The call for companies to go greener is louder than ever, with 46 per cent of Aussie shoppers saying that sustainability is an important factor when making a purchase. Overhauling a small-business model to include more sustainable business practices, from the start of the supply chain through to the packaging you choose to send your product to customers, does take time and effort, but it’s definitely possible. Four small-business owners share how a more sustainable approach to business has worked for them, and their best tips for other businesses looking to make a change.

How Sassy Organics Reduces Plastic Waste 

A portrait view of Sassy Organics founder Aida Rejzovic wearing a white T-shirt and standing against a white wall. 

When Sassy Organics founder Aida Rejzovic started her all-natural, vegan and organic online retailer in 2016, it came from a passion for natural products – and a commitment to help others adopt a healthier and more considered way of living. “We believe business can be a force for good and helping to protect the planet is central to our operations,” says Aida.

The company has continued to make strides towards more sustainable business practices, too. “We only work with brands who have the same values – so we analyse the ingredients in every product, we ensure the brand is vegan and cruelty-free and we ship all products ourselves to make sure no plastic is in the packaging,” she says.

Top Takeaway: Every Little Bit Counts

Sassy Organics’ packaging now consists of recyclable mailing boxes, kraft paper to wrap products and a shipping label to seal the box. “It’s simple, but customers prefer it – and it’s meant a saving of over 400kg of plastic since 2019,” says Aida. “It all adds up. If a small business like ours can save that much plastic over a few years, imagine what a larger company could do? We all have to do our bit but businesses have a lot of power to make sustainable changes, and the impact that can have on the environment is amazing.”

SEE ALSO: More Sustainable Packaging Ideas for Small Business 

Cullen Jewellery Plants Trees for Every Engagement Ring Sold‍ 

A front view of Cullen Jewellery founder Jordan Cullen wearing a black jumper with a sign that says ‘jewellery’ in the background. 

For a guy who grew up on a dairy farm, going into jewellery may have seemed like an odd career choice to some. But for Cullen Jewellery founder Jordan Cullen, the business idea was one that grew while he was looking for an engagement ring for his now wife. “I’d had no experience in jewellery, but lab-grown stones stood out to me in terms of how ethical they were,” he says. 

The technology for lab-grown diamonds has improved in recent years; the stones are more reproducible and affordable – and, typically, a lab-grown diamond will cost you a third of the price of a mined diamond, says Jordan. 

Cullen Jewellery launched in 2018 and is conscious of being a more sustainable business by only selling lab-grown diamonds, using recycled gold and carbon-offsetting their diamonds. And, as part of its more environmentally conscious business strategy, the company also plants 10 trees for every engagement ring sold to help reduce its carbon footprint. The brand’s carbon neutral certification addresses* concerns diamond mining has on our environment and communities (water pollution, community displacement and habitat loss, to name a few), with the jewellery company offsetting carbon emissions while supporting renewable energy projects to offer a more environmentally conscious alternative to ordinary lab-grown and mined diamonds. 

Top Takeaway: Small Changes Make a Big Difference

“It’s taken time to shift customer perceptions and build trust in more environmentally conscious alternatives, but we do a lot to educate consumers,” Jordan says. “Our team is good at working out how to get attention and funnelling that into good causes – and it’s exciting that you can put an Instagram video up and get eight million views in a few days; more than the nightly news! It’s an enormous amount of reach.”

Jordan’s tip to other companies considering more sustainable business practices? “Take the plunge!” he says. “Even small decisions like not mass-producing things, or looking for innovative ways to overcome inefficiencies can have a significant impact on your business and the planet.”

SEE ALSO: Small Business Tips: How to Prepare for Peak Season

@WORKSPACES Is Leading the Charge for Shared Sustainable Office Hubs

A portrait view of Atworkspaces founder and managing director Jenny Folley wearing a red dress and sitting in a black armchair against a black wall. 

Flexible, shared business hubs are the way of the future – enabling companies to ditch the long-term lease, cut down on costs and be part of a thriving ecosystem of shared space and resources. That’s where Atworkspaces, which prides itself on building sustainable office hubs, comes in.

“The next frontier is green spaces, where we offer all the benefits of flexible office environments with optimum sustainability built in,” says Atworkspaces founder and managing director Jenny Folley. “Our hub makes use of world-leading tech that enables full recycling of waste, water and even office consumables. We power the hubs through solar technology and cost-effective battery energy. There’s also low-energy lighting, sensor lighting and office equipment with high energy ratings.”

On top of  more environmentally conscious business practices and renewable energy sources, she’s also a big advocate for workplace plants and greenery. And she’s not the only one to see the benefits. Adding an indoor plant to your desk can help reduce stress levels and improve overall wellbeing, according to a 2023 study.

While Atworkspaces is moving ahead in its sustainable business model, Jenny admits it hasn’t been easy. She believes more incentives for businesses to go greener from a government level would help speed up the change. 

Top Takeaway: If Everyone Is On Board, It Makes the Process Easier

Jenny’s advice to other businesses is to get both employees and customers involved in the shift to greener practices. “Show them why you want to implement green initiatives, how the initiatives will work and the type of benefits they will deliver,” she says.

SEE ALSO: How to Adopt More Sustainable Business Practices

BJ’s PJs Shops Around for Sustainable Suppliers 

BJ’s PJs founder Belinda Jane Keehn sits on a large cushion next to her dog while holding a white cup and smiling at the camera.

Ethical, sustainable fashion label BJ’s PJs, founded by Belinda Jane Keehn in 2018, is another small business founded on a need: she couldn’t find comfortable cotton garments that offered wire-free breast support – so decided to design her own. “I’ve been a greenie since I was a kid and I wanted a product that used organic cotton, a natural fibre free from harmful chemicals so it met sustainability requirements, durability and easy-care washing,” she says. “I’m also passionate about doing my bit to help the local economy and help preserve the planet.”

To get her small business off the ground, Belinda received support from the government’s small business support advisors, and Global Sisters, a government-funded women’s business support network. “In terms of marketing, I list on eco marketplaces, leverage social media and collaborate a lot with like-minded apps and businesses,” she says.

Not surprisingly, Belinda gets a lot of repeat customers who love her products. “They’re a target market that’s committed to slow fashion, ethical choices and supporting Australian small businesses,” she says. “Sustainable businesses are the future – we need to make positive changes and we need to make them now.”

Top Takeaway: Do Your Research

But ensuring all aspects of her supply chain adhered to sustainability practices and ethical manufacturing standards presented its issues. “We did so many samples!” says Belinda. “It took ages to find a manufacturer who ticked all the boxes. It’s been more expensive, as has going plastic-free and choosing sustainable options for packaging, paper, labels and satchels – but we consider all of that necessary investment in our values and minimising our environmental footprint.”

What to Try

SEE ALSO: Electronic Recycling: Everything You Need to Know

*Clear Neutral Global Pty Ltd is an independent organisation operating on a self-funded model. We are committed to catalysing positive change within the jewellery industry without any affiliations, external control, or industry bias. Our organisation is fueled by a growing and talented team of environmentally committed people and governed by an external advisory board for accountability and transparency. Clear Neutral is owned by Terragreen Ventures (of which Cullen Jewellery is an investor) – an environmental impact investment fund.