The laundry list of issues encountered by businesses large and small isn’t just long.  It is infinite.  Additional challenges imposed by external forces contribute to the reality that running one’s own business is a never-ending test of resilience and perseverance.  Over the years, some challenges have turned out to be flash in the pan ‘buzzword issues’ (remember the here-one-minute-gone-the-next doomsday panic over Y2K preparation?).  Meanwhile others are longer lasting or indeed permanent, such as the 2018 EU-wide implementation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) causing upheaval to companies and forever changing individuals’ and consumers’ web-based browsing and transactions.

Hot on the heels of GDPR came another issue (to be fair, decades in the making): sustainability.  

When it comes to the key challenges facing businesses in the last few years, sustainability is an indisputable frontrunner and one that is here to stay.  

A far-reaching and unquantifiable topic, sustainability has spawned its own unique vocabulary.  Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to sustainability-focused strategies employed by companies to ensure that they operate ethically.  Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting refers to the criteria used to measure a company’s overall sustainability.  Greenwashing describes the act of companies engaging in sustainability-based practices purely for PR purposes rather than genuine motives.  On and on it goes; it is wide-ranging, complex and at times, daunting.

Larger established businesses usually have a strong artillery of financial and personnel resources to help them meet CSR and ESG objectives.  Small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and those launching a new business, however, are not usually bound by strict sustainability reporting and auditing requirements.  But from an ethical standpoint, many business owners seek to incorporate sustainable initiatives into their operations.  But where to start?  For these same individuals, addressing sustainability can feel like an intimidating minefield.  

If this sounds familiar and you are a business owner unsure of how to go about implementing  sustainability in a manageable way, help is at hand!  We’ve put together a clear 11 point list of suggestions to help your business start down its own path to sustainability. 

1. Conduct an audit of where your business is now on the sustainability scale

Begin by assessing your current business practices to identify areas where sustainability improvements can be made (eg. energy usage, waste management, using eco-friendly materials in your business).

2. Set clear goals  

Next establish specific, measurable and achievable sustainability goals for your business.  Keep in mind: clear goals will guide your efforts.

3. Employ the 3 R’s 

Implement a waste reduction strategy along the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (regardless of whether you have done the above audit or goal-setting).  Minimise single-use items, promote recycling within your workspace, and explore opportunities for composting.

4. Look at Energy Efficiency  

Assess your energy consumption and explore ways to improve efficiency.  This could include using energy-efficient appliances, incorporating renewable energy sources, and readdressing your current lighting and heating systems.

5. Encourage a Greener Office Culture  

Seemingly obvious but worth emphasising: foster a sustainable work environment by implementing regular eco-friendly office practices.  Promote a culture of digital communication to reduce paper usage, implement energy-efficient lighting and create a recycling program within your workspace.

6. Involve your employees!

In line with the previous tip, engage your employees in the drive to operate sustainably.  Encourage their ideas, provide training on sustainable practices (and consider rewarding eco-friendly behaviours).  As a SHE member and sustainability expert highlights below, a collective effort can lead to more significant and lasting changes. 

7. Source Responsibly

Choose suppliers and partners that align with sustainability values.  Consider the environmental and social impact of the various entities in your supply chain.  Research local and sustainable options to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation.

8. Promote Sustainable Products/Services 

If applicable to your line of business, consider offering products or services that are environmentally friendly or have a positive social impact.  Note, highlighting these offerings in your marketing efforts can attract customers who actively seek out businesses and brands that prioritise sustainability.

We asked Tammy Fenech, owner of sustainability consultancy, Cosie Studio to share some simple philosophies on how individuals and small businesses can get started.  Echoing the ethos that nobody can do everything but everybody can do something, Tammy presented these at an impactful SHE member workshop and also during the recent ‘Break Fellowship’ programme in Spain.

“We don’t have to engage in grand heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts when multiplied by millions of people can transform the world,” Tammy Fenech, Cosie Studio..

