How To Have A Sustainable Christmas As A Business

Want to know how to have a sustainable Christmas as a business? With the help from us here at Soshell, you can have a merry festive season and still reduce your waste & impact on the planet. And here’s how.

By Shannon Mugford

Oct 27, 2021

When we think of a sustainable business, we think of sustainable Christmas gifts, decorations, cards and everything else in between. But what you might not know is that as a business, you can find several other ways to bring sustainable practices into your company in the festive season.

In today’s article, we will give you five tips on how to have a sustainable Christmas as a business. With the help of us here at Soshell, you’ll be painting your office walls green in 2022.

1. PARTY TIME!

Every workplace has a Christmas party, and for a good reason too. You’ve had a successful year, have made new friends as co-workers and are ready to let your hair down before the new year begins. With that in mind, there is a way to go about how you celebrate your work’s Christmas do in 2021.

For starters, if you’re a big company, why not keep it small and give back to the community instead? Look, we all love an open bar but think about how much of the expenses for such a party could go to local charities. During this time of year, Shelter puts several appeals together that raise money for those who don’t have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas. A fantastic alternative to going so wild!

According to The Drum, several agencies have chosen sustainable-focused venues to host their parties at. By offsetting your carbon footprint that evening, you can have a good time, as well as give back to our planet. Additionally, Mindshare staff are ditching the need to buy new clothes and are running a party swap shop. This way, everyone’s Christmas party clothing is in its second life and waste is reduced.

2. REDUCE PACKAGING

One of the most environmentally impactful business issues, especially a retail outlet, is packaging usage and waste. Yes, you need to pack your products so that it arrives in your customer’s hands in tip-top shape, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to damage the planet by doing so.

We recommend using packaging materials that have been ethically sourced. Eco-Craft is a fantastic example of a family-run company that outsources its packaging materials from greener suppliers, giving companies and individuals the key to sustainable wrapping.

What’s more, not only could you be using greener materials, but a ring doesn’t require a box that’s encased in bubble wrap before being put in a plastic pouch and then a postal jiffy bag that’s been extra padded in heaps of Styrofoam found in a box. Let’s make sure we’re only using what we need, peeps!

3. REDUCE DELIVERIES

While Christmas is one of the busiest periods for ALL businesses, this also means that carbon footprints consistently rise. That’s why systems such as Click & Collect should be your best friend over the Winter season. This allows customers to go and collect their items on foot and reduce the need for delivery vans.

Another great way of reducing the number of delivery pick-ups for your business is to lengthen your delivery times. Of course, USP’s such as next day delivery work for last-minute shoppers, but when it comes to earlier in the month, there’s no harm in incorporating posts together as long as it hits your delivery promises!

4. CHRISTMAS CARDS

Next up on our sustainable Christmas ideas is sending and receiving cards. Who doesn’t love to receive a cute Christmas card filled with heartfelt messages, right? Well, that doesn’t mean our planet enjoys it too. In fact, according to PHS Waste Kit, 1 billion Christmas cards are put in the bin every year, and that was as far back as 2018, so you can imagine the damage in 2021! That’s why it’s crucial to do your bit, even with the more minor elements of Christmas.

FSC approved cards from companies such as EcoVibe is the best way to send out your joyful thoughts to your co-workers this sustainable Christmas. Failing that, why not set up a fundraiser for charities such as Trees For The Future, which concentrate on implementing greenery into African countries dealing with the climate crisis.

By encouraging your team to give their pennies to such a charity instead of creating cards, we can reduce waste and help those in need. Yay!

5. GIFTING

Last but not least, we have gifts. Look, everyone and their uncle have said the words’ Christmas isn’t about presents’ which although is accurate, we can’t deny that we don’t love giving and receiving lovely new things. However, then we have the dreaded Secret Santa in the workplace. This activity is even worse if you don’t necessarily know the person and you’re thinking of purchasing a bath gift set from Asda.

So, with that in mind, why not set up a Secret Santa charity system that means instead of gifting to each other, you donate to a charity each. Don’t worry if you love to wrap Christmas gifts as charities such as The Salvation Army allow you to donate gifs to underprivileged children until mid-December. A lovely way to spend your pennies this sustainable Christmas!

Remember, it’s not frowned upon to reuse gifts you have received in the past. While to some, this may look like a cop-out, you’re reducing the amount of waste that our planet consistently deals with- so, is it really such a bad thing? We think not.

Have a Sustainable Christmas With Soshell

Thanks for reading our top tips on how to have a sustainable Christmas as a business. There are many ways you can cut back on costs to your company and our planet in the festive season; it’s just about making those changes. If you need extra tips on staying prepared for the festive season, even if we’re amidst it, we have a Q4 Handbook that gives you advice on how to stay organised.

In the meantime, if you need extra assistance with your marketing over the festive period due to the influx of custom, we’re here for you. Simply get in touch with us today on 01482 697190, and we’ll be happy to help. Have a Merry Christmas, everybody!