How to Build a Truly Sustainable Business (Beyond the Buzzwords)
Most founders want to “do good” with their business. But sustainability isn’t just about carbon offsets or ethical suppliers—it’s about building a company that lasts because it considers people, the planet, and profits.
The Green Clothing Company (TGCC), founder Jagtar Singh and Chief Sustainability Strategist Dr. Sadaf Taimur broke down what real, holistic sustainability looks like for small businesses. Spoiler: it starts with mindset, not marketing.
Sustainability Isn’t a Checkbox—It’s a Mindset
“Sustainability isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about how you think, lead, and make decisions across your business.” – Jagtar Singh
Sustainable businesses start with ethical leadership. It’s not enough to talk about values—you need to build them into your culture and decisions. That means moving away from authoritarian, top-down leadership and embracing servant leadership: putting people and planet at the center of business decisions, not just quarterly profit goals.
Strong Governance Is the Real “Green” Foundation
You can’t build an ethical company on weak internal systems. That governance models—how decisions are made, who’s accountable, and what policies are in place—are where sustainability becomes real. This can be impelemnted at the leadership level with management and oversight functions (e.g. Board of Directors).
Key policies to have in place:
✅ Ethical decision-making framework
✅ Sustainability strategy (with real goals, not just vibes)
✅ ESG risk and opportunities assessment
✅ Whistleblower and anti-corruption policies
✅ Ethical procurement guidelines (fair wages, low emissions, no forced labor)
If your business wants to become B Corp certified or attract mission-aligned investors, these are non-negotiable.
Data, Collaboration, and Breaking Silos
A huge reason sustainability efforts fail is because they happen in isolation and not in collaboration or across functions. A sustainability strategy made by the operations team alone will miss key metrics from HR, finance, logistics, and procurement.
Instead, bring everyone to the table early. Use systems thinking to understand how decisions affect everyone—your team, suppliers, communities, and the planet. Collaborate internally and externally, and always back decisions with real data and baselines. Using company-wide baselines and tracking progress holistically will help all teams understand where they stand.
“If you don’t have data to back it up, you’re not doing sustainability.” - Dr. Sadaf Taimur
Don’t Forget the Human Factor
Environmental sustainability is important—but social sustainability is just as critical (and often overlooked). That includes:
Fair labor practices
Anti-discrimination and EDI policies
Mental health and well-being programs
Community trust and transparency
Your people are your business. When you treat them well, they stick around, work better, and help grow your impact.
Are you on the right track?
Small businesses are uniquely positioned to lead. They’re nimble, experimental, and often mission-driven already. But before growth locks you into rigid systems, take the time to embed sustainability into your operations and culture now.
TGCC offers free 30-minute consults to help you build a sustainability foundation that fits your stage and vision. Book a call to meet their team, or take their self-assessment tool to see where you’re doing well and where you can improve: