainability without shouting about it? That’s a brand reputation money can’t buy.
Photo by rafael albornoz
