What members are saying about Sustainability
We had a great turnout for our most recent IndieChat addressing how sustainability can help business. Ashley Lane from Pet Sustainability Coalition (an IndiePet partner) led with an overview of PSC, then a brief presentation addressing three key points:
How sustainability can help…
1. Improve employee retention,
2. Provide consumers with options they are demanding, and
3. Increase operational efficiency and profitability.
In a change from how we have done previous IndieChats, we recorded Ashley’s initial presentation. You can watch it here. If you’d rather download Ashley’s deck, she very kindly provided it. We concluded the recording for the conversational part of the Chat so folks would feel comfortable sharing and have captured the highlights as follows.
Employee retention, always a topic of interest to retailers, generated the most discussion with the upshot being that open channels of communication are crucial. A number of options were suggested including regular surveys, town hall-type meetings, and simply being available to listen to staff’s needs, concerns and ideas. But, participants stressed, listening and learning are not enough. Action is required. Regular communication about actions taken (reasons why or why not) helps instill trust and ensure that staff do not come to feel that even though they provide ideas for improvement, nothing ever changes.
A great point was made that sustainability is not a “thing” but rather a lived experience that become ingrained in company culture.
One member commented that it would be very helpful to have a “cheat sheet” to help select manufacturers that placed priority on sustainable practices. This is an idea that has been on IndiePet’s radar and one we hope to realize in the future.
Consumers may desire, even demand more sustainable options (e.g., packaging that is recyclable) but they are faced with obstacles such as limited places to actually recycle packaging. Retailers can try to provide information though options may vary substantially within a single market area. Often, customers have little time to learn about options when they are in a hurry to pick up their pet food and be on their way. Retailers have made efforts to “meet them where they are” by providing bite-sized information via social media and the company website so that it’s there when the customer is ready.
Does your business take sustainability to heart? What do you do for yourselves, your business and your customers? The need for sustainable business operations will only grow and even if it’s hard to get started, it’s important that we do. We are ready to launch an IndiePet community group on Facebook and this is a topic we hope generates engagement and idea sharing. Be sure to visit Pet Sustainability Coalition for free tools to help you.
