In recent years, sustainability has become an increasingly important topic for businesses and now influences relationships with all parties involved: clients, investors, (potential) employees, and vendors. There are new regulations, sustainability certifications, and carbon emission calculators emerging. 

The topic is still relatively new and hard to navigate, but I believe that what’s good for the people and nature can also be beneficial for the business.  On this note, here are some ideas on how to make your business more sustainable in 2025, be a greener employer, and get closer to reaching your ESG goals (if you already have such)

reducing business travel

The pandemic taught us that many business trips can be replaced by a video call or a few emails. If you need to travel for work, consider doing one leg of your trip with a more eco-friendly option, e.g., a train. There are now many online calculators that can help you calculate your real CO2 emissions and donate the amount to an organization of your choice. For example, you can calculate that a return flight from Sofia to Brussels – Charleroi accounts for 280 of jet fuel or the equivalent of 834 kg CO2*. This amount would take 14 tree seedlings grown for 10 years to offset.

traveling to work

If you have fleet vehicles, consider switching to EVs. You can create a business account with Spark and optimize your transportation expenses. Another option is to encourage your team to carpool by creating an easy way to organize internally. You can also consider covering your employees’ public transportation costs. Of course, it’s a big advantage if your office is located in a well-connected area of the city. Offering flexible working hours can also have a positive effect because this allows you to avoid the rush hour.

hybrid work

Of course, the most sustainable way to travel to work is not to travel at all. A growing number of employers offer the option to work from home and – let’s be honest – there are advantages. Apart from the obvious ones, it allows more time for personal life and cuts costs both for the employee and the employer. But this comes with some disadvantages, like a weaker sense of team belonging and blurred lines between personal and professional time.

coworking spaces

Here is where coworking spaces can help you make your business more sustainable while keeping the upsides of working in an office. They have long been an obvious choice not just for startups but also for big companies. The reason is that they provide access to modern office spaces at a fraction of the price and in much more flexible terms. 

Today, many coworking spaces are in modern class-A office buildings, and successfully apply sustainable practices. Two of betahaus’ locations – in Advance Business Center and Sofia Tower – are LEED Gold-certified for sustainable construction. By using a flexible office you avoid binding yourself with unused office space and you’re more flexible in case of big increases or reductions in headcount. It’s also a big advantage that you don’t have to invest in your infrastructure like meeting rooms, phone booths, or internet because they are shared between everyone. Some coworking brands have several locations within the same city, so you can choose the one that fits your daily schedule best. 

the garden at betahaus ABC

small steps, giant leaps

Here are a few green practices we’ve successfully implemented in our offices: we use filtered water dispensers instead of bottled water; we recycle batteries; we share office appliances. Our kitchens are fully equipped so that we don’t use single-use cups and utensils. We have a kitchen cabinet with lunchboxes that everyone can borrow from. We have live plants and aim for nature-inspired design across all our locations. The last one to leave turns off the lights. These are small steps, but, more importantly, they are easy for everyone to implement and adopt. 

Culligan Water Filters NSF Certified – ZeroWater

the human factor

Sustainability in business is not just about ecology. It’s also about how the company treats its people; it’s about contributing to their health and development, guaranteeing equal access and respect to everyone, and having a positive impact on the local community. Shifting to a more sustainable business requires analyzing the internal processes and taking a holistic approach. Ideally, it should involve a variety of people and listen to their feedback. It’s a long-term project that requires learning, investing in new practices, having transparency, and accountability. But the benefits are many: reputational, economical, in people retention, and building a more flexible and future-proof business.