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What is a Social Enterprise?

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:43:51 -0400

What do popular brands like Allbirds, Puravidabracelets and Tamga Designs have in common? They are all social enterprises using their business to make a difference in the world! What do you have in common with these amazing brands? You have the opportunity to build a business that can have a positive impact on the world too!

Business and social impact are no longer ideas that are mutually exclusive from one another and your business can be a powerful vehicle to support social impact and create change.

Not only is it good for people and the planet, it can also be good for your business’s bottom line and brand building!

Currently, inequitable access to income, education, and affordable healthcare are causing growing concerns and fears around the perpetuation of cycles of economic distress.

At the same time, rates of environmental degradation are increasing, sea levels are rising and unchecked emissions of greenhouse gases are destabilizing the climate.

There’s a lot of negative headlines out there and we believe action by businesses and consumers will be critically important to break the current cycle of waste and exploitation impacting both people and the planet globally.

This is where you and your business come in: you have an opportunity to build a business that incorporates environmental and social impact to help create a more sustainable future for generations to come. What could be more exhilarating??

In a minute I’ll explain what a Social Enterprise is, but first, let me share some pretty compelling consumer information that supports the business case for building a more sustainable business.

The business case for shifting to more sustainable business practices

We know that today's consumers are actively seeking ways to support environmentally and socially responsible businesses.

83% of consumers want carbon neutral products - source GreenStory
88% of consumers want you to help them make a difference by providing them with better purchasing options
83% of people plan to support brands who contributed positively to those in need

It is clear that people care, and care deeply, about where they spend their money and which businesses they choose to support. Each of you have the opportunity to be the kind of business your customers want to support; each of you have the opportunity to become a Social Enterprise.

Defining a Social Enterprise and Sustainability

Now that you understand some of the social and environmental trends, and we’ve shared some consumer research that supports the business case for building a more sustainable business, let me explain what a Social Enterprise is, and what we mean by Sustainability.

So what the heck is a social enterprise?

A Social Enterprise is an operating model for your business that incorporates positive social and environmental impacts. Think Kotn and Mara Hoffman! A social enterprise doesn’t exist for the sole purpose of generating profits, it exists to support, and even improve, our environment and the economic systems that directly impact people around the world.

To explain Sustainability a bit further, to date, the term has largely been synonymous with environmental responsibility. While this is one pillar of sustainability, I will approach sustainability more broadly, with consideration for the equitable protection of the planet and people.

Protecting people in your business means Embedding, and safe-guarding, human rights like fair wages and safe working conditions throughout all of your business practices to ensure they are treated fairly and with dignity.

Protecting the planet mean taking Environmental action to address the steps taken in the production of goods, end of product life management and how they are packaged and shipped to customers.

Sustainability exists at the intersection of these two pillars, the protection of human rights and environmental action.

It’s at the intersection of environmental action and human rights where your business hits the sweet spot for long term sustainability.

Sustainability is a journey. It's impossible to do everything at once and some of you might have to focus on one pillar before the other. Narrow down what are the most impactful measures you can take based on your product offering and business model.

And you should strive to do this while also building a viable economic model for your business, otherwise you can’t bring more of your brand and your positive impact to the world.

Build and Scale a Social Enterprise

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:44:05 -0400

Re linking this course here from my time leading social entrepreneurship at Shopify!

Part 1/5: Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship | How to Build and Scale a Social Enterprise by Katie Boothby-Kung | Shopify Learn

Part 2/5: Ideation and Design | How to Build and Scale a Social Enterprise by Katie Boothby-Kung | Shopify Learn

Part 3/5: How Your Business Can Make a Positive Impact on the Environment | How to Build and Scale a Social Enterprise by Katie Boothby-Kung | Shopify Learn

Part 4/5: People and the Community | How to Build and Scale a Social Enterprise by Katie Boothby-Kung | Shopify Learn

Part 5/5: Conclusion | How to Build and Scale a Social Enterprise by Katie Boothby-Kung | Shopify Learn

Value Mapping

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:44:24 -0400

For those of you just starting your business, we are happy you are considering incorporating sustainable operations into your business! If you already have a business, welcome and we are glad you are considering switching some of your business foundations towards being more sustainable for people and the planet.

