9 ways to become a sustainable eCommerce store

Article topics

1. Look at carbon offsetting (but choose the right scheme)
2. Source ethical suppliers
3. Make your marketing more sustainable
4. Consider your delivery methods
5. Support charitable partners
6. Minimise waste
7. Implement green initiatives in the workplace
8. Be honest and transparent
9. Show your credentials

In a world of free delivery, mass production, and air freight forwarding, you might think it’s hard to be an eCommerce store and be ethical.

However, there are many things you can do to become, and stay, sustainable.

We’ve put together a list of ways you can lower your carbon footprint across all aspects of your eCommerce business.

Why is ethical eCommerce so important?

The simplest answer to this question is that it’s the right thing to do. We all need to play our part to reduce carbon emissions and preserve the planet for future generations.

However, there are other benefits to adopting a sustainable mindset for your business:

• It encourages the right customers to shop with you. 60% of UK shoppers buy from brands that reflect their personal values. Showcasing your sustainability and demonstrating what you do to be as ethical as possible can attract people to your store
• It makes you more appealing to other businesses. Some businesses may opt to work with ethical suppliers. Many modern tender documents ask respondents to go into detail about what makes them sustainable
• It futureproofs your business. More and more legislation is coming out to ensure businesses achieve net zero targets. For example, large UK companies must report on their energy use and carbon emissions, and it’s likely that smaller businesses may need to do this in the future too. Being sustainable now saves time and effort in the months and years ahead
• It leads to more revenue. 57% of UK shoppers are willing to pay higher prices for environmentally friendly products, with Gen Zers and Millennials more likely to spend

Now let’s look at some of the ways you can make your business more sustainable.

1. Look at carbon offsetting (but choose the right scheme)

Carbon offsetting is when you identify how much carbon dioxide your business generates, and fund an equivalent carbon dioxide saving elsewhere.

The most common way businesses carbon offset is by planting trees, but other methods include investing in renewable energy in developing countries or conservation projects.

There is debate about whether carbon offsetting is beneficial to the environment. Some environmental organisations say that it can come across as ‘greenwashing’, which is when businesses tell customers that they’re green when the reality is that they aren’t.

With planting trees, there’s also the risk that forests will be poorly managed, planted in the wrong areas, or only temporarily located.

If you decide to offset your carbon, it’s essential to choose a credible organisation to work with. We recommend working with organisations that have achieved the Gold Standard – this shows organisations are trustworthy and deliver on what they promise.

It’s also important to do other things to actively reduce your carbon emissions – keep reading to find out more!

2. Source ethical suppliers

Buying from ethical and green suppliers can help you become more sustainable and make you more appealing to potential customers. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Shop around. There are lots of databases to help you find ethical suppliers, including The Green Providers Directory and Ethical Consumer. Asking around, networking, and visiting trade fairs are also good ways to source suppliers
• Consider local suppliers. Not only does this reduce transport costs and carbon emissions, but 83% of UK shoppers are more likely to buy from a brand that sources from local suppliers
• Focus on longer–lasting products. Higher-quality products made from good materials are more sustainable and won’t end up in landfill. Think ‘slow’ rather than ‘fast’ fashion
• Ask the right questions. You’ll want to make sure your potential supplier is the right fit for you. A good supplier will answer your questions in detail. If you’re able to, ask to visit their factory or warehouse, or take a video tour
• Regularly review. Suppliers can change their processes, so regularly audit your suppliers to ensure they still meet your requirements

3. Make your marketing more sustainable

Some methods of marketing are more eco-friendly than others.

As you might expect, digital marketing is less resource-intensive than print and outdoor marketing. However, there is still a cost attached to digital marketing as the internet uses energy.

The typical online ad campaign emits 5.4 tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of the annual energy consumption of three UK homes.

Of course, businesses need to market and advertise their products and services to earn revenue; there’s no avoiding that. However, there are things you can do to make your digital marketing more efficient and lower your carbon footprint:

• Website: Optimise your images and files to reduce storage needs and use a green hosting provider that uses renewable energy. We can help you set up your WordPress site so it’s lean, green, and efficient!
• Email marketing. Regularly clean your lists to avoid sending unwanted emails and don’t send more emails than you need to
• Paid search and social. Target your ads so they reach the right customers and use negative keywords to prevent unwanted clicks

4. Consider your delivery methods

There’s no avoiding the fact that customers love free delivery and returns. However if you want to become more sustainable, free delivery and returns may need to come off the table.

Free delivery and returns don’t just lead to an increased carbon footprint, but can result in waste. One out of four returns can’t be resold, meaning they end up in landfill.

