How to make your business socially responsible
Making your business socially responsible is none other than one of the many projects connected to the development of your business. Also in this case you can proceed in various ways, follow different models and ideas or listen to the different suggestions of people who want to advise you on what to do.
This article is a guide on the topic of “sustainable business”: we introduce you to the various models you can follow, we help you to write down a realistic plan and we provide you with a list of useful and practical advice.
Definition of a socially responsible company
The goal of a socially responsible business is much more than just making a profit like the best online casino. Indeed, the aim is also to have a positive impact on the world. Some ethical businesses emphasize improving society, others on environmental sustainability, and still others take responsibility for limiting the negative impact of their business.
Why should a small business be sustainable?
The good news is that many small and medium-sized businesses are already more sustainable than large competitors. Those who manage micro-businesses usually sell their products locally and have direct and human contact with the people who live in the area and know the suppliers personally.
The care of the relationship with the employees also plays a fundamental role, as does the mission that guides the activity.
The natural propensity for sustainability is the superpower of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Those who run a small business sometimes fear they don’t have the power to make a difference.
If a supermarket chain decides to only supply paper bags instead of plastic, the positive impact on the environment will be significant. The same thing happens in terms of reducing carbon emissions if a multinational chooses to limit international flights by even just 10%.
The path towards sustainability of a small business is different. In this article, we’ll give you tips on making decisions and taking actions that make a difference.
Where to start to make a small business socially responsible?
Recycling is fine. Getting into the habit of turning off all the lights is great. But if you want to make your business sustainable, we suggest you take a structured approach to this challenge. There are so many possible approaches, but the one based on the three pillars of sustainability seems to us the most suitable for a small business.
The three pillars of sustainability
According to this model, conceived by John Elkington, every business must be based on three pillars that coexist in harmony: people, the planet, and profit 2 . Whenever one of the pillars prevails over the other two, an imbalance is created in the business. The imbalance is not sustainable in the long run.
Ethical enterprise: objectives and actions
You probably already have some ideas on how to turn your business into a sustainable business. Maybe you want to reduce waste or supply your products ethically. It is important to focus on specific goals and measure progress over time. As someone said well before us, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
If, on the other hand, you don’t have a specific goal in mind yet, take a cue from the mission of the NGOs operating in your area or let yourself be inspired by the sustainability objectives indicated by the UN. No goal is more valid than the others: the best is the one you feel most yours on a personal level.
business socially responsible
Establish your parameters for measuring sustainability
Once you have decided what actions to take, you will need to know if they are working or not. To do this you will need to establish parameters to measure the results obtained in the area of sustainability. You will have to do it based on your business as these parameters vary based on the business and the objectives it aims to achieve. For example, if your goal is a “zero waste” office, you can measure your results by the amount of waste produced.
Along the way to your goal, you can share your progress on your site and add any awards and certifications you may have obtained, just as a nonprofit organization would transparently display its numbers on its site.
