{"id":1374,"date":"2022-04-18T17:56:33","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T09:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/?p=1374"},"modified":"2022-04-20T10:19:10","modified_gmt":"2022-04-20T02:19:10","slug":"5-easy-ways-your-business-can-contribute-to-a-better-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/blog\/5-easy-ways-your-business-can-contribute-to-a-better-world\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Easy Ways Your Business Can Contribute To A Better World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt is in your hands to create a better world for all to live in it\u201d &#8211; Nelson Mandela<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One thing that we can all agree on is that we want a better world, in fact, we need it. The good news is that it\u2019s probably not as complicated as you might think and you could even begin today. We\u2019re here to help you with that.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some statistics that barely capture the state our world is in.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is estimated that about two per cent of the world&#8217;s population are homeless. While it may not sound like much, that&#8217;s about 150 million people.<\/span><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.giss.nasa.gov\/research\/news\/20220113\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021 was tied for the sixth hottest year on record<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the past 8 years being the warmest since modern record-keeping began in 1880.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every year we dump a massive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theworldcounts.com\/challenges\/planet-earth\/state-of-the-planet\/world-waste-facts\/story\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2.12 billion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tons of waste. If all this waste was put on trucks they would go around the world 24 times.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s estimated that over <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/global-mental-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">one billion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> people globally have a mental or substance use disorder, that\u2019s at least one in every seven people.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are just some snapshots to show how much damage is being done not just to our environment but also to people. <\/span><b>As businesses and leaders, we have a responsibility and obligation to contribute to a better world and make a change<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can&#8217;t deny that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/smallbusinessify.com\/why-is-business-important-to-society\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">businesses are important to society<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> purely due to the fact that we encounter them in every aspect of our life but we feel that they don\u2019t see their own potential to create greatness. Besides recycling or having other topline sustainable initiatives, businesses can actually choose to change the course of their business to make all that good their \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/simonsinek.com\/product\/start-with-why\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WHY<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d. The advantages are plenty. Lower attrition rates, increased customer satisfaction, a more attractive culture, generally happier employees and so much more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So if you\u2019re looking to create a positive impact through your organisation, let us help you with these 5 ways that are (relatively) easy to start contributing to a better world today.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><b> Support local charities and causes.<\/b><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the simplest ways that your business can make a difference in the world is by supporting local causes. This could take the form of monetary or in-kind donations, events or sponsorship but it can also mean working with local organisations to provide employment opportunities, training and mentorship programmes, or support services.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/core.ac.uk\/download\/pdf\/267559064.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2011<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, there were 45,000 registered NGOs that attend to the many social, environmental and other needs of the people and that number has likely increased. Through partnership or support, you can help make your community a better place to live and work. You can also build relationships with potential customers and partners, which can be beneficial for your business in the long run.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t know where to start, here\u2019s a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transparenthands.org\/top-20-international-ngos-in-the-world\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">list of the top 20 NGOs globally <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that you can look into.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\"><li><b> Create jobs and opportunities for locals.<\/b><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The COVID-19 pandemic <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ilo.org\/wcmsp5\/groups\/public\/---dgreports\/---dcomm\/---publ\/documents\/publication\/wcms_834081.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dominated the global economy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a second year in 2021, preventing a full and balanced recovery of labour markets.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/development\/desa\/dpad\/publication\/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-november-2021-briefing-no-155\/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20ILO%2C%20around,per%20cent%20registered%20in%202019.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the ILO<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, around 220 million people are expected to remain unemployed globally in 2021, while the global unemployment rate may reach 6.3 per cent, falling to only 5.7 in 2022, which still would be above the pre-pandemic level of 5.4 per cent registered in 2019.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/asia\/japans-jan-jobless-rate-rises-job-availability-hits-21-month-high-2022-03-03\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan&#8217;s jobless rate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rose to 2.8% as the surge in coronavirus infections and mobility curbs hit service sector activity.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Young people\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ilo.org\/wcmsp5\/groups\/public\/---asia\/---ro-bangkok\/documents\/publication\/wcms_753369.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">employment prospects in Asia and the Pacific<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are severely challenged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth will be hit harder than adults in the immediate crisis and also will bear higher longer-term economic and social costs.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If these numbers worry you, they should. As we begin to move into post-pandemic recovery, our economy, workforce and people need support that stems from kindness. You could do anything from:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raising minimum wage within your company so that your employees know that they\u2019re cared for and thought of.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Part-time opportunities for underskilled workers or to lighten the burden of current full-time staff.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upskilling into employment pathways.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mental health &amp; welfare support for struggling employees.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flexible working conditions.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\"><li><b> Promoting Sustainability<\/b><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent pandemic has shown how easy it is for businesses to fold, making sustainability an increasingly important issue for businesses and consumers alike. With the global movement picking up and consumers becoming more informed and placing importance on values, sustainability is now a requirement.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defined simply, a sustainable business is one that operates in a way that does not have negative impacts on the environment or society.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the word sustainability comes to mind, most would think of reducing energy consumption, recycling materials, using biodegradable packaging, and promoting responsible sourcing practices.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">True sustainability, however, extends beyond that into an organisation&#8217;s culture from the ground up.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a CSR campaign here and there just doesn\u2019t cut it. More and more companies are attaching themselves and their annual goals with and of the global <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sustainable Development Goals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and people are now asking for the proof of those efforts, especially if your business is in the limelight.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you haven\u2019t already, here\u2019s where you can start:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Educate &amp; support your employees on sustainability and social responsibility practices.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implement sustainable and ethical practices into your business operations.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a system where your employees can suggest initiatives<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reward employees for upholding your values or taking initiative<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By making your business more sustainable, you have the opportunity and responsibility to not only build positive and long-lasting brand equity both internally and externally but also develop a resilient and thriving workforce.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\"><li><b> Offering Fair-Trade Products<\/b><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a lot of options out there for business owners who want to do something good for their community and offering fair-trade products is a great way to start. Fair-trade products are products that have been certified as being ethically sourced and produced. This means that the workers who made the product were treated fairly, with safe working conditions and a living wage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As previously mentioned, more people are looking for ways to make more ethical choices when they shop. It\u2019s a great way to set yourself apart from your competition.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re not sure where to start, there are plenty of resources available online and in print that can help you get started with selling fair-trade products. There are also organisations like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fairtradecertified.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fair Trade USA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can help you get started and provide support along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\"><li><b> Cooperate with other businesses to make a bigger impact<\/b><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the saying goes, \u2018one man&#8217;s waste is another man&#8217;s treasure\u2019. The concept of a circular economy is even more achievable than ever.&nbsp; The key is always to collaborate, not compete. As a business, you don\u2019t have to own the initiative to own every initiative you set your eyes on. If there\u2019s already an organisation or NGO that&#8217;s doing exactly what you\u2019re planning, why not consider supporting them. You could even get together with other businesses for a joint effort.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBusiness, working in collaboration with governments and NGOs, has the potential to create a more inclusive economy and reduce poverty through a market-based approach to development even as it fulfils its own economic, profit-generating role,\u201d Joanne Lawrence, Professor of Global Business and Society at Hult International Business School and academic advisor to the UN Global Impact.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenudge.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Nudge Foundation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> works with more than 50 partners (NGOs, government, foundations and companies) on skill development to pull one million people out of poverty.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>If you\u2019re looking for more information you can always:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get involved with an organisation like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B Lab<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/v\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sustainable Business Network<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to learn more about how to make your business more sustainable.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for resources like case studies or articles that can help you understand what steps you need to take to make your business more impactful.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Join a community of business owners who are also interested in making a positive impact and learning from their experiences.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now let\u2019s get to how you can actually make it happen, here&#8217;s what you can do with questions you can bring to the table.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Define what you want your business to do for the world.<\/span> <ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do you \/ your business believe that everyone deserves?<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What industry are you in and what are its pain points?<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What problems can you solve?<\/span> <\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose a single big feature that will make the biggest impact.<\/span> <ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who needs help the most right now?<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is best aligned to your company&#8217;s goals &amp; values?<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do your people say?<\/span> <\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research how you can best accomplish your goal.<\/span> <ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What resources do you already have available?<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is anyone else out there and who can you partner with?<\/span> <\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make a plan and put it into action.<\/span> <ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember to have measurable goals &amp; checkpoints in place.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have stakeholders\/accountability officers.<\/span> <\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluate your progress and make changes as needed.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the facts:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don&#8217;t have to change your entire business model in order to make an impact &#8211; there are many small changes you can make that will have a big impact.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many different ways to contribute to your community &#8211; find the one that best suits your strengths and interests.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are resources available to help you learn about and implement impactful business practices.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s important to stay informed about the changing landscape of social and environmental issues &#8211; they may affect your business operations.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is power in numbers &#8211; join or create a network of businesses committed to making a difference in their communities<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, you can make a change today and start small, it doesn\u2019t have to be grand. By becoming more mindful of the impact you have and making small changes, businesses can make a big difference. Other than the five listed, there are many other ways to get involved in your community and make a positive impact.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re looking to create a positive impact through your organisation, let us help you with these 5 ways that are (relatively) easy to start contributing to a better world today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1374"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1374"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1397,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1374\/revisions\/1397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happiness-dojo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}