Products and packaging are the obvious starting point for an eco-friendly e-commerce business, but there are other ways to make an e-commerce business more sustainable. Factors include processing, packaging and partnerships. Here are some tips to start your planning.
Products are central to a sustainable ecommerce business. If sustainability is paramount, they need to be designed to be reused or recyclable from the offset. The materials need to be eco-friendly, non-toxic and made from materials that can be regenerated, like linen, cotton, and bamboo.
If the product requires a petroleum-based material, like plastics and polymers, or a natural resource like metals, the design should aim to minimise the use of virgin materials and reuse existing materials. Be transparent about what you include in products. That builds trust with consumers.
The packaging for an e-commerce product is another obvious place to start when a business wants to become more sustainable. The end user will see the packaging and will judge the business on the materials used. The product needs to be packaged in a minimal amount; enough that it will be protected during transport but as little as possible to prevent waste.
Most product packaging goes straight into the consumer’s bin. Avoid unnecessary packaging – a common example of this is shrink-wrapped bananas (Aim Plastic Free). There is no reason for the wrapping as bananas have a protective skin. And the shrink wrap cannot be reused so it is binned.
This brings us to another option for packaging which is to use materials that are biodegradable or compostable so that they can be disposed of safely by the consumer without using council facilities. When styrofoam takeaway boxes were banned, alternatives were developed and are now the norm.
The actual product bottle or box can also be assessed to see if it can be reduced, such as when consumables are in a box that is twice the size of the contents. Reusable bottle and container materials, like glass, can be used instead of plastic.
Alternatively, a circular scheme set up to handle bottle returns so that they can be washed and reused, which will reduce the use of virgin materials. As with product materials, wherever possible plastic or metal containers should be at least partly recycled materials rather than new fabrications. Educating customers on why they should recycle is a part of this.
Production processes are another area where a business can make changes to become more sustainable. Installing a renewable energy system or buying clean energy from a supplier, will mean that energy used doesn’t contribute to carbon emissions.
Whether the company changes to renewable energy or not, assessing production to see if there is potential for any savings is a smart move. Increased efficiency saves the company money and is an environmentally friendly move.
Gas and electric are the two utilities that are most often considered, but water is a finite resource too. As climate change takes effect, water may become limited. Saving on water use, circulating, cleaning and reusing water during production are all beneficial to the environment. Also, make sure that waste water is handled safely and considerately.
One of the wider considerations for a sustainable business is the relationship with suppliers. An ethical business will develop contracts with suppliers that are fair and sustainable. For example, paying a fair price for produce or raw materials. Pressure on suppliers to compete on price can cause them to treat their workers unfairly or take short cuts.
Being transparent about the ingredients and materials used in a product, the manufacturing processes and any health & safety considerations will also build trust with suppliers and consumers.
Another third-party consideration is service providers. For example, what is the digital footprint of sales for the business. Use trusted and ethical suppliers for payment providers, websites, hosting, email, phones and more to make your business more sustainable.
Choose ethical banks and insurance providers that are not funding fossil fuels. Choose delivery options with low carbon vehicles. By choosing green options, it might cause bigger companies to make changes in their own systems to meet requirements for sustainability.
Which of these changes have you already implemented into your e-commerce business and which will you think about to make it more sustainable? Blue Patch is a network of SME businesses that care about the environment. We can help with net zero training to identify and plan your improvements. Apply for membership today.
