Before you can begin establishing a sustainability plan for your business, get a good idea of your current baseline and where you can improve. Some good starting points could be measuring your carbon footprint, evaluating your corporate giving approach, and understanding the impact your business has on your community.

Get your staff and stakeholders up to date on the issues and why it’s important as a company to make sustainable choices. Involving stakeholders from the outset builds buy-in and also brings in their perspective. Staff will likely have ideas for changes based on their roles that others hadn’t thought of.

The Natural Step is an excellent place to get information and tools to your employees. An award-winning, non-profit organization, The Natural Step provides a science-based method to help companies build long-term sustainability into their everyday practices.

Depending on the size of your company, establish a committee responsible for defining your strategy, identifying opportunities to promote social sustainability and establishing business processes in line with your goals.

Use the methods outlined in The Natural Step Framework, brainstorm strategies and solutions on your own, or consult with other businesses in your industry to determine what works best for your company.

Once you have a firm grasp of where your business stands and a plan to move ahead, start setting a good example for your peers and competitors. From simple things like setting up recycling programs in your office, to more involved processes like making better use of raw materials in your manufacturing process to create less waste, all contribute to a healthier environment.

There are also many ways to put your purchasing power to better use. Align your purchasing with your sustainability objectives by choosing vendors who share your values and support your efforts by offering sustainable products and services. If you regularly sell or distribute items with your company logo printed on them, opt for fair trade garments, items made from recycled or biodegradable materials, and items made by local suppliers.

Whatever product you manufacture or service you provide, find more sustainable ways to deliver them. Can you use eco-friendly design and materials? Can you outsource goods or services to community-based organizations that support your local economy? When you incorporate sustainability into your product offerings, you encourage the sustainable behaviour of your customers.

Make your company a public advocate for sustainability. Raise issues with your stakeholders, including within your industry and with the government. Collaborate with community groups, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), industry leaders and even your competitors to advance sustainability in your industry and in society.

Use your website to share your story; publish information about your commitment and keep readers up to date with your efforts, challenges and progress.

So, you know why you should run a more sustainable business, and you have a few steps to get you started on your sustainability strategy. Your next challenge is to keep the ball rolling, and ensure that your plan doesn’t become a finite project. In our next article in this series, you’ll learn how to keep your employees engaged, and build on your successes, and expand your program.