Ep. 68 – Sustainable Business – Why Planet Matters

Intro

Building a sustainable business is similar to preparing for the change in rhythm of different seasons, in that your work can often take on a different pace at different times and building a sustainable business means making the space for those changes in pace. Which brings me to today’s episode, which is about planet because the rapidly changing pace of detrimental environmental factors also has an impact on our ability to build a sustainable business. Environmental sustainability should also be a priority for businesses today.

It’s not just a trend. It’s a long-term necessity for the survival of businesses and the world we live in.

A quick note before we go further. In this episode, I reference several companies, articles and resources. And I’ll share links to all of those in the show notes on my website, which you’ll find at creatingcadence.co. Also a word of warning.

This episode might seem to start quite heavy because we are talking about very important, challenging problems. However, I end with several examples of companies who are doing good in the world that will hopefully inspire you to get started on your sustainability journey, too. So if you’re ready, let’s dive in.

Why Planet Matters

[00:04:03]

Today’s episode is about why the planet matters for business. And if various events over the last few weeks or anything to go by the effects of climate change and the climate crisis and the accompanying environmental challenges we face, are something that really cannot be ignored by businesses either.

The recent devastating hurricanes in Central and North America, the year’s worth of rain that fell in one day in the Sahara, and the flooding and landslides in Nepal are just a few examples of the challenges that threaten both our lives and our livelihoods. And a new report just out called “The 2024 State of the Climate” Report, which was published in the journal of BioScience, paints a sobering picture of what the future holds, if we don’t undertake more concerted actions.

The report warns that this isn’t just about environmental collapse, but also there is the potential for societal collapse. In other words, this is an existential threat, not just to life as we know it, but to life full-stop.

The report is by a group of the world’s most senior climate experts who in 2023 assessed 35 climate and environmental vital signs. These included levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere, human population, the burning of fossil fuels, temperature increases, and ice cap melting, just to name a few. And what they found, was that 25 of these 35 vital signs were worse than ever recorded, despite all the efforts that people have been putting in. Now, according to an article in the guardian, which covered the report, the purpose of the report was to provide clear evidence-based insights that inspire informed and bold responses from citizens, researchers, and world leaders alike.

Now climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and biodiversity loss aren’t just environmental issues. They’re economic and social ones too. So it’s not just citizens, researchers and world leaders who can make a positive impact to improve our situation. Businesses also have a key role to play in reversing some of these negative impacts. It’s also business owners, business leaders, and business teams who can make a difference.

Consumers, employees and investors are also increasingly choosing businesses that prioritize the environment.

Remember if we’re facing an existential threat, without life, there’s no need for business if that happens. If or when we all have to switch to survival mode, concepts like KPIs, scaling strategies and year-end growth reports, become arbitrary, irrelevant, and even obsolete.

Now, this may be a worst case scenario that I’m describing. But it is one possibility that we have to take seriously, if we don’t take more obvious action to change future outcomes. This makes sustainability an ethical and economic imperative.

So part of the challenge is that we’re too reliant on fossil fuel based systems that underpin much of how our industries and businesses operate, in terms of our energy usage and our consumption patterns. That said there’s some good news. For example, the UK, like many other countries is decarbonizing and it’s apparently doing so with its electricity supply faster than any other major economy.

For example, in October 2024, the last coal-powered power station in the UK closed down. And there has been a steady rise in leveraging things like wind power and renewables for energy generation, with more planned in coming years. So it’s not all doom and gloom, but we need to do more. And every little bit we do helps.

Resources:

• BioScience Report: “The 2024 State of the Climate Report”
• Guardian Article: Humanity’s Future is in the Balance

The Role of Business

[00:07:26]

So, what is the role of business in addressing these challenges?

Businesses are massive consumers of resources and major contributors to waste and pollution. The way that companies operate can either exacerbate the problem or help to solve it. Small changes at the business level can have a big cumulative effect. Also sustainability is no longer optional. In the near future companies that fail to integrate sustainable practices will be left behind. Either by regulatory measures or by consumer preference.