9. Identify your personal priorities.  

Sustainability is a huge subject, spanning environmental, social and cultural topics that can be overwhelming.  So, it’s crucial to first connect with what is most important to you within these topics.  Is it the treatment of animals, social injustices, water, agricultural practices or waste, for example?  By understanding where your heart lies, you will be significantly more engaged in driving your sustainable plan.  Otherwise, it can quickly become disheartening and – no pun intended – and an unsustainable effort. 

10. Understand where the biggest impact lies in your industry. 

Do some research on your industry and identify where the biggest impacts lie within it.   Then consider which of your own priorities are most relevant to your industry and see if there is space for any kind of alignment.  For example, the fashion and food industry are notorious for creating a lot of waste.  The wellness and mental health spaces are known for being less accessible to low income families.  Once you are able to match personal priorities to industry relevance, you can identify a reasonable starting point. 

11. Start small, make incremental changes and be open to learning along the way.

It is common for business owners to strive for perfection, feeling that they must do everything at once because otherwise, this means they can’t do anything at all.  But the reality is that sustainability is an ongoing process that involves constant change.  So actually, achieving a perfect state is impossible and is simply setting yourself up for failure.  Instead, it is a journey that requires openness to learning at every step of the way.  Start small.  Start from wherever you are.  And the rest will follow. 

Start small. Start from wherever you are. And the rest will follow.

This Earth Day is all about investing in our planet. We can’t ignore the fact that how we operate will have an impact and it is our responsibility, as business owners, to implement eco-friendly practices in order to contribute to the fight against climate change.

When we talk about sustainable business, we talk about companies that strive to meet the triple bottom line; People, Planet and Profit.

Here are 4 female-led (and female co-led) businesses that are prioritizing their operations, supply chains and business strategies to create a positive impact right here in Malta!

In honour and recognition of Earth Day, let this inspire YOU to make a positive change in your own business, no matter how big or small ….

Founded by Julia Tonna in 2020, WhizzFix is an artisanal company specialising in the repair and restoration of shoes, handbags, leather garments and clothing – lovingly extending the life span of your favourite pieces. WhizzFix also offers the option to list your pre-loved luxury items for sale in their online store.

Julia, what are your key sustainability measures? 

Our services help customers live a more sustainable lifestyle through the reduction of waste by repairing and reviving items instead of their disposal. We seek to reduce the supply chain by preventing unnecessary new purchases and consequently decreasing the carbon footprint. We also seek to reduce pollution by encouraging our customers to use our delivery service.

Are you organising or participating in any Earth Day event in Malta this year? 

For this year’s Earth Day, we are working on a collaboration to save and clean up our beautiful sea with Mark Galea Pace. The idea is to rent a raft and attach it to Mark’s boat. He will then collect all the large pieces of wood and plastic in the sea around the northern coast of Malta.

Why did you decide to run an eco-friendly business? 

Seeing the number of consumers disposing of good pieces for no reason was the catalyst to start this business and make a difference. The core value of our service is to promote a more circular fashion rather than a linear one. Our mission is to encourage others to reuse and restore their items and sell or purchase pre-loved goods. We genuinely believe that there is no need to buy brand new things considering the amount of well-looked-after items that are available. It is crucial to promote buying pre-loved items by breaking the stigma associated with this topic. Whizzfix is a reflection of our passion for sustainability.

Helena and Mandy are the sisters behind Deheb Jewellery. A unique jewellery concept created to champion 18-carat gold jewellery sourced across the Maltese Islands. Ranging from intricate antique finds dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries to more recent contemporary, pre-loved classics, they’ve curated an online platform to elevate an array of handpicked pieces on a national and international level.

Ladies, what are your main sustainability measures? 

Since we are committed to generating a minimal carbon footprint, we source all stock locally and use Malta Post services where possible. Alternatively, there is DHL – supporting projects that offset carbon emissions. Our fabric bags used for packaging are made of upholstery off-cuts and are recyclable. We also operate exclusively online with no mortar store.

Are you organising or participating in any Earth Day event in Malta this year? 

