What Are The Benefits of Going Green?
Taking a sustainable stance with your business is important. And one of the reasons this is important, besides the benefits it will have on our planet, is that customers really do care. As time passes more buyers are adjusting previous purchasing habits if that dictates that the impact of their purchase lowers the negative impact on the planet.
Some 66% of consumers are happy to pay more for a product that has been made by a brand that shows a commitment to green causes. In turn, this means it’s hardly surprising that so many green-focused companies are enjoying an upturn in profits on Amazon and elsewhere.
Who is the Green Consumer and What are They Looking For?
The green consumer, or the most responsive of the green consumers, is generally younger adults. Many of these younger adults are, in fact, swayed to becoming greener by their own children.
Furthermore, women tend to make green product purchases on behalf of themselves as well as the men in their lives.
Those that spend more on green products are, unsurprisingly, those that have more money available to spend. As a result of this, it is the products at the higher end of the market that have more potential for ‘greening.’ In terms of shopping outlets, those that are doing better in terms of green product sales are stores that are frequented by wealthier patrons.
Generally, the typical green consumer is educated and has the intellectual orientation to be appreciative of value. The typical green consumer comprehends the evidence presented which is in support of beneficial environmental claims.
In the US, it’s children and teenagers that have a tendency to be more concerned about the environment. Plus, children and teenagers are better informed about green alternatives. Nevertheless, and as stated, children and teenagers are responsible for influencing parental purchasing decisions. And what’s equally important is that within the next decade or so, millions of these children and teens will have their own purchasing power.
What is Social Responsibility?
Social responsibility impacts different segments of the population in different ways.
The socially responsible employer may:
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Encourage a working environment that is based on a demonstration of respect for all of its employees.
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Improve the wellbeing of their employees as well as their families by way of fair compensation, implementing socially responsible workplace policies and practices, and through the provision of benefits.
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Regularly be involved in community-based endeavors.
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Consider human as well as environmental toll whenever business decisions are made.
The socially responsible individual away from the workplace might:
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Donate to charities on a regular basis.
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Raise their children to be ‘upstanding’ citizens within the community and beyond.
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Help those that are less privileged.
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Take a stance that products purchased and investments made should, whenever possible, be of benefit to the environment.
Socially Responsible Products, Green Packaging, and Shipping Options
An excellent example of a socially responsible product – product range – is available from TOMS the shoe manufacturer and seller. For every pair of shoes that TOMS sell they donate a pair to children in need. Since TOMS’ inception in May 2006, they’ve donated well over 95 million pairs of shoes.
On top of this, generated profits are used to provide medical treatments and prescription glasses to those in need. Profits are likewise used to provide drinking water that is safe and build businesses as a way to create jobs in developing countries.
Green or sustainable packaging is product packaging that is produced using materials and reliant on manufacturing methods that have a low impact in terms of the consumption of energy and on the environment.
Green packaging is manufactured based on an environmental approach. It uses recyclable, biodegradable materials, and is very energy efficient to produce.
Amazon is fully committed to greatly reducing its fulfillment carbon footprint by minimizing packaging waste. Among the ways they achieve this is to use eco-friendly packaging.
Sellers on Amazon are encouraged to accept these same eco-friendly green packaging principles. Amazon does this by advocating their Frustration Free Packaging program.
Amazon has a variety of green shipping options which come under the umbrella of ‘Amazon’s Shipment Zero’ initiative.
A relatively new shipping option from Amazon is their ‘Your Amazon Day.’ How this works is that it permits Amazon Prime customers to select a particular day of the week for their delivery to be made. What this means is that if you are a regular Amazon shopper, all of your purchased items will arrive on the same pre-selected day each week.
Amazon’s Shipment Zero program has been pledged by 2024 to reach a target of 80% renewable energy, and by 2030, no less than 100% renewable energy together with net-zero carbon by the time we reach 2040.