Let’s start by discussing “Sustainability by Design” and why it’s important during your product ideation phase and how it will help you identify areas for sustainability from the beginning.

Sustainability by Design

The term Sustainability by Design simply means that any new project should intentionally include sustainability measures from the outset. . If you’re coming to this course with a product already created, or your business already in operation, no problem. The core concept to remember here is that sustainability by design is about understanding the impact of your products and business and making intentional choices that lead to better products and business activities.

Let’s start from 1000 feet up before tackling specific products and operations by first determining a vision for your business going forward. This will act as a North Star as you begin and continue your sustainability journey.

Mapping your vision and values

Your vision should address the future you see, while considering how your business impacts the future. It should be short, direct, and aspirational in nature.

As I said before, It’s important to remember that sustainability is a journey. Just as your business and sustainable operations will change over time, your sustainability vision will also continually evolve as new opportunities and challenges emerge. Ideally, the core principles of your strategy to achieve your vision will remain constant.

To start:

Think about 5-10 years from now and the future you see in the world, considering how your business or product will affect that future.
Write a short and direct sentence or two that explains that future. Remember, it should be aspirational in nature - this something that you, your team (if you have one) and your customers can rally around! It will also help you focus.
Write down your values. This will help turn your vision into operational values that guide you.
Define a few big opportunities where you think your business can have a positive impact say within your business operations, your product, your packaging, or in your community.

Once you have a better understanding of how you wish to make an impact, you can begin to assess opportunities within your business to achieve your vision.

If you’re not sure of the answers to these questions, take some time to do this work. No stress. It’s a process. The most important thing is to get started by jotting your thoughts down. We’ll also get a bit deeper into these topics next, so you may want to come back to the questions a little bit later, or revisit them a few more times in the future.

Sustainable Product Design

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 23:08:12 -0500

Going from 1000 ft to 100, let’s take a closer look at the opportunities for positive social and environmental impact your company can take. Keep in mind that this is an intro article - we’re trying to help you get started, but there’s lots of opportunity to expand your efforts well beyond what we’re sharing in this course.

Let’s start with the environment. We’ll cover: product lifecycle, sustainable sourcing and manufacturing, made to order, sustainable packaging and shipping.

By the end of this section, you should have the tools to begin answering the following questions about your business:

- What happens to my product when the customer is done using it?

- What is the impact of the materials my product is made with?

- What material will I use for packaging this product?

- How can I reduce my shipping emissions?

Product lifecycle

Let’s begin by examining the concept of product life cycle. Thinking about product life cycle will help you to answer the “What happens to my product when the customer is done using it?” question.

Many businesses employ a linear product lifecycle where a product is manufactured, shipped to a customer, used for a period of time and then discarded, in most cases to a landfill.

A circular life cycle closes the loop on the linear model and redirects materials from going to a landfill into a new life in new products. The circular supply chain model turns waste into economic opportunity while reducing negative environmental impact. This forward-thinking approach is becoming more common as consumers and businesses become more aware and demand greater environmental responsibility.

Let’s go back to the original question: “What happens to my product when the customer is done using it?”. There are a lot of possibilities! Is it possible to incorporate these considerations into your product design, or alternatively, can you incorporate that “waste” into making new products? Can the product be re-used? Recycled? Can it be made from different materials or designed in a way that results in a different outcome at the end of its life? For example, many companies are now starting to take back their products to create new products again.

An exceptional example of a brand creating product circularity is Genusee, an eyeglass brand based out of Flint, Michigan USA. In response to the Flint Water crisis, they began manufacturing eyewear made of the surplus water bottle plastic. They take waste and turn it into an enjoyable product without needing to create new and unnecessary materials. To close the loop on their products life cycle and answer the question “ What happens to my product when the customer is done using it?” they created a buy back program where they buy the old glasses back from their customers and do 1 of 3 actions, put the plastic materials back into their supply chain, refurbish and resell the old pair or donate them to those in need.

