According to the FSB (www.fsb.org.uk) “At the start of 2021 there were 5.5 million small businesses ( with 1-49 employees ) “ and protecting this planet and reaching net zero will not happen unless each and every one of us makes changes now.”
I am passionate about getting smalll business owners off the starting blocks, helping them to make bold and brave decisions and actions to build a greener planet.
In the summer of 2022 after starting my sustainability journey for my own business, I launched the SOW programme for small business owners.
After talking to many business owners who were interested in this subject area many felt it wasn’t for them because they
- Didn’t have the knowledge
- Didn’t have the budget
- Didn’t have the time or resources to start.
Well, I have GOOD news for you in all three areas as I have built up my knowledge and training in this area over the last 3 years, and have now launched a programme that small business owners can afford, can understand, and that doesn’t take up too much of your time. You will be amazed at what steps you have already taken on your sustainability journey and those that you can implement going forwards using CSR-A’s four pillars.
What is the SOW programme?
The SOW programme is a 3-stage programme = SOW, WEAVE and BLOOM
SOW gets a small business off the starting blocks, from being curious, talking to me in more depth about what you want to achieve long term, and then working together over 4-6 weeks we will build a
- Sustainability Statement ( to use internally and externally for stakeholders, clients and suppliers)
and also a
- Roadmap of Actions ( a work-in-progress document of actions that you can use to document progress )
During this time you can start telling the world what steps you have taken on social media, blogs, newsletters & your website.
WEAVE enables the roadmap actions from SOW to be implemented and embedded in the business procedures and processes with regular reviews and updates.
BLOOM is the icing on the cake, where all the collated evidence can be used to submit an application for a sustainability accreditation, like the one I have achieved for my business.
The SOW programme can be started at any point depending on where you are on this journey, and it does not all have to be taken one after the other. In fact, sometimes it is best to step back and review before moving on to the next stage. however you can dip in and out of the stages and I can support you to suit you. Either way, it is a flexible programme to suit your business needs, timeframes and budgets.
The long-term benefits of the SOW programme will help you to
- gain more business from like-minded clients.
- enhance relationships with existing clients and stakeholders.
- attract and maintain a happy and sustainably driven workforce.
- Gain media interest and a positive reputation.
- Gain access to funding opportunities and enhance tender applications.
- Differentiate yourself from your competitors and stand out in your industry.
- Increase customer retention
- Ultimately save money on energy and operating costs.
If you are a small business owner that is curious about how sustainability can help your business and you see that starting this journey is of value and purpose, and aligns to your values, please do get in touch as I would love to see how we can get you started on your “greener” journey in 2023.
If you have read this far and are interested in working with me in 2023 on the SOW programme then contact me via email at alex@auxiliumconsulting.co.uk or my contact page on my website to book a FREE 30 minute chat. https://auxiliumconsulting.co.uk/contact/
Don’t delay start your SOW journey today.