The good news is that many customers value sustainability enough to accept delays or additional costs. One in four shoppers will pay more for eco-friendly deliveries, with 41% willing to wait a little longer if their delivery is sustainable.

The best way to offer eco-friendly deliveries is to work with an eco-friendly courier. These couriers use EV and biofuel fleets, manage delivery routes more efficiently, and even use pushbikes in large cities.

You can also offer click-and-collect if you have a brick-and-mortar store or use a third-party provider like CollectPlus or InPost.

It’s also important to consider the packaging you use. Opt for recyclable materials, choose the right size packaging, and avoid single-use plastic like bubble wrap where possible.

This can give you a brilliant chance to think outside the box. Lush famously used popcorn instead of Styrofoam nuggets, and Samsung lets customers upcycle packaging into items, including a bookshelf or a cathouse!

5. Support charitable partners

Donating time, money, and resources to a relevant charity can show your commitment to sustainability. However, it’s important to approach this in the right way so you both see a tangible, positive benefit.

Here are some of our top tips for getting started

• Pick a local charity. While it can be tempting to support a large national or international charity, you’ll make more of an impact supporting a charity closer to home
• Choose the right charity. It’s vital to choose a charity that aligns with your values
• Invest your time. For example, you can give employees a day off to volunteer at the charity. This doesn’t just help the charity but can boost morale and provide teambuilding opportunities
• Look at other ways you can donate. As well as money, see what else you can donate. For example, pet food, old books, or unused tools
• Get customers involved. You can ask customers to get involved in your charity, either by asking them to donate or by promoting the charity to others. Do be careful with this approach though so they don’t feel pressured

6. Minimise waste

About 70% of office waste is recyclable, but most of it ends up in landfill.

Reducing, reusing, and recycling doesn’t just make for a greener planet but can help you save money and become safer too. Less combustible materials in the workplace means a reduced risk of fire.

Here are some quick wins when it comes to reducing waste in the workplace:

• Cut back on ordering merchandise, or consider eco-friendly alternatives like seeded paper cards or driftwood keyrings
• Stop buying disposable water cups and coffee cups – encourage staff to bring in their own cups and bottles
• Work with supply chains to minimise packaging or move to eco-friendly materials
• Implement recycling programmes and educate employees about the benefits of recycling
• Install a composting bin for food scraps
• Go paperless for payslips, invoices, and letters. If you run a brick-and-mortar store, offer digital receipts rather than paper ones

7. Implement green initiatives in the workplace

We’ve looked at what you can do to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but what else can you do in the workplace to encourage sustainability?

One of the most significant ways to improve sustainability is to offer remote or hybrid working. Studies show that two to four days a week of remote working reduces personal carbon emissions by up to 29%.

Other things you can do to become more eco-friendly include:

• Installing LED lighting
• Using an energy broker to find you a more sustainable deal on your gas, water, and electricity bills
• Seeing if you’re suitable for in-house energy sources like solar panels or biomass heaters. You can sell any surplus energy back to the grid for additional revenue
• Making a move to electric vehicles and installing EV charging points. There are government grants available for businesses with off-road parking

8. Be honest and transparent

84% of customers say that honesty is a positive trait for businesses to have, with 71% saying that it’s impossible for brands to be too honest.

Being open about your sustainability practices increases trust in your business, helps customers understand your values, and creates a strong brand image.

A business that takes great effort in talking about its sustainability journey is Patagonia. The outdoor clothing brand is open about what it’s doing well and where it needs to improve. It also shares stories about its supply chain, the materials it uses, and the different programmes it’s involved in.

9. Show your credentials

An eco-friendly accreditation shows your commitment to sustainability and provides you with a logo and certificate you can use on your website and printed materials.

It can also give you access to brand-new markets. For example, some government tendering contracts ask tenderers to have ISO 14001 accreditation.

The accreditations and certifications available depend on the products and services you sell and where you’re based. It’s also important to note that some have more rigorous auditing processes than others.

Some of the most popular accreditations include:

• 1% for the Planet
• B Corp
• Fairtrade
• Green Accord
• Green Business Benchmark
• Green Mark
• Green Tourism and Green Meetings
• Investors in the Environment
• ISO 14001
• The Butterfly Mark

In conclusion: walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk

Being sustainable isn’t just good for the planet, but it can be good for your bottom line, too.

However, if you want to promote your eco-friendly policies and processes, it’s vital to be clear, transparent, and honest.

Customers will see through you if you’re just paying lip service.

Want to know more about how to get ahead online? We regularly post about all things digital marketing, from paid advertising to search engine optimisation.