When using the principle of Sustainability by Design, thinking about the end of a product’s life first is a good way to infuse sustainable thinking right from the beginning. If you understand what will happen after the use of your product and at the end of its life, you can then consider the materials and design you will need to ensure that the product can be used for something else, closing the loop on the traditional linear lifecycle and avoid going to a landfill.

You now understand basic product lifecycle considerations. It’s now time to dive into product sourcing and how to improve your environmental impact through the materials you are using.

Sustainable sourcing and manufacturing

When developing your products or sourcing new ones, it’s important to know what you products are being made with and the impact of your manufacturing methods. Here, you can ask yourself the question “What is the impact of the materials my product is made with?”

Some elements to consider when understanding what your products are being made of include:

How much carbon is emitted to manufacture the product?
How much water is needed during the process?
Is the material you are using reusable, biodegradable or easily recyclable?
Is the material you use naturally derived or organic?
What materials are the dyes made of?
Are you using any toxic materials in the production of your products?

Finding materials and suppliers that take environmental caution can take some time. Don’t be afraid to ask these questions and to dive deeper with your supplier if you aren’t sure about something. Be cautious of suppliers that do not wish to share environmental information with you.

We’ve spoken with the team at Mara Hoffman to learn how they approach sustainability in raw materials.

The first step Mara Hoffman and her team took to implement more sustainable practices across their supply chain was to examine their raw materials and swap out one of the standard fabrics used in her popular swimwear line for a textile made of 78% recycled polyester. Making this first step provided Mara Hoffman with proof that incremental climate positive changes could generate a positive impact.

The brand also moved from screen-printing to digital printing. This cuts down on water usage and reduces waste by allowing for a more precise placement of prints. From there, the ratio of sustainable fabrications to unsustainable ones has gotten continuously better every season. The brand soon switched to organic cotton and began relying on companies like Lenzing to source sustainable wood pulp-based fabrics like modal and rayon.

Okay, now that you’re thinking about product materials and sourcing, let’s introduce you to a production method that can reduce over production called Made to Order.

Made to order

For those of you not interested in designing products from scratch and have come to Shopify more interested in starting a print on demand company, there are still ways to make better choices. First of all, a made to order company means that you won’t have to hold too much in inventory and risk over producing and creating waste. Made to order products are only produced and shipped once there has been a purchase so you only produce as much as you sell! Great news for the environment and also for your bottom line, too.

If you are running or starting a print on demand store, more good news! Many of the print on demand apps in the Shopify app store have started to offer more eco friendly products as well. You can find this information in their catalogs, where they indicate the brands they carry so you can learn more about their impacts on people and the planet if you choose to. However, there are some gaps with these apps and understanding the full extent of the supply chain is still difficult. But if you are looking to start a print on demand store, it’s good to know that some options exist that will reduce your environmental footprint.

Building an inclusive culture for your company and community

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 23:09:20 -0500

Now that we’ve learned more about how to ensure better environmental responsibility within our supply chain, let’s chat about how to make our business operations better for the people directly impacted be it within your supply chain, the employees you directly employ, and the communities your business engages with. By the end of this section, you should have a better idea on how to answer these questions:

- Where is my product being manufactured and how do they treat their employees?

- How can I create a more inclusive workplace for my employees?

Within your supply chain:

It’s key to find companies that pay and treat their workers properly and with dignity. For those of you with the means, visiting in person is always the best way to observe the environment of employees. However, that can be expensive and time consuming for many of you starting or pivoting your business! Here are some ways you can better understand the treatment of people within your supply chain.

