How can you set up a company sustainably? As soon as you come across a problem for which there is not yet a solution, many people start thinking about setting up their own business. There are a few things to consider to ensure that your own company is as environmentally friendly and socially responsible as possible, as well as being long-lasting. For many, the effort involved or the competition seems too great, which is why great ideas often unfortunately remain ideas and are not implemented.
In this article, I would like to give you some valuable tips for starting a sustainable business so that your start-up idea can take off and grow into a stable and effective company in the future. Let's go!
Tip: If you would prefer not to start your own sustainable business, but would rather work for a cool company that adds value to the environment and society, then take a look at our Job portal for sustainable jobs over. Your future job is sure to be among the hundreds of vacancies!
Why start a sustainable business at all?
We spend a large part of our lives working and influencing our environment. So why not pursue daily work that fulfills you and positively changes our environment?
Here are three key drivers for setting up a company sustainably from the outset:
- Ideally, your company consists of forever
- Your company permanently causes a great added value for you, our environment and our society
- You create a company that meets both your and the Living of other people permanently financed
As you can see, the basis of a sustainable company lies in continuity.
Notice: A sustainable start-up is not about building some multi-million dollar corporation. Instead, a steadily growing, social and fair company should be created that also operates profitably.
10 tips for sustainable start-ups
Let's get into the specific suggestions that will make it easier for you to start up and build the cornerstone of a sustainable and long-lasting business. Use the following tips & ideas for your start-up idea.
1. find a start-up idea with social or ecological added value
Before you set up a company, you should first Idea with added value for you, our environment and our society develop. Your future start-up should at least partially solve a far-reaching, ecological or social problem that cannot be completely eliminated within a few weeks, but requires a long-term solution.
The best ideas come to you when you deal with specific problems. Perhaps the article on the biggest environmental problems of our time the necessary inspiration. Examples of this can be the climate change, the air pollution or also the World hunger be
2. check, visualize and internalize the founding idea
Have you found an idea that makes sense in your eyes? Then put them through their paces. Are there really needs or problems in our society or environment that you can serve or even solve with your idea? If so, then you already have the ideal basis for the sustainable foundation of a company that will last as long as possible.
On the one hand, therefore, the Need in our society and the environment, but also that you and your future team are fully committed to the identify with your task and founding idea. It is not a stable foundation if you start your sustainable business just to get rich. Above all, you should be guided by the enduring drive to positively impact our society and environment. If that's not there, you simply won't have the constant inspiration and motivation to drive your sustainable startup forward.
Tip: The Business Model Canvas (BMC for short) is the ideal way to visualize the business model and start-up idea in a tangible way and to test whether it also makes sense from an entrepreneurial perspective. Nowadays, the BMC is increasingly replacing the classic business plan.
3. calculate workload, strengths and financing as precisely as possible
The main aim here is to Longevity of your businesss can be guaranteed. And this depends on many different factors that you need to adjust and calculate during the start-up phase. Here are a few examples:
- Funding: Depending on the idea, the need for financing can be limited or even escalate. Crowdfunding, for example, is particularly suitable for social and sustainable start-up ideas that ultimately benefit everyone. Venture funds and public funding programs from KfW, development banks or foundations can also help.
- Business plan: It is not always necessary to draw up a business plan. However, both for potential investors in your sustainable start-up idea and for yourself, a business plan shows possible weaknesses in the start-up that can be remedied if necessary. However, the modern business model canvas is often sufficient as an alternative.
- Expertise: What are your strengths and where are your weaknesses? Is the project idea feasible or do you need support right from the start? These considerations are absolutely crucial for making a good start to life as a founder.
- Formal basics: Find out about the ideal type of company. Sole proprietorship, UG, GmbH or NGO? Make yourself aware of which form of company best suits your start-up idea and set up the company at your local trade office. To do this green bank account and a sustainable health insurance.
- Workplace: Where do you want to work every day? Many founders start at home in their living room or even in the garage. You can also enjoy a really inspiring start-up atmosphere in cafés, but especially in co-working spaces.
These are some of the most important building blocks for setting up your sustainable business.
4. team of like-minded people with a high level of identification with the common goal
You need the support of like-minded people if you want your company to work sustainably and exist for a long time. Like you, your team must identify 100% with the founding idea and see the desired problem solution as a constant motivator. The Hierarchies in your socially and ecologically valuable start-up should be flat - plus a Duz culture and also a Communitywhen it suits the idea. Just as the fans are the "twelfth man" in soccer, the members of your community can also act as additional employees.
