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Sustainability is an increasingly important concept for companies, which aim to become sustainable not only out of corporate or environmental responsibility, but also to improve their image among consumers who are more and more concerned about the environment and who value sustainable companies when buying their products or hiring their services.
Many companies of all kinds and sizes now turn to consultancies specialised in ecodesign services such as Kaeltia to adapt their production, marketing or management processes and make them more sustainable. But do we really know what sustainability is? Let’s look in detail at what this concept involves, why it is so important, and how to apply it to businesses today.
What is a sustainable company?
We define a sustainable company as one that prioritises not only the economy, but also social commitment and concern for the environment, in order to generate not only short-term economic benefit but also long-term well-being and progress, without neglecting its direct and indirect impact on its surroundings. An environmentally sustainable company commits, among other measures, to:
- using sustainable materials
- reducing the use of raw materials and the generation of waste
- managing the waste it generates properly
- adopting energy-saving measures and using renewable energy
- promoting recycling
- minimising the use of fossil fuels and travel
A good way to prove that a company carries out sustainable practices that respect its environment is, precisely, to obtain a sustainable company certificate. ISO standards are a good way to ensure that companies and organisations meet certain standards, including sustainability standards.
This is the case, for example, with the ISO 14001 certificate, which establishes environmental management systems in companies and is one of the most in demand today, as it helps achieve a more efficient use of resources, improving both profitability and corporate image. ISO 50001, which promotes more efficient use of energy, is also worth mentioning.
What advantages does sustainability bring to companies?
Even though sustainability is a consumer demand, from a business owner’s point of view it is logical to ask what advantages come with being a sustainable company, especially considering that, in the short or medium term, achieving it may require an investment that, obviously, is expected to pay off.
The truth is that sustainability not only provides a corporate and brand image that consumers value and demand, but also, in itself, brings a series of benefits, beyond the environmental ones, when it is implemented in companies:
- increases productivity
- reduces operating costs
- improves competitiveness
- increases appeal to potential investors
- improves image among shareholders and consumers
- allows access to tax benefits
Proof of the many advantages of applying sustainability criteria to companies is that large corporations increasingly consider it a key factor for their future. According to studies, more than 80% of executives at leading companies believe that following a sustainability strategy is essential to ensure the competitiveness of their business today or in the near future.
Examples of sustainable companies in Spain
As proof of what we have just said, more and more well-known companies are betting on sustainability as the key to their present and future viability. Let’s look at some examples of sustainable companies in Spain:
Esveva:
Esveva is a Spanish company dedicated to making vegetable sponges from luffa through a 100% handmade process, which can be used for anything from skin care to household cleaning in a way that is completely respectful of the environment.
La Flor de Limón:
Thanks to their 100% organic production, the lemons from Novales (Cantabria) boast a unique flavour and are a product that makes a difference, with a thick, fleshy skin that keeps them in good condition for longer.
Eco Basics:
This company, based in Girona, promotes organic food that is certified and packaged using ecodesign, and also encourages incorporating organic products into the daily diet to improve health and well-being.
Naturbrush:
Naturbrush is a Spanish company that, under the premise of turning everyday gestures into sustainable gestures, focuses on manufacturing biodegradable toothbrushes made from bamboo wood, in order to reduce their environmental impact. The idea, they say, arose in response to the worrying problem of plastic waste accumulating in our oceans.
Souji:
This company claims to have created a revolutionary and innovative product that turns used cooking oil into a practical multipurpose cleaner. It also uses a sustainable container made from paper and recycled newspaper scraps.
What can a company do to be sustainable?
There are many sustainable actions that companies can take to apply sustainability criteria and improve their corporate and brand image; here are some examples that are relatively easy to implement:
- Reduce paper consumption: opt for digital formats and documents, and limit printing to cases where it is strictly necessary.
- Save energy: encourage simple habits such as switching off lights and equipment that are not in use, adjusting the air conditioning, making the most of natural light…
- Environmental education: environmental training for employees is increasingly important to raise ecological awareness and change habits.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: the amount of waste a company generates can be enormous, hence the need to promote the well-known 3 Rs.
- Look for sustainable suppliers: choosing suppliers that are also committed to sustainability, or that are local, can make a big difference.
- Apply ecodesign: that is, design environmentally friendly products from production to the end of their useful life.
- Use sustainable transport: encourage car-sharing or non-polluting means of transport: bicycles, electric scooters, public transport, etc.
- Raise awareness: running environmental awareness campaigns among customers contributes significantly to improving the company’s public image.
- Help: companies can support, financially or in other ways, NGOs that carry out actions to protect the environment, for example.
The most important thing when implementing these and other policies is to adopt the values of a sustainable company as your own, so that they do not become one-off changes or actions aimed only at the public. Most customers are well informed and aware enough to tell when a company is truly committed to sustainability and when it is merely trying to “greenwash” its image without making real changes, something the average consumer ends up penalising.
In any case, it is important to stress once again that sustainability goes far beyond respect for the environment, and that it is a whole philosophy that brings many benefits to companies, which are not limited to corporate image but range from efficient use of resources to cost savings.
That is why more and more firms that want to become sustainable companies turn to consultancies such as Kaeltia, which offers tailored advisory and consulting services for companies looking to change their products or services through sustainable practices such as ecodesign.
