How Eco-Friendly Packaging Contributes to Sustainability in Business
Sustainable businesses are becoming increasingly important to the consuming public, with most of the adults in the country making some alterations to their lives based on environmental concerns. With this in mind, companies of all kinds need to figure out how they can contribute towards sustainability, even if their business isn’t intrinsically tied to eco-initiatives. Enter eco-friendly packaging.
This article will explore the ethos of businesses that are sustainable, along with the importance of partnering with an eco-packaging company in today’s economy.
What are sustainable business practices?
As defined by Harvard Business School, business sustainability can be pinned down to the impact a business has on the environment and on society. In general, sustainable businesses aim to positively impact one or both of those areas with what they do, even if that’s achieved indirectly.
Sustainable business practices can include:
- Using sustainable (renewable/recyclable/biodegradable etc.) materials during the manufacturing process.
- Investing proceeds into positive community projects, such as local gardens, libraries, educational initiatives and cleanup schemes.
- Employing supply chain management to minimise greenhouse gas emissions or miles on products.
- Utilising renewable sources of energy to power offices or production facilities is a surefire way to increase overall sustainability.
It’s important to remember that sustainable practices also need to be sustainable for the business itself. This is sometimes referred to as the convergence of ‘Doing Well’ – the business performing – and ‘Doing Good’ – the business making a positive external impact.
The sustainable benefits of embracing eco-friendly packaging
As we know, there are various ways that businesses can pursue sustainability, however, one of the most effective and accessible avenues is utilising eco-friendly packaging. Eco-packaging supports sustainable efforts in a multitude of ways.
Environmental impacts
For one, eco-friendly packaging can significantly contribute to the reduction/improvement of a company’s environmental impacts. Choosing to cut out single use plastics, use recyclable materials or produce packaging with renewable energy are all positive decisions that contribute to a company improving their sustainability.
These decisions can help to:
- Reduce waste product/landfill contributions
- Conserve resources
- Lower the business’s carbon footprint
Accessibility to sustainability
The angle of eco-friendly packaging offers an accessible pathway toward sustainability. This is especially important for consumer products that might not be easily produced in a sustainable manner, as it offers some directional sustainability for the business.
Business enhancements
Embracing sustainability in the form of eco-friendly packaging can also benefit your business, helping to maintain the balance of ‘Doing Well abd Doing Good’. Conscious customers that catch wind of your business’s sustainable efforts are more likely to:
- Maintain brand loyalty
- Pay a premium for your product
- Choose you above the competition
These business enhancements will feed into your sustainability efforts and vice versa, helping to establish a circular system of environmental and financial benefit.
Sustainability has been the name of the game in 2024 and it’s only going to become more relevant as time goes on. If you’re still yet to take steps towards a more sustainable business model, eco-friendly packaging is a great place to start. Make sure to enquire with a reputable packaging agency and figure out the right direction for your products