“There’s not enough time.” “There’s not enough money.” “We don’t have the resources to support this.” “That’s not ‘what we do’.”
These are the narratives which frequently emerge from business and sustainability related discussions when for-profit enterprises are faced with pressures to meet the environmental and social needs outside of their immediate business wants.
It’s a tale as old as time… or as old as Milton Friedman. A business’ responsibility is to its shareholders.
But, we enter 2020 on the cusp of truly historic environmental, social and technological change and with it, increased pressures on those with privilege and power to make sustainable and equitable choices.
That’s why the Innovate My Future program was so exciting for us. By receiving $2000 of funding, backed by a team of ambitious and resourceful volunteers, we could take action in a time of environmental ambiguity while simultaneously mitigating the greatest barriers to action that small businesses face: time and money. We believed that by toting the ultimate ‘business case for sustainability’ we would be bombarded with eager CEOs, each lining up to get free support and seed money as they transition their supply chain and product portfolio with climate in mind.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
We struggled to find a business who would take our call. We energy efficiency options, zero waste models, customer incentive programs: the low-hanging fruit that makes sustainability seem like a win-win. To our dismay, our calls remained unanswered and our leads were running out.
We decided to change our approach, shifting our focus towards business owners who already showed an interest in sustainability. Perhaps we could help them accelerate their efforts?
Cue: the beauty industry. A customer-facing industry accustomed to adapting to the latest trends, engaging in a yearly revolution of styles and services to meet the needs of their clients. This is an area where professionals are ready to take on new challenges and reinvent themselves.
We were lucky to find Karen at the Salon de Elephant, a business owner and nature enthusiast with a personal passion for sustainability. With the help of Green Circle Salons, Karen was already pursuing eco-friendly alternatives to her current products, exploring zero-waste alternatives and promoting green beauty. She was generous with her time, eager to brainstorm and thoughtful about best practices. Together we began expanding the movement she had started in North York and helped her clients become even more aware of the opportunities to make a difference through their service.