Sustainability: Small Business Competitive Advantage

Why are small businesses at an advantage when it comes to sustainability?

This, among many others, was a topic of discussion at the Sustainable Innovation 2008 conference in Malmo, Sweden hosted by The Centre for Sustainable Design.

The partial answer may exist with the expansiveness of the definition itself. The parameters defining business sustainability are still evolving and may, in fact, never be fully defined. Businesses agility may be a key to business sustainability.

Small businesses and entrepreneurs may be more equipped with the speed and flexibility to incorporate sustainability concepts directly into their business model. This agility and ability to adaptive may prove to be more responsive to specific industry needs. As a small business consultant, I work with small business clients who are capturing value by modifying and adapting their business to the world around them.

Businesses need to be aware of the benefits, as well as, the cost of changes in operation. Those are able to manage both sides of the equation most efficiently are at an advantage.

In a recent post, we discussed the relationship between sustainability and cost. The post described how a large part of a product’s total cost is defined in its initial conception. Larger organizations may have to drive cost from their sustainable products; where as, the small business may make more immediate changes and incorporate sustainability directly into the design.

Our sustainability consulting encourages clients to capitalize on the competitive advantage of building sustainability concepts directly into the company’s business case. Being on the leading edge in the market can have huge rewards.