Localize your supply chain, create relationships with companies closer to you so you can better understand their business operations and how they treat their staff.
Working and trading directly with local artisan groups around the world or with a retailer that works directly with the artisans on your behalf and pays market value or above for their wares. Examples have been added to the video notes below.
Look for global accreditations, like Fair Trade Manufacturing. For this you can connect with your country’s fair trade chapter to learn more. We’ve included the link to the International website for further reference.
Work with third party verification companies to help you determine factories overseas that pay fairly and offer safe working conditions.

For some of you watching this course, you might not be able to employ some of these suggestions. Perhaps you are already working with a number of manufacturing facilities and would like to know if they are treating their workers fairly. We’ve compiled some questions to ask so you can get a better handle on how all of your production facilities treat and value the people producing for you. These questions are a good place to start, yet building a long term relationship with these suppliers is important for building trust, fostering transparency and in some cases, encouraging better practices over time.

Some starting questions include:

What labour laws and standards does your factory adhere to?
Do you have policies and documented standards in place outlining the working conditions and protections for your workers?
Are your workers free to associate, create free and independent unions and partake in collective bargaining?
What are the demographics of your workforce? How many women are in leadership and management positions?
Do people travel great distances to work at your location? If they do, is housing provided?
How many hours a day are employees expected to work? What does an average day for a worker look like?
How are wages decided upon? Are employees able to participate in negotiations?

A great example of an entrepreneur taking responsibility for their supply chain is Kotn. Kotn is on a mission to change how things are made. Better for the people, better for the planet. In a quote from Kotn, they say “Buying the raw material ourselves lets us do three things: provide our customers with fair prices that reflect the quality instead of the label, provide farmers with better prices and business practices (especially in comparison to fast fashion enterprises), provide transparency into how our partners conduct their business.” They work directly with the cotton farmers and the factories to ensure safe working conditions and fair and equal pay. They have put a name and face to every aspect of their supply chain and by doing so have created a direct impact on the people within their production operations.

Now that you have an idea of how to gain more transparency into how people are treated within your supply chain, let’s discuss how you can foster a safe and inclusive workspace for your very own employees.

Diversity and Inclusion for Employees

Here’s some considerations for your own business:

Have you made a business case/articulated your statement for diversity and belonging in your company?
- Some stats to help build your business case narrative include:
- Companies with more than 30 percent women executives were more likely to outperform companies where this percentage ranged from 10 to 30
- Companies with culturally and ethnically diverse workforces out performed on profitability by up to 36 percent

Develop a diversity and inclusion strategy that outlines how you plan on putting your plan into practice. This can include running a needs analysis and leveraging focus groups.

Audit current practices/processes like hiring, talent development and compensation

Make sure you are compensating those doing this work equitably

Ensure that people from across the organization (job levels, groups, teams, regions, etc.) are responsible for and actually undertaking the work around diversity and belonging. Furthermore, ensure that there is strong leadership messaging, participation and buy-in. Finally, and critically, the responsibility for diversity and belonging work shouldn’t fall exclusively on people from underrepresented groups in your company, but should instead be a shared commitment with people across the business across all dimensions of diversity.

Ok, so you now have a starting point to better understand the treatment of people within your supply chain and tools to improve diversity and inclusion within your own company. Let’s talk about how the growth and sustained presence of your business impacts the loyal customer community you’ve built and the communities you operate within.

Being culturally appropriate:

Cultural sustainability across industries is a growing topic. It’s complex and deserves more time than this course will allow. I will simply outline some high level things to consider and you can find some extra reading material below in the video notes if you are interested in learning more. Designing sustainable products also means recognizing the cultures by which the idea originated from and not selling products that exploit cultures or their practices and products. An example of a culturally inappropriate product could be smudge sticks sold by entrepreneurs from outside of Indigenous communities where these products hold sacred and significant meaning. Without understanding the cultural importance of these items, whether intentional or not, is exploitation. When looking for a product to sell or pivoting your product lines to be more sustainable, please consider the gravity of cultural meaning and what these products are intended to represent. Some cultural designs are even protected by law, so be careful you aren’t opening yourself up to unwanted legal action!

Building an inclusive community:

Whether it’s through the product itself or the way that you publicly show up, you should always strive for more voices, not fewer.

Are you representing your customers be it through your marketing efforts and branding? When your customers approach your brand, do they feel like they can relate to your content and feel included? If you aren’t showing up in a way that gives people a chance to feel like they are part of the community in your building, think of all the missed opportunities.
When it comes to understanding your ideal customers, you should know them so well that you even understand the causes that are important to them. Part of building an inclusive community is taking part in the communities that matter most to your customers. Showing up and getting involved can look different for every business, maybe you’re writing supportive content, donating a portion of your sales to these groups or providing solutions to the issues that matter most. Being there for your customer community means being there for the causes they care deeply about.

Whether it’s the people within your supply chain, your employees, your customers or the communities you support and engage with, creating a safe environment for diverse voices to thrive in is a critical aspect of building a sustainable business for generations to come. In building your business, you can make it your mission to make the world better than how you found it be it through positive environmental action or striving for fair and dignified working conditions for everyone.

What is greenwashing and how to avoid it

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:53:36 -0500

Greenwashing is the practice of making false or misleading claims about a product or service being environmentally friendly. This can be done through advertising, labeling, and other marketing materials. Greenwashing is often used to make a company or product appear more sustainable than it actually is.

Some common examples of greenwashing include using green logos or images without your business or product having any environmental benefit, making vague claims about being "eco-friendly" or "sustainable", and outright making false statements about your efforts. The last one seems like a longshot and something soulless brands put out in the world. Yet in my time working with small businesses, there have been a few that have made untrue statements in the effort to be hopeful and forward looking. All the best intentions, yet it’s still a no no.

Why is greenwashing troublesome and how to avoid it

Greenwashing can have a number of negative impacts on your business. For one, it can damage your brand's reputation and degrade trust with customers. Additionally, greenwashing can lead to government scrutiny and regulation. Finally, greenwashing can be costly as you lose out on returning customers, investors and having to re-do work promoting greenwashing practices.

Degrade customer trust and brand reputation

Greenwashing is a marketing strategy that corporations use to make products appear more environmentally friendly than they really are. It entails deceptive advertising, false claims, and the misrepresentation of a company's environmental performance. By utilizing this as a marketing tactic only erodes the trust you have worked so hard to establish with your customers. Customers can smell BS from a mile away and if you think greenwashing your audience is a quick win for your brand, you will learn the hard way.

You can get in trouble - for real

In Canada: Canada's Competition Bureau actively investigates environmental claims and enforces the rules against making representations that are false, misleading or not based on adequate and proper testing. A notable case has been documented where a company was required to pay a fine of $3 million for making false claims about their environmental efforts.

In the USA: The FTC has been more aggressive in pursuing deceptive claims. If a company is making claims to be "green" or "environmentally friendly" and they are not, they could face a fine. Just this past spring, the FTC imposed a hefty fine on Walmart for making false claims.

In the UK: This year, the UK government made aggressive changes to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) powers for regulating greenwashing. This will mean updated definitions of greenwashing and new fines.

You make it worse for everyone else trying to make a difference

4 out of 5 consumers feel misled by businesses making claims about their environmental efforts and using vague buzzwords. By making false claims on your site perpetuates this skepticism and makes growing a purpose driven business even more difficult. Don’t be that person who ruins it for everyone else, no one likes that person! But all kidding aside, if it’s not true or you’re unsure, pause and seek advice.

You can lose out on mega investment dollars

More and more investors are starting to put their money where their values are. You might be able to wow them with your pitch and untrue environmental efforts, but when it comes down to due diligence, your business is going to come up short. This will break trust with investors, damage relationships and in the end, the deal will likely fall through. Like you hear all the time, “Know your numbers”, you also need to deeply understand what your business does to positively contribute to the environment.

How to avoid greenwashing

There are a few key ways to avoid greenwashing in your marketing efforts.

Know your numbers: Or in this case your environmental efforts, carbon emissions and reductions, recycled materials etc and make sure you don’t misrepresent them, especially in marketing and communications materials.
Seek advice: It’s ok to be unsure before you launch a major marketing campaign. Seek advice from other purpose driven brand founders, marketers or hire a sustainability advisor to assist.
Be honest where you need work: There will NEVER be a 100% sustainable brand, never. There will always be areas for improvement. Don’t shy away from these, be upfront and share these with your stakeholders.
Dig into the details: Don’t make vague claims, lean in a little. Share some details, the who, what, how and share why it’s important to your business.

While greenwashing needs to be avoided, especially in markets with strict rules, this shouldn’t be a hurdle when sharing what your business is working on in this space. There will never be a 100% sustainable company, ever, so celebrate your progress and recognize where you can be better. Customers want you to be authentic, not perfect, so lean into your success and keep on improving!

Want to read more sustainability marketing advice and ways to grow your incredible, for purpose company? Subscribe.

Top sustainable toque brands

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 19:00:05 -0500

Winters, especially for those of us in Canada, require a on trend toque as a wardrobe staple.We need to stay warm while looking our best! For those of you who are sick of paying for plastic woven hats or can’t seem to find the right balance between fashionable and functional while also sustainable, we’ve curated a list of the best toques out there that care for people and the planet.

Love your Melon

For: Women and kids
Made in: USA
Price: $25-$55
Materials: Knit products made using 100% cotton
Why they’re awesome: Starting with the desire to give each child in America battling cancer a hat, two university students started Love Your Melon. To date Love Your Melon has donated 230,000 hats and has donated $9.6 million to pediatric cancer research.

United by Blue

For: Men and Women
Made in: All over the world in their partner manufacturing facilities.
Most hats are made in China
Price: $10-$42
Materials: Organic cotton, polyester, wool, spandex
Why they’re awesome: I’m personally impressed by United by Blue’s Impact section of their website, it’s easy to find and offers a lot of information about their operations. With the aim to be transparent, the brand specifically calls out their manufacturing partners and provides details about their certifications and how they work together. 100% of their suppliers a compliant with United by Blue’s Supplier Code of Conduct which is also very prominently shared.

Toques from the Heart

For: Unisex
Made in: Canada
Price: $30-$55
Materials: Merino wool or recycled materials
Why they’re awesome: Started by three Canadian university students who saw the devastating situation of homelessness in the Greater Toronto Area, Toques from the Heart began as a vehicle to distribute warm toques to the homeless. Even better than that compassionate mission is that some of their hats are made with 100% recycled materials!

Organic Basics

For: Unisex
Made in: Europe
Price: $55-$75
Materials: Recycled wool and cashmere
Why they’re awesome: Head over the Organic Basics website and you’ll find a six page report outlining their commitment to the environment, ethical sourcing and farming practices. They even have a whole page dedicated to their f**k ups, a company openly sharing where they messed up and should do better! And can we talk about the material, 85% recycled cashmere, soooo soft!

Pokoloko

For: Unisex
Made in: Peru
Price: $50
Materials: 100% Peruvian alpaca
Why they’re awesome: Pokoloko’s Fisherman hat comes in eleven different colours for you to chose from. Made with 100% alpaca wool, how divine and great for four seasons. Pokoloko works directly with artisan partners for manufacturing and you can read more about where their products come from.

Will and Bear

For: Unisex
Made in: Mongolia and China with specific manufacturing partners
Price: $50-$55
Materials: Australian wool
Why they’re awesome: “We exist to create a culture that cares for our planet” is Will and Bear’s mission. Their brand and their partners are rooted in this grounding principle. Their products are made from materials that won’t cost the planet later and they ensure the way materials are produced and harvested have low impact on climate. If you’re in the market for a laidback look, you’ll want to start with his company!