So adopting sustainable practices now isn’t just about being green. It’s also about future-proofing your business.

Think of it like driving a car with a leaky petrol tank. Now in the future, if we make it, we won’t have cars with gas tanks, they may all be electric or run on hydrogen, but bear with me because at the time of recording, there are still lots of cars on the road with a gas or petrol tank. So if your car had a leak, you wouldn’t ignore the leak because eventually the car will break down.

You’ll run out of petrol or gas, possibly in an inconvenient place that might threaten your safety.

The same goes for businesses and the planet. If we keep ignoring the warning light about environmental sustainability, we’re heading for a breakdown.

Sustainable Practices in Business

[00:08:43]

So what are some practical steps that companies can take to reduce their environmental footprint?

Depending on the size of your business, this can be a really complex topic with lots of avenues of discussion that we could take. But I want to try and keep this simple by looking at things that are approachable, actionable ideas that a business of any size can implement today as a starting point.

So we start by looking at the low hanging fruit. Energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conservation.

– Energy Efficiency

This can involve things like switching to energy-saving lighting, using more energy-efficient appliances, and more environmentally-friendly heating and cooling systems, alternative energy sources like heat pumps, photovoltaic technology, evaporative cooling, renewables, et cetera. Once small example in the UK is that gas central heating is being phased out to be replaced by heat pumps in coming years.

Are your windows adequately insulated to keep out the cold and keep it the heat and winter with sufficient ventilation for hotter times of the year. Workspaces with lots of natural light are also better for mental health and reduce the need for artificial lighting.

Are there any governmental initiatives offering subsidies for you to transition away from gas usage or to install solar or renewable energy sources, sooner than any formal deadlines that may still be years away?

In business, energy efficiency can apply to pretty much everything you do at work and everything that makes up your workplace. From things like your lighting, laptops, production machinery products, and fleet of delivery vehicles, to your digital slide presentations and the marketing paraphernalia that you make.

One area where you may be able to make impactful change is in your digital usage. Sending bulk emails has an environmental cost. Generating digital content like newsletters and social media marketing has an environmental cost. So think about whether what you’re sharing is of benefit to your customers, before you send out another arbitrary newsletter or post about what your team had for breakfast on your away day.

On the micro scale, this may be about how many tabs and applications you may have open that force your computer processor to have to work harder. It may be about using a more environmentally friendly search engine, like a Ecosia, which bills itself as the greenest browser on earth. According to their website, Ecosea.org,, they use a hundred percent of their profits for the planet and produce enough renewable energy to power all searches twice over.

Computer servers also generate huge amounts of heat. If you have a large server room, can you reuse that heat in some way, like certain organisations are doing in the UK where they’re channeling that energy into heating the public swimming pools at their local leisure centres. If your servers are outsourced, can you choose a green data centre or server farm supplier that has a formal environmental sustainability policy, which governs their technology services, energy usage, and supply.

And are you aware of the massive carbon load and ecological impacts that come from using things like AI tools? While AI might be useful in helping us solve some of our environmental challenges, it’s also an energy intensive tool that contributes to the problem.

According to an article published in Nature magazine in February 2024, one assessment suggests that Chat GPT, the chat bot created by open AI was already at that time consuming the energy of at least 33,000 homes daily. In that same article, it estimated that a search driven by generative AI uses four to five times the energy of a conventional web search. With so many new Gen AI tools and Large Language Models now available, I think these numbers have risen considerably since then.

Bottom line. There is an environmental cost to asking ChatGPT an arbitrary question, or getting the latest AI app to create a silly song about your company mascot. So, this is also about being mindful about how, and when you use these tools that are energy intensive.

Resources:

• Carbon-friendly Web Browser – ecosia.org
• Nature.com Article:  Generative AIs environmental costs are soaring.
• HBR Article: Uneven distribution of AIs environmental impacts.

– Waste Reduction

Do you have a formal recycling progam? This isn’t just about separating paper and plastic. This is also about the pods in your coffee machine, for example. Could you use beans that are ground as needed, and the remaining coffee grounds get donated to the local food garden?

Or what do you do with your office chairs when they break? What is your carpeting made out of and where does it go when you decide to refurb the office? To the landfill? Or can someone else use it?

Also remember the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle. Recycling should be the last resort. So what part of your work environment products, et cetera, can be reused or repaired? Where can you reduce your stuff and your usage?

For example, can you go paperless? Storing information on backed up servers, which are hopefully green servers, not only democratize information access and promote transparency, but they also save space. And when you have less space, you’re using less energy to heat and light that space.

Can you reduce packaging waste? Are your products plastic, or do they come in plastic?

If so, why? In this day and age, there are alternatives. From packaging made from recycled paper, pulp and plant waste, to products grown from mushrooms and mycelium. And don’t get me started on food products that are sold in plastic that cannot be recycled. Supermarkets, food producers, and even fast food outlets have a responsibility to make recycling these products easier for consumers.

Can you use suppliers who ascribe to high environmental sustainability standards. For example, if you use delivery partners, consider going with a company like DPD who are part of Geopost, a global service delivery company. DPD have successfully integrated sustainability into their operations and culture, through the use of things like electric vehicles and a combination of corporate social responsibility initiatives to ensure that your delivery can be carbon neutral.

And if an environmentally friendly option for your product or packaging doesn’t yet exist for your particular sector, then why not be the innovator and the leader? Be the one to find the solution or introduce groundbreaking new technology. Or partner with organizations that are already working to find these solutions. Being willing to trial and experiment potential options in your business will make you a more attractive option for informed consumers who want to support more environmentally-friendly options of whatever it is you make or sell.

Resources:

• DPD UK – DPD Green Policies
• DPD UK – DPD CSR

– Water Conservation

Fix those leaks in the roof, sort out those dripping taps or inefficient water systems or aging toilets that use too much water. Can you install water-saving fixtures, like taps, which have a push button timer? Or put in a water filter on the drinking taps instead of using plastic water coolers, so that no one’s health is compromised. When water sits in plastic for a long time, the plastic can leach into the water and it can have huge implications for our hormonal health and endocrine system.

Can you explore things like rainwater harvesting to water the gardens that surround your office or a gray water filtration system that captures water from sinks to be used elsewhere, like flushing the toilets on your premises. If you’re an organization that may rely on water as part of your manufacturing process, what are ways to reduce or reuse that water that can help to make a difference?

Now, obviously some of these things I’ve mentioned may involve large cost outlays or be big undertakings. But that doesn’t mean that they’re not possible without a bit of research and planning. Think about how you can plan for and stagger your implementation, in smaller, doable, and manageable increments to help make it more cost-effective.

This isn’t just about changing things this year. This is about having a long-term plan. And don’t forget to get your teams involved in the discussions about all of this. They may have amazing ideas or winning solutions. And if they know that you care about the environment, like they do, their loyalty and commitment to the company grows.

Imagine your business as a house and each environmentally unsustainable practice is like leaving a tap running, or all of the lights burning, when you leave the house.

You wouldn’t do that at home, would you? So why would you do it at work?

These small things may seem insignificant in the moment, but over time they drain resources and your wallet. Sustainability at work is about turning off those taps. So how can you set the example?

Remember by implementing these things now, you’re mitigating the cost of being able to actually do business in the future.

So don’t get left behind.

Frameworks for Sustainability

[00:17:01] 

Now let’s look at frameworks for sustainability that you can use as a guide in your journey.

It can be helpful to leverage a framework, to help us implement any new practices. For example, I have a cadence framework that I use in my coaching that helps people understand how intentional productivity and cadence fit into their workflow and life flow.

It’s no different when it comes to developing sustainable business practices. Using a framework as a guide is useful. So I’m going to cover three examples of possible frameworks.

