Jean McIntyre
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Jean McIntyre talks about how smart small businesses can use the opportunity of the introduction of the Carbon Price on July 1 to really highlight their environmental credentials to the market.
By Jean McIntyre
Well, Mr Abbot and the Coalition are doing a damn fine job of peddling to the public about the alleged huge impact the Carbon Price will have on households.
They are already gearing many businesses up to start charging much higher prices on everything – to be blamed of course on the carbon price.
A few things are definitely true. Yes, the price of some things will go up. Yes, some businesses that currently benefit from cheaper products created by companies that have little regard for their impact on the environment – will suffer. Polluters will pay and people that buy from polluters will pay. And yes, those businesses will likely try to pass on their increased costs to their consumers.
So, you may ask, how could this be of benefit to small businesses?
Innovate on the environment
The great thing about being a small business is that you can easily choose (and quickly change) your suppliers, your consumption habits and your practices to be much more environmentally responsible.
There are a few programmes available to help small businesses to get on board with smart enviro practices. Click here to see what the ACT Government has to offer.
If you are able to make significant changes to your business, you’ll find that three things will happen: first, you’ll reduce your costs over time (by buying from suppliers unencumbered by the carbon price); second, you may gain carbon credits which you may at some time in the future be able to trade – at the very least you’ll contribute positively to the environment and third, people will start to take note and choose your business over others that don’t have such practices.
The easiest way to limit your exposure to the carbon price is to buy from suppliers who don’t pollute or who don’t buy from polluters.
Tony Abbot Creates an Opportunity for Business
There’s no doubt about it. Mr Abbot has the general population running scared. People are walking around with furrowed brows – waiting for the cost of living to become unmanageable.
Come first of July, people will be paying very close attention to prices and on the lookout for businesses that put them up.
This is your opportunity – if you have taken action to improve your environmental practices – including procurement – for your business, you will be able to declare that you have NO CARBON PRICE INCREASES and that you are an environmentally responsible business. If it works for Coles and Woolworths it can work for you.
There will be no time like right now to establish your environmental credentials and reputation in the market.
What are you waiting for?
So my advice is to get on with it. Take the next few days and weeks to review all your suppliers, put in place better waste management strategies, work on saving energy and water and – well – get out and plant some trees :).
The reward should be new and loyal customers and a reputation as good corporate citizens.
I’d love to hear about what are your plans for your business to benefit from the Carbon Price.
Jean Mc
Canberra Small Business Blog 