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Although products are the main way in which consumers and companies interact , having a sustainable product is not solely dependent on product itself . Yes , it is important to think about eco-friendly packaging or figuring out strategies for green shipping , but sustainability is just as much about your organisation as it is about your products . It is much wider than just reducing your single use plastic or using eco-friendly ingredients , although these are very important . In today ’ s time , consumers are hyper-aware ; they have more information at their fingertips to understand products , research ingredients and compare against competition . This can be a doubleedged sword for a lot of young SMEs as they need to find competitive advantages in their product offering but need to be aware of misinformation or greenwashing . Something that is unfortunately common in today ’ s world as one specific ingredient or packaging type is now being marketed as a green product .

In my opinion , having sustainable products are not driven solely by packaging or fair trade but rather through the entire organisation ’ s operational outlook . It is at the ethos of the companies where true sustainability comes out .

Some of the key strategies that SMEs can adopt within their operations are supply chain management – look at reducing and communicating your Scope 3 , investigate local suppliers to reduce transportation costs and emissions , understand that suppliers are an extension of your own business . Another

THIS CAN BE

A DOUBLE- EDGED SWORD FOR A LOT OF YOUNG SMES AS THEY NEED TO FIND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES IN THEIR PRODUCT OFFERING BUT NEED TO BE AWARE OF MISINFORMATION OR GREENWASHING .

approach is around operational sustainability . Look at your energy efficiency within your operations , implement waste reduction measures , consider green shipping options such as consolidated shipping , incentivise customers to choose more eco-friendly shipping options or package products together to reduce individual packaging . Carbon offsetting is also a great strategy to mitigate emissions you cannot completely remove from your business operations ; this can also be baked into pricing models that customers can opt in for as well .

Even with adopting the right strategies SMEs need to be able to effectively communicate all the good they do to their customers . Being compliant is important and meeting new regulations standards are critical to Business Continuity but transparency with customers is even more critical . Share with your customers your initiatives , share the challenges , show the improvements you are trying to make on a yearly basis . It builds trust , which is maybe the strongest currency for growth and sustainability reporting is a great way to start building that trust with customers .

EVEN WITH ADOPTING THE RIGHT STRATEGIES SMES NEED TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE ALL THE GOOD THEY DO TO THEIR CUSTOMERS .