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Expert’s top tips for sustainable business

Words by Smiley Team

Awakening to the climate crisis was an immediate call to action for sustainability educator Helena Mansell-Stopher. After studying sustainability management at the University of Cambridge, she hoped to spread her new knowledge around the corporate world via an education hub Products of Change

Helena founded the platform as a membership organisation aimed at inspiring companies and brands to reach their sustainability goals through collaboration and education. 

“I think everybody should be focusing on sustainability because we've got science-based targets that we have to hit and the only way we're going to do that is if the industry actually starts to embed and drive change everywhere in their activities,” she explained. 

She describes sustainability as a means to ensure businesses have a future, adopting ethical and environmentally-friendly practices across the board. From looking after workers correctly to eco-conscious production processes and using sustainable materials, she urges companies to reassess the way they function.

“First and foremost, people need to be educated,” she said. “Then companies need to look at the volume of products that they’re creating and eliminate the easiest things first. That's why a lot of businesses are looking at plastics, especially packaging.”

 

Steps towards a sustainable future

Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness among consumers and businesses alike. Products of Change runs an annual Sustainability and Licensing Conference, at which they share knowledge and connect businesses across different sectors to work together on improving sustainability. At their last conference, they discovered that only 22 per cent of the audience had heard of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, revealing the insufficient awareness of these vital targets for sustainability.

On top of that, Helena has noticed that businesses do not fully acknowledge the financial benefits of becoming sustainable. She explained: “Actually sustainability presents a strong business case. When you design out waste in your packaging you're designing out cost as well. So, the money you save can go into paying for more sustainable materials or putting new systems in place for more sustainable production within your supply chains.”

Consumers’ demands should also serve as a large driving force of sustainability in business. “When you look at the data it shows that consumers, especially the next generation, want brands to be responsible for how they're producing,” she said. 

However, among consumers too, there is insufficient action. “Only about six per cent of consumers are really dedicated to looking for alternatives,” she added. “Most make a quick decision and don’t vote for sustainability with their money.”

Simply offering just a few sustainable products and leaving it to the consumer to make the right choices clearly isn’t enough. So Helena’s top tip is for companies to go fully sustainable, a move that will ensure the prosperity and longevity of their business in the long-run. 

For more information about sustainability visit the Products of Change website.

Helena urges members of the brand and licensing industry to attend the Sustainability and Licensing Conference on 24th June, 2021. This semi-virtual event, streamed from the British Library in London, will offer those in the industry a unique opportunity to connect and learn how to innovate and grow commercially while protecting the planet.  

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

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