As a founder, you set the pace in your company - and should of course exemplify the values of your idea.
5. regularly check figures & future viability
To minimize risks in the long term, you should review your company at regular intervals. Are the stated objectives still current and up-to-date and are the sales figures satisfactory? Are there any trends that you should adapt to? Is it appropriate to invest in long-term progress? These are questions that you should address as a sustainable founder in order to guarantee the longevity of your company.
Tip: Whether for daily or annual targets, I can offer you the SMART formula recommend. It states that goals must be clear, measurable, desirable, realistic and time-bound. In this way, the objectives within your start-up are defined and tangible in a way that is conducive to success.
6. sustainable organization with focus on sustainability and optimization
You and all your fellow campaigners should think and act in an environmentally conscious and sustainable way right from the start. Both financially and in terms of ideas, this pays off in the end. A company that makes our world a little better every day attracts many people - both employees and customers.
Therefore make sure that Environmental awareness both inside and outside the organization. Inside, for example, through a Paperless office or the promotion of vegan diet in the workplace. Outside of this, for example, you can consciously ensure that partners plastic-free or give lectures on how other entrepreneurs can also work sustainably. Orienting the company towards ecological and economic progress is an important cornerstone of sustainable entrepreneurship.
7. write health in capital letters
From my own experience, I know how much fun it is to drive forward your own company and the sustainable idea behind it. Especially in the start-up phase, there are usually one or two 16-hour working days. But of course you can't go on like this in the long term - your health and that of your employees should always take priority. Make sure that neither you nor anyone else is overworked. Create a work-life balance and make sure you have a healthy nutrition and a happy coexistence.
I can recommend these blog posts to go with it:
- Occupational health
- Improve worklife balance
- When does a job make me happy?
- 10 tips for productive work without stress
8. align contracts with longevity
A company also works more sustainably if the contracts for employees, office rent or partners allow for long-term planning. As a founder, this simply gives you more security for the future. However, especially in contracts with suppliers, you should always retain the option of adjusting conditions at short notice.
Tip: If you have a Co-founder you should also contractually regulate from the outset what happens as soon as one of you leaves the company. Take such scenarios into account so that you lose as little time and money as possible if the worst comes to the worst.
9. employees grow with the company
Your employees, freelancers and all other collaborators should develop together with the company. Make sure that your Colleagues learn to think like founders. The Pareto principle and SMART goal setting should become second nature. For example, organize further training courses and ensure a constantly growing salary. On the one hand, this will increase retention and Identification with your start-up idea, on the other hand the Know-How within your organization.
10. set up a lifeline for the unexpected
In the euphoria of starting a sustainable business, the risk that something could happen to you is often put on the back burner. But of course it is not impossible that you could fall seriously ill or that an accident could jeopardize the continued existence of the company. Taking this into account and having a kind of emergency plan ready for such cases is definitely part of a sustainable start-up. Therefore, safeguard your start-up idea against this and also make sure that people you trust know the relevant information and contact points so that they can step in in an emergency.
Notice: That sounds a bit harsh, but ultimately nobody escapes this risk. If you want to set up a sustainable business, you should take the appropriate precautions to protect yourself, at least at the beginning.
Sustainable foundations for a better future
Sustainability is the key to an innovative future - and the ideas of today are the leading companies of tomorrow. Of course, depending on your profession, you can also make your contribution to greater sustainability as an employee in a company. But as an independent founder and entrepreneur, you can implement your ideas one-to-one in the way you envision them as added value for you, our society and, above all, our environment.
I hope that this article has motivated you to set up a sustainable company that will last as long as possible.
Do you have any questions, tips or your own experience of starting a sustainable business that you would like to share? Then I look forward to your comment under this article. Feel free to share this article with others.
Whether as an employee or founder: good luck!
PS.: Look you with pleasure still a little bit in the Blog for sustainable living around. In addition to tips for sustainable start-ups, you can also find out, for example, how you can Environmentally friendly driving simply by following your heart.
I find this topic very interesting and have been reading articles on this for some time. This article definitely gives helpful information about starting a company. After reading it, I am sufficiently informed.