Sustainable Business Practices for Home Businesses

1. Economic Sustainability:

Do you market and sell your products within the local community?

Do you hire from the local community?

Does the business purchase from other "sustainable" businesses?  Local businesses?

Do you contribute in other ways to your local community?

2. Social Sustainability:

Does your business compensate employees with a livable wage?

Does the business have employee-friendly policies? (maternity, sick, etc.)

Does the business support/promote consumer and/or worker health, safety or education?

Does business employ "disadvantaged" or "hard to employ" or "minority" employees?

3. Environmental Sustainability:

Does the business recycle, compost, or re-use?

Does the business make an effort to reduce energy use?  Use renewable energy? Conserve water? 

Reduce emissions to air, water or soil?  Properly dispose of any toxic or hazardous waste?

Does the business make an effort to reduce packaging or use sustainable packaging? 

Does the business make an effort to use organic, cruelty free or free trade products?

If transportation is involved, are there efforts to ride share? Consolidate trips? Use efficient vehicles?

Does the business protect natural habitats or biodiversity?

According to CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) “the 'triple bottom line' is rapidly gaining recognition as a framework for measuring business performance.  Triple bottom line accounting means expanding the traditional company reporting framework to take into account not just financial outcomes but also environmental and social performance.”  See the CERES website for more information on sustainable business practices: www.CERES.org

When you describe your business on the Goods and Services Directory, please let people know of the sustainable practices you currently are using.

If you have other sustainable practices that you think should be included on this list, please contact us.