Often, micro and small business owners wonder how to be more sustainable when it’s only them or a small team. You have a never-ending task list, and while sustainability is important, you park it in the “nice to have” box for when you have time.

I get it; I’m a micro business, too. It means it’s just me doing everything in the business: marketing, sales, client work, finance management, website updates, strategic development…well, you get the gist.

When I started Volta, I wanted to embrace sustainability; it’s one of my core values. However, as a small business owner, I wondered how much impact I could have by making more sustainable choices. So, I decided to think about the big picture. If a significant proportion of SMEs could adopt sustainable principles, just imagine the impact this could have on the environment. It’s the cumulative effect of all of our small steps and actions can have the greatest impact.

While focusing on the bigger picture, I also looked at the micro level. What is in my control? Well, I can control:

• who and what I spend my money on; and
• the clients that engage my service.

So, what does this look like?

Responsible Supply Chain

I’m constantly on the lookout for new suppliers who will improve my sustainable purchasing decisions. I use a supplier checklist to help me identify those who align with my values. You can download my responsible supplier checklist here.

Here are the questions and areas I look for when reviewing a supplier’s sustainability practices:

🌳Do they have a sustainability page or statement?

Often, if a company has this, there is a focus or at least an appreciation that addressing sustainability is essential. I review their initiatives and their focus areas.

🌳Are their products recycled? Can they be reused or repurposed? Ask yourself what happens at their end of life.

It’s great to seek out recycled products, but it’s even better to find ones that can be reused and repurposed or have minimal environmental impact when their lives end.

🌳Do they have an accreditation or certification?

I’m not saying accreditations are the be-all and end-all, but they can help you make an informed decision. Often, these certifications have robust compliance and auditing frameworks that you can rely upon. Some common ones are:

• B Corporation
• Fair Trade
• Social Traders
• Rainforest Alliance
• Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)
• Standard 100 by Oeko-Texo
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
• People + Planet First

🌳Have they made a public pledge to support an environmental issue?

There are lots of memberships and organisations that assist businesses to have a positive impact on the environment. They can be relatively easy to join, which makes it a bonus for micro-to-small-business owners. A handful I have come across are:

• 1% for the Planet
• SME Climate Commitment
• B1G1

In addition to looking at sustainability within my supply chain, I also overlay a gender lens. This means I look for organisations that are majority women or gender-diverse owned/led and those from marginalised backgrounds, in addition to their impact areas. But that’s another journal article that I need to write about.

Carbon Measurement + Offsets

I started measuring my carbon footprint from the very start of Volta. Using the measurements, I offset my carbon by contributing to several community-based and nature-based offset programs, e.g., planting trees, land restoration, and efficient cookstoves in Nepal.

Understanding the areas of my business that contribute to my emissions allows me to determine where they can be reduced. I’ll admit that working from home and being a service-based business means my emissions are not as high as many other businesses. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things I can do. Here are a handful of things I have done to reduce my carbon:

• Our home has solar panels, and I make sure to use my appliances during the day when the sun is producing energy. I aim to limit the use of these appliances to twice in one day. Our home also produces more than we consume (a battery is on my wish list).
• Open a curtain and a window. I’m a big fan of natural light, so you’ll not often see a light on in our home. I use our windows to create a cross breeze for ventilation.
• Compost + recycle. I’m fortunate to live in an area that uses the FOGO bin system. We also have a separate bin for containers that can be sent to Containers for Change.
• I drive an electric car. Last year, I needed to replace my aging vehicle, so I took the plunge and purchased an EV. I now spend an estimated $12 every 5-6 weeks charging it, so that also keeps my finances in check.
• I utilise my supplier checklist to help me select sustainable suppliers where possible.
• I’m (mostly) a paperless office. Yes, I still use notebooks and print out the occasional document. Last year, I used 2 reams of paper. I’d call that nearly as paperless as a tactile person like me will get.

My list isn’t exhaustive, but you can do many small things to reduce emissions.

The way forward

Has the above inspired you to make a change? I hope so.

And to help, here are a few resources to assist you on your sustainable journey:

Australian Circular Economy Hub – learn about the circular economy in Australia.

Carbon Positive Australia – helps individuals and organisations take climate action.

SME Climate Hub – free training and practical guidance on how businesses can take climate action. Includes free carbon calculators to measure your footprint.

Sustainability Tracker – discover which brands are addressing climate change.

👀 Looking for sustainable suppliers? Here are some I use:

Bank Australia – a bank that puts people and the planet before profits

go for zero – eco pens (and lots of other eco goodies on this marketplace)

GreenPay – a new payment service I’ve just discovered and am about to roll out. It replaces the usual suspects like Stripe, Square, and PayPal.

Karst Goods – notebooks, journals and desk accessories

Serversaurus – domains, email and web hosting

Sustainable Printing Co – for all your printing needs

Trace – carbon accounting software to measure your footprint and offset your carbon. Full disclosure: I am in the process of changing to an alternative as the investment to use Trace (no matter how great I think they are) is pretty steep for a micro-business like me. I’m looking at CarbonInvoice, Cogo, and SME Climate Hub.

Xero – accounting software

ZeroCo – cleaning suppliers

I hope you enjoyed reading about how I embed sustainability within my business and gave you some ideas on your next steps.

Have you implemented a sustainable practice in your business? I’d love to hear about it. Please share it in the comments below, and let’s be a force of good together.

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