If you are reading this or even better, buying our plant based products, you are aware of how important sustainable business is , but the most commonly overlooked part of being a socially responsible Corporate Citizen is it's great for business.
You may choose a supplier by their green credentials but you aren't alone, so are most consumers, so telling your customers you are doing the right thing is not great for business, basically there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing the right thing and letting people know you are doing the right thing.
So with this in mind we have included some key facts that highlight what your customers are looking for using the exceptional well researched Deloittes "Sustainable consumer what consumers care about" to highlight the key trends.
Key points
When asked by Deloitte what is sustainable , the most common response is " biodegradable or made from recycled material" , this is a different from what the term means to industry ( being continued with minimal long term effects on the environment", this confusing matches our own research that shows eco terms are widely misunderstood.
Consumers top five most important environmentally sustainable or ethical practices.
1. Producting sustainable packaging and products
This is an easy win and we only do sustainable packaging and products.
2. Reducing waste in manafacturing processes
Most of our products come from waste generated by the farming industry, so another easy win.
3. Commiting to ethical working practices.
We only work with companies with a socially responsible and environmentally positive ethos, so all of our supply chain offers ethically and socially aligned business practices, not just to their employees but their supply chain.
4. Respect for human rights
We don't insist that all of our supply chain partners are SEDEX™ members ( although most of them are) but we do insist they abide by the standards set our by SEDEX™ and we do favour certified suppliers, but we balance this with trying to source as many of our products from the UK.
5. Protecting and supporting biodiversity
All of our products are compostable, all of our products are biodegradable and sustainable, so end of life isn't a factor in their design , it's the starting ethos in their design, so all of our products support biodiversity, one caveat, we do not design our products for decompositon in aquatic environments as our products should never be disposed of in water, they are after-all designed for decomposition on land.
key facts when making a purchase
So a key point is 65% of consumers want a plant based and renewable product and 56% of consumers want responsibly sourced products.
Key facts when sourcing a suppliers of products and services
So a key point is 69% of consumers want a sustainable product and 61% want ethical business practices.
Key facts about paying for ethical products and services
So although 37% wouldnt pay extra for a ethical and sustainable product or service, 63% would.
Summary
So doing the right thing is good for business but if your not telling your customers you are doing the right thing you could essentially be losing 69% of your customer base.
There are also a few quick wins below , that don't cost anything but will make a huge difference to the environment and your customers.
1. If you have a website, consider using companies that plant trees to offset server carbon footprint.
2. Consider using one of the delivery companies with a lower carbon footprint.
3. Buy our products and twice a year you can ask us to send you a free Feed a Field carbon certificate for your purchases or if you spend over £400, we will send you one automatically.
4. Source your products from the UK, this alones saves 12% of the products carbon footprint from it's shipping.
5. Use an energy company that has a high proportion of renewables.
We have used Deloittes research when compiling this list of stats all rights of creation are owned by Deloitte and we commend them for their excellent research.
https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/sustainable-consumer-what-consumers-care-about.html