Over the past few years, many organisations’ main focus has been protecting staff, stakeholders and customers to ensure financial stability during the uncertainty of the pandemic and recovery. As a result, the green agenda has taken a back seat for many businesses. Reports found that 55% of businesses were forced to pause or cancel investment into sustainability during the pandemic.

However, 2023 is expected to see a shift in focus back to sustainability. With businesses no longer in survival mode, there is plenty of opportunity for innovation.

Conscious consumers

The demand for greener businesses is growing, with consumers more conscious than ever about ensuring their money is spent with brands that align with their values. 62% of customers say it’s more important than before the pandemic that companies behave in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way. Online behaviour reflects this change, with searches for sustainable shopping increasing by over 600% since 2019.

In 2023, consumers are expected to continue to immerse themselves in the world of sustainability, carefully selecting the brands they align themselves with. For many brands truly championing sustainability, this is a positive as engaged customers have higher retention rates and are more likely to recommend products to their friends and family. For those brands who do not adopt sustainable practices, they could see revenue drop as customers abandon them for their more sustainable competitors.

Implementing green tech

To reduce emissions, create cost efficient practices and drive awareness with eco-conscious consumers, green tech is the way forward.

2023 is anticipated to see huge investment in green tech from businesses of all sizes not just to improve processes, but to achieve sustainability goals. Using electric vehicles like Amazon and UPS or reducing paper waste with apps are just some of the ways brands can and will adapt in the year to come.

To support businesses with green tech innovations, we developed a mattress compression system to tackle bulky waste collection. Mattresses are difficult items to move in huge quantities as they require multiple transport vehicles. Our mattress compression system allows a standard 40ft trailer that on average carries 67 mattresses to transport 450 mattresses, increasing capacity by 572%, significantly reducing the CO2 impact of multiple trips.

Carbon offsetting

Introducing sustainable infrastructure takes a long term investment of both time and money to ensure that the company is still profitable, while making an authentic pledge to be more environmentally friendly.

While companies review existing strategies, a simpler way to achieve quick results both for the brand and the environment is carbon offsetting. This is where a business counteracts its carbon footprint by planting trees or investing in sustainable ventures to remove the same amount of CO2 from the environment that they produce, allowing them to achieve net zero emissions.

As many businesses continue to recover from the pandemic, carbon offsetting has become a green initiative of choice, allowing companies to contribute in a way that minimises disruption to their business during a critical time.

However, it is very much a short term solution to a larger issue. Businesses should only utilise carbon offsetting as they implement a true sustainability strategy into their practices.

Climate positivity

In the US, climate positivity has already taken off. The practice is about not just achieving net zero, but going further to have a positive impact on the environment. By removing more CO2 than a business produces, it provides a truly sustainable way of operating.

Global brands including Burberry have pledged to become climate positive by 2040 and many more brands are set to follow in 2023.

Climate-neutral certifications

Over the past few years businesses have flocked to have their products officially certified by leading bodies, including Made in Britain, Vegan, Vegetarian, Cruelty-Free, Hypoallergenic and Organic.

Moving into 2023 businesses will look at certifications that showcase their green credentials including the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Climate Action Roadmap, 100% Recycled Materials and the Carbon Trust’s PAS 2060 certification.

For support with achieving sustainability goals for your business, get in touch with TFR Group today to learn more about how we’re working towards a truly sustainable mattress industry.