Welcome back, in my last blog I looked at the rise of the word sustainability, its meaning and use.
I ended with the statement…
Others question if anything one person does will make a difference.
To them I would say yes! Just think when you throw 1 pebble in a pond the number of ripples that spread out from it and what they touch. If one person becomes that stone, they inspire another and another, now three stones hit the water, and their ripples create more ripples.
I have had several people who are in micro businesses saying that…
It’s ok for the big guys, they’ve got lots of staff, it’s harder when there’s only a few people or even worse when you are on your own!
To them I would say you have the advantage that you are not having to persuade, inspire or encourage lots of people to embrace the changes needed. There are grants to help you and you will still get the same benefits the big companies do.
Just as Fungi reach out to many trees to help them and receive help from the trees.
So, a small business can reach out for help that’s out there and in turn you can help others.
If as a small or micro business, you are still not convinced you can make a real difference. Here are some stats to put into perspective the number of you there are in the UK, compared to the big corporates.
For the stat lovers amongst you consider this…
Large corporates employ = 11.1 million workers, that’s 40%.
SMEs employ = 16.9 million that’s 60%
Now imagine each of those is a pebble thrown into the water, that is a lot of ripples.
Sustainability is a mindset, a way of life, and a path to success.
- Said by Liz Brenna
I agree with Liz on this quote, how we live our lives is not just at work but at home and in our leisure pursuits. If we all decide to make changes to how we live our lives and if we did it, one step at a time we could make a big difference.
Let us not forget that nature has the power to heal us, our businesses and itself, all we have to do is reconnect to nature, tap into the benefits and repay nature for what it gives us.
Just as there is diversity in nature so helping the planet it full of diversity, a diversity of routes or things to be done. At present many companies are looking at reducing the harmful effects of what they make or do.
However, we also need to look at what we can do to help nature, and this again is easy for a small business as you are not board by a long process on the road to change.
There are many things that can be done directly to help nature and therefore the planet.
Consider looking outside your premises, is there an area that could be turned from scrap land to somewhere enticing for nature. It doesn’t have to be a big space; there is much that can be done in a small space.
Consider using native plants as they are more suited to our country and will require less watering and be good for wildlife. If there is no suitable space then why not consider a few planters, they will still help.
You can also get involved in conservation work, if you are big enough it can be a great way to team build. If not, you can join a work party doing a project for nature, make new friends even business contacts.
Alternatively, you can raise money for a local conservation charity, either by something you do or by having a money pot. There are bonuses to this you can share it on social media; it can attract customers
As part of my Natural Wellness work with people and businesses, I remind them all to bring nature into their lives and help the planet. With these actions you are starting to make that connection with nature which you and your business will benefit from.
Remember there are three parts to the ESG, Environmental, Social, & Financial. Many companies have focused on the financial side, why wouldn’t they. More and more are now looking at changing their processes to be more environmentally friendly but have not yet started looking at what they can do outside to help nature.
Where more thought is needed is to look at the social part of it, people. There are the people who work for them and help them with a nature-based wellness plan. The people who make up their community, again look at how you can connect them to nature in the local community.
We have made a start, which is good in places but there is a lot more to be done. I love using Nature to Help People, Businesses and the Planet.
So, if you would like to find out more about what I do or how I could help you or your staff connect to nature, please contact me nadine@naturegives.co.uk and see how I can help.
Share this post: