Thousands of green businesses in BC are doing their part to combat climate change. But only a few are making the most of it by becoming a BC Green Business member.
Habit is a coffee shop with two locations in Victoria, BC quietly leading the way in reducing waste. It diverts 96% of its waste away from landfills through composting, recycling, and reusing. Habit has been a carbon-neutral business for nearly a decade; their two cafes combined produce less than half the carbon emissions of one average coffee shop and buy credits to offset the carbon emissions it does produce.
Plus, Habit has been a long-standing member of BC Green Business — a program created by Synergy Foundation, a Victoria-based non-profit. Here at Vancity, we supported Synergy’s expansion of the program, previously called Vancouver Island Green Business Collective, across the province. Keep reading to find out how BC Green Business can help your business affordably take climate action.
Retain employees, reduce turnover costs.
Shane Deveraux, Habit’s owner, says the BC Green Business stamp has helped him attract the right employees — those who share a similar outlook on environmental and social issues and stay longer, often upward of three years.
Reliable, long-term employees are familiar with the ins and outs of the product, culture, and operations. With the cost of employee turnover estimated at $1,500 per hourly employee, this can add up over the years for most businesses.
Greening your business affordably.
Consumers are making more buying decisions than ever based on a business’ reputation, including its commitment to social and environmental issues. Many small businesses want to take action on climate change but are unsure where to begin. Synergy designed its BC Green Business program with this in mind.
With BC Green Business, certification is just the beginning. The program coaches you to develop a plan to implement greener practices that work for you, your business’ needs, and your industry. BC Green Business’ team of experts have helped more than 175 businesses (as of March 2023) dial in on practical and affordable green practices that can help them save or earn money, like energy and waste reduction actions or switching to electric vehicles.
As a BC Green Business member, your customers can trust that you’re working to minimize your carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency. You’ll receive branding and marketing tools that you can use to tell the world that you take climate change seriously, and your business has taken meaningful steps to back it up.
Become a member for a 30% discount.
BC Green Business has helped many other small businesses green their operations and become climate leaders in their industries. There are tailored certification guides for restaurants, cafes, grocers, spas, salons, offices, retail stores, fleet-based businesses, and food and beverage processors.
Vancity business members get a 30% discount on their first-year certification with BC Green Business. Additionally, they can use a Planet-Wise™ Business Loan to help fund the improvement plan you develop with BC Green Business. Indigenous-led businesses can become BC Green Business members for free.
Interested in becoming a BC Green Business member? Visit BC Green Business to register.
Planet-Wise™ is a trademark of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union.