The first is the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The second is the circular economy. And the third is B Corp, which I’ve mentioned before in this season.

– The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

These are a guide for helping citizens, organisations, and governments to address our most pressing issues, which include poverty, climate change and inequality. Their 2030 agenda focuses on improving five areas, that of People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.

And they have set 17 sustainable development goals with 169 targets that fit within those goals. At least eight of these 17 UN SDGs have a direct link to environmental sustainability.

So aligning your plans and processes with the UN’s SDGs gives your business a blueprint for sustainability. Whether it’s clean energy, responsible consumption, or climate action, there’s a goal and targets that every business can work towards.

Resources:

• UN SDGs Goals
• UN SDGs Agenda

– The Circular Economy

A circular economy is about designing products and systems that minimise waste by keeping materials in use for as long as possible. Think recycling, repurposing, refurbishing, and reusing. For example. Some companies design their products with the idea that they’ll be disassembled at the end of their life to be repurposed into new products. Other companies offer repair services so that their products can get a new lease on life. Companies are no longer being allowed to issue products that become obsolete and cannot be reused or recycled in some way.

The benefits of supporting a circular economy, are that it helps us to use natural resources more wisely, thereby protecting the environment. Replacing linear products and systems with circular ones can also open the doors to innovation. And following a circular economy format in your business can create new jobs, skills, and capabilities. The circular economy also helps us to improve our energy usage, the materials we use and our labour practices, thereby increasing efficiency.

So reasons why you may want to take the seriously. Because governments at both local and national level are taking this seriously. The European union adopted their circular economy action plan or CEAP in March, 2020. And it’s a primary motivator for helping the EU to reach their net zero targets by 2050 at the latest.

Quick explainer, if you don’t understand the term “net zero”, this relates to the goal of balancing the amount of harmful greenhouse gases produced, with the amount removed from the atmosphere to limit global warming. To hit net zero, we need to reduce emissions from homes, transport, agriculture and industry. Where it’s too expensive or complex to completely cut emissions, for example, in the aviation industry, then it’s about looking at things like carbon capture and sequestration as additional ways of removing emissions from the atmosphere.

If you want to dive deeper on the circular economy, here’s a few recommendations.

Resources:

• National Grid Article: Net Zero Explained
• EU Circular Economy Action Plan
• EU – Circular Economy Definition, Importance & Benefits
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation – Circular Economy info & learning resources
• Making Design Circular Podcast by Katie Treggiden
• Doughnut Economics Book by Kate Raworth

– B Corp Certification

This is a way for businesses to commit to high environmental and social performance standards, ensuring a high degree of transparency and accountability. They have a stringent assessment process and it can be a lengthy process at that, to ensure that you have all of your ducks in a row to meet their standards.

Your membership is then assessed and reviewed every three years. So it’s not a case of you get it and you relax. You need to be continuously and consistently working to maintain high standards of sustainability. B Corp certification is a bit like a badge of honor that shows that you’re serious about doing business sustainably, and are part of a global community that is using business as a force for good. I’ve also touched on B Corp and other certification programs in episode 67 about people.

But even if you can’t afford to become a B Corp certified business or your business isn’t eligible. You can still take their B Impact online assessment, which at the time of recording, this is currently free. And you can use that as a framework for helping you to run your business in a more environmentally sustainable way. From creating policies to implementing strategies, to improving processes and taking action.

Resources:

• B Corp – Why Certify as a B Corp
• B Corp – B Impact Assessment

Sustainability & Cadence

[00:21:58]

Next up. How does sustainability tie in with the idea of creating cadence?

Just like you create cadence for your work to avoid burnout. You can create cadence in your business processes to ensure sustainability is embedded into your operations. For example, adopting audits of your resource usage can help spot inefficiencies, allowing you to make more environmentally conscious decisions. It’s about pacing yourself with small, consistent actions over time. And this can lead to big results.

Intentional productivity, which is a key part of creating cadence at work, can also be linked to environmental stewardship, because intentional productivity, isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about being mindful of how you work and the impact of your business on the world.

By building intentionally sustainable practices into your workflows, you can make sure your productivity efforts don’t come at the cost of the planet. Embedding sustainability into your work cadence might look like establishing regular sustainability check-ins, where teams assess how their projects or processes are impacting the environment. This keeps sustainability on the agenda, and ensures it’s part of the rhythm of how you work rather than an afterthought. So think about how you can reduce, reuse and recycle with rhythm.

Put another way, think of your business processes, like a dance. If everyone’s in sync, then the performance is smooth, but if someone’s out of step, like they’re using too much energy or generating unnecessary waste, then it throws off the entire energy and flow of your dance. Focusing on cadence helps keep everything in harmony, including your environmental impact.

So to offer you some inspiration, I’m going to end off this episode by sharing a few examples of companies who are doing good things around environmental sustainability, and who are successfully integrating sustainability into their operations and culture.

– Ikea

They are making strides in creating a circular economy and aiming for net zero. They’re working on furniture, that’s not only made from sustainable materials, but can also be disassembled and repurposed at the end of its life. And their goal? To become fully circular by 2030.

• Ikea Sustainability Strategy

– Patagonia

As I’ve mentioned them in the last episode, Patagonia is a gold standard in environmental stewardship. They’ve built their entire brand around sustainability. From using recycled materials to repairing old gear, instead of encouraging people to buy new. They also donate 1% of their sales to environmental causes and encourage other businesses to do the same.

• Patagonia Actionworks Campaigns
• Patagonia Repairs

– Interface Carpets

Interface carpets a global carpet manufacturer.

And they’ve transformed their entire business model to focus on sustainability. Through innovations like using recycled materials and creating a zero waste manufacturing process, they’ve become an example of how even traditionally high-impact industries can turn things around.

• Interface Carpet Tile
• Interface Sustainability & Recycling

– Kickstarter

This is an online pledge-based community funding platform for creative projects. Their mission is to make the world a better place to bring creative projects to life. A commitment to environmental sustainability is baked into their charter, and they’re also involved in several initiatives that support the planet, including being certified as climate neutral since 2019.

• Kickstarter Environmental Sustainability

– Faith in Nature

This company produces natural haircare and body care. And not only are they a B Corp company, they were also the first company in the world to give nature a voice and a vote. They have a specially elected person who represents nature on their board and who has a vote on all the important decisions affecting the company, from operations to innovation.

• Faith in Nature – A Vote for Nature

You may think of these companies as environmental superheroes, but they didn’t become sustainable overnight. Instead, they achieved their reputation through small steps, a deep level of commitment, and a strong vision for the future. And now they’re saving the planet one sustainable action at a time.

Recap & Recommendations

[00:25:53]

So I hope this helps you to understand why environmental sustainability matters for businesses. And why it’s important that you consider the planet in your business decisions?

I’ve shared just a few of the multitude of practical ways you can start integrating more environmentally sustainable practices into your business. And I’ve also touched on how creating cadence supports these efforts.

Remember that sustainability isn’t about grand gestures.

It’s about consistent, mindful actions that build over time.

I encourage you to reflect on your current practices. And start thinking about the small changes you can implement right now.

You may not be in a position at this moment of time to expend lots of time and money on say conducting a full carbon audit of your business. But you certainly can canvas your employees on what they think is important regarding environmental sustainability, so that you can get some ideas on where you can and should start.

So, I hope you can see that environmental sustainability. Isn’t just good for the planet. It’s good for business too. And embedding environmental sustainability into how you work doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can start with one step in the right direction on the bigger journey. Multitudes of mini changes can translate into a massive impact.

The planet can’t wait.

So please think about starting now.

In the next episode, we’ll dive into the “profit” part of the triple bottom line and the business case for building a more sustainable business.

In the meantime, keep moving forwards with courage, curiosity, and cadence.