Expert solutions guide

Stepping stones to a greener future


How to set practical business sustainability goals

In today’s business climate, where consumers champion eco-conscious brands and where regulations increasingly favor green initiatives, sustainability has evolved from a buzzword to a business imperative. Gone are the days when sustainability was merely a chapter in the corporate social responsibility handbook. Today, it’s a key player in the long-term strategy game. Why? Because sustainability pays — both in terms of the planet and profits. Yet, despite this crucial understanding, you might still be stuck on one big question:

How can we set specific, attainable sustainability goals that don’t just look good on paper but are actually practicable?

Today, we’ll help you find the answer.

Why sustainability is no longer optional

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of carving out sustainability goals, it’s essential to understand why. Sustainability is crucial in today's business climate for a plethora of reasons, many of which you’ve probably heard:

  • Enhancing your company/brand reputation
  • Reducing operating costs
  • Creating a better work environment for employees
  • Meeting regulatory requirements
  • Simply doing the right thing for the planet

And let’s not discount the impact of recent technological innovations in manufacturing, packaging and recycling. These improvements have helped many organizations to discover that their paths toward better sustainability practices are also the stepping stones to operational excellence and cost efficiency.

That’s right. The sustainability goals you set today could make a huge difference in your company’s bottom line tomorrow.

Meeting sustainability goals: A 60 thousand student university increased green spending by 30% at a lower cost per use by purchasing green cleaners and office supplies.

Start with your data to make informed decisions

While leveraging data might not seem like a bold step to protecting the environment, your organization’s data on product spend, energy/water consumption and current waste levels can unearth high-impact sustainability opportunities.

To find them, ask yourself specific questions that only your data can answer:

  • What percentage of your current purchases are more environmentally friendly products?
  • How much electricity does your building consume per month?
  • How efficiently is your building using water?
  • What items do you currently recycle, and how much?

After you’ve used your data to assess your current sustainability levels, focus your goal setting on specific areas, such as:

  1. Energy efficiency
  2. Waste reduction
  3. Water conservation
  4. Product procurement

You're probably familiar with the first three focus areas. The outlier is the last one: product procurement. While it may seem strange to include, it’s actually one of the best ways to enhance your sustainability. That's because 80% or more of your organization’s environmental impact comes from the goods and services you purchase — not from your direct operations.1

For each of these focus areas, we've provided some “goal starter ideas”.


Product procurement goals starter idea

Pledge to dedicate a certain percentage of your procurement budget towards more environmentally friendly products and services.

An example of this might be to pledge 30% of our annual product spend on more eco-friendly products by 2030. Even a slight shift in your spending towards more sustainable alternatives can significantly impact the environment. And if you’re looking for an easy way to find more sustainable products, Staples Business™ provides more than 9,000 of them online.