One of our main objectives for this year is to continue building upon our sustainability efforts. We will be supporting Earth Day by reinvesting in becoming a 100% sustainable company. Equally, we want to ensure that we provide the necessary information through our online content for our customers to shop smart.

Why is it crucial for you to be an eco-friendly business? 

The fashion industry is one of the leading suspects in generating waste and carbon emissions, so the need for a shift to a sustainable fashion is very evident. We built Deheb Jewellery as a circular jewellery brand, providing longevity to antique and pre-owned jewellery. By studying trend forecasts, we can select pieces that will regain popularity and help us identify our bestsellers. Instead of selling cheap imitations that would tarnish and ultimately end up in a landfill, we carefully curate our 18-carat gold collections made of investment pieces that will increase their value over time.

The Malta Florist, co-led by Marisabelle Bonnici, has two facets. Firstly retail; selling beautiful flower arrangements and plants online but also via their traditional brick-and-mortar store. Second, their greenhouses supply other florists with wholesale flowers. Marisabelle takes care of the website, staff and events, whilst her fiancé, Charles, works in the greenhouses and the wholesale section of the business.

Marisabelle, what are your core sustainability measures? 

We focus on using local and seasonal flowers. These are grown mainly in our greenhouses using water conservation techniques and organic growing methods. To reduce waste within the farm and our shops, we use 100% biodegradable materials in our arrangements and avoid plastics where wrapping is concerned. Instead we acquire wrapping materials from fair trade sources. We also condition our flowers to an extended vase life to avoid wastage. The imported 20% of our flowers always come from fair-trade growers. Overall, to create a more sustainable ecosystem in our fields, all the waste material from flower cleaning is composted together with manure collected from neighbouring animal farms.

Are you organising or participating in any Earth Day event in Malta this year? 

Usually we love to participate in clean-up events but with our own wedding preparations around this Earth Day, our time is limited. However, we still want to contribute and we will be planting 20 new Eucalyptus and Olive trees in our fields. On top of this, we constantly strive to educate our clients on the positive environmental impact of opting for local and seasonal flowers via our online content.

Why is it paramount for The Malta Florist to be an eco-friendly business? 

Sustainability has always been at the core of our business. Even our business cards are recyclable. It took some time for people to understand the cost of our fair-trade wrapping compared to the usual plastic alternative, but 3 years down the line, more people are understanding our vision. We all need to consider our impact on society and the planet. Protecting the Earth’s resources means protecting the longevity of our business too. We take pride in playing our part in leaving behind a healthier Malta for the next generations whilst also educating those who may not be aware of the impact their choices have on the environment.

ReRoot, co-founded by Christina Micallef, is a zero waste, low impact lifestyle  store that provides eco-friendly alternatives to everyday products. From kitchenware, household and cleaning products to cosmetics, home ware and much more! All products are plastic-free, natural and cruelty-free. The business is a family affair and is run by Christina, her husband Paul and her brother Jean Paul.

Tell us Christina, what are your core sustainability measures? 

We frequently revise our practices to be as sustainable as possible. Working closely with like-minded suppliers allows us to source our eco-friendly products and raw materials sustainably and ethically. Some of our packaging comes from reused materials and we always try to use as little material as possible. We also make use of electric vehicles for deliveries. Sustainability is at the core of our business.

Is ReRoot organising or participating in any Earth Day event in Malta this year? 

Yes! You can find us at the Earth Day Green Fair at Manikata from 22nd to 23rd April. We will be selling a range of our products, including our bestsellers. If you are attending the event, we would love for you to come and say hello!   

Why is it essential for you to be an eco-friendly business? 

ReRoot was born out of our desire to make a difference and do something about the ongoing climate emergency. We understand how frustrating it is to try and make sustainable choices whilst feeling like the current world is working against you. We are here to support everyone who wants to make a difference – no matter how small. Our mission is to make it easy for anyone to get their hands on sustainable products and make a collective change. Imagine if the world’s population (7.9 billion people) collectively decided to swap plastic bags with reusable bags!

Did this article inspire you? What sustainable practices are YOU going to adopt in your own business moving forward?

Written by Monika Kopcilova