Giving Compass' Take:

• Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, CEO of Earth Friendly Products, shares how she fostered a culture of sustainability and how others can too.

• How can businesses transition to sustainable practices? What role can partnerships play in fostering sustainability initiatives? 

• Read about the role of trade in sustainable development. 

The success of any organization begins in the C-suite. For instance, I don’t simply give lip service to sustainability. As my company’s head brand ambassador, I help our team meet the stringent requirements to achieve what we call the “trifecta” of sustainable manufacturing: carbon neutrality, water neutrality, and platinum-level Zero Waste certification at all our facilities.

However, I haven’t left it on a shelf; I encourage everyone to seek smarter ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle — and beyond that, to rethink. And I’ve adopted it for myself from living in an eco-friendly home to helping employees go green by offering financial incentives.

Show the public your commitment to greenness, and you could tap into a $1.2 trillion marketplace. Of course, every new venture starts with a few first steps:

1. Vet your supply chain for sustainable practices.

Working with like-minded vendors is imperative here. They reduce the waste that arrives at our facility; this factors into our Zero Waste certification and carbon neutrality calculations.

2. Adhere to sustainable processes across the board.

Whether you’re looking at manufacturing practices or customer service, examine every step in the production or action chain. As you audit your processes, you’ll see places to reduce energy and water use, streamline more efficient workflows, or even cut significant costs like waste management.

3. Reward employees to build momentum.

Your workers may not understand how important sustainability is to your company. Help them see the benefits by providing incentives for implementing sustainable practices at work and at home.

Read the full article about a culture of sustainability by Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks at TriplePundit.