Using your ESG strategy to attract investors

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0400

KBK: Hello, hello, everyone. We are so fortunate to be here with Kristine Nagel from your impact house. She is an incredible wealth of knowledge when it comes to sustainability, storytelling, and how to weave it all into your business. So that you can be sharing that story with the right people. She has been working in sustainability for years. And so in a number of different companies. And so we are so fortunate to have her here today to be sharing her knowledge.

KBK: So what exactly is a sustainability advisor? And why do businesses need one?

KN: I was wondering how to call myself when I established my business approximately half a year ago. And the name came to me as that was basically what I was doing. I was advising fast growing company CEOs and founders as they were going through this journey of understanding how to actually tackle the topic of sustainability. People I've worked with are CEOs or founders, and they've spent evenings after evenings after evenings on Google trying to figure out what is sustainability? How does it differ from corporate social responsibility? Where do you even start and after like weeks of taking extra load on global research, they realize that they still don't really understand so that's why they need someone to advise on how to actually tackle this subject.

KBK: How did your work in sustainability start? What made you want to go out on your own?

KN: I previously was working for Printful. It's now officially a unicorn company. They are a global company working all across the world. And I have the wonderful opportunity to help them define their sustainability strategy and implement it across all the facilities, all the locations, and also shape their communication strategy and actually execute. So that was an insane experience, packed in a very short amount of time. It was approximately two years that I spent on the team there. And during that time, I figured that if I'm already starting to receive so many questions from my friends, who are company founders and people in the business industry about the subject, then maybe there is an opportunity to build something from that ground.

KBK: I love that. Yeah, you just thought, hey, I'm doing this, I might as well be doing it for myself is that kind of how you how you saw it. So what are some of the top trends in sustainability you're noticing these days, and how are brands finding ways to incorporate these trends into their businesses?

KN: First of all, I’m always very wary of putting in one sentence the word trend and sustainability. Sustainability is not the trend, and it should not be treated [like a] trend, it is the future of the normal business. But of course, there are trends within the field that are happening, like… carbon neutrality. And that is becoming increasingly more important. For any company who is going about 500 employees, especially in Europe, there are regulations changing, there are new things coming in. So larger enterprises will start to need to keep score of how much they are using are three sources (of emissions). And this is becoming a very noticeable thing across many companies. But of course, when we're talking about smaller brands, we see more and more green initiatives. Some are looking at eco friendly packaging, some are offering more eco friendly products. And when we're talking about products, I think there's also a lot of innovation happening in that department too. There is kind of more understanding the product should last longer, that it should serve you…you should be able to repair it that there should be …the closed loop at the end of the cycle.

KBK: Just yesterday on a phone call I said just that, that sustainability is not a trend. It is here to stay it is not going away. And I am seeing the same things in terms of carbon neutrality. That's definitely something that's becoming more and more popular.

Why do you think working with these high level executives is so important for sustainability and business?

KN: For sustainability, to become something really meaningful for a company, there has to be a buyer, for the founding team and the management team. If you really want to move things forward, you will need resources, you'll need time, you'll need money as well, not all the projects that you're going to start are gonna be saving money. There are many, of course, but not all of them. And if you don't have that, you'll not get very far. And there is a very big risk for sustainability to be this just this passion project of one employee or couple of employees, just collaborating on weekends or after hours. And that is great. That is of course, sometimes that is the only way how to get the ball rolling. And that is necessary. But there is a risk that in case that one employee or those couple of employees are going to be having some other priorities in their personal life, or they'll have a lot of work projects that they really have to deliver, then they will not be able to really move sustainability to that point where they will get that management buy in.

KBK: Yeah, sustainability really does need to have executive buy in for to really take off because, otherwise it ends up being a passion project for a couple of employees which is great, but it's not sustainable. The business from the top down needs to say this is a priority to the company. I think that that's great that you're targeting the C suite for this, this type of buying because otherwise it really just fizzles out. I've seen that so many times with companies.

KN: Yeah, and if you don't really have the buy in from the CEO or the founding team, then everything that that sustainability team does, doesn't really seem something that you can fully trust [or] that it is really important for the company. If there is a strong commitment from the CEO that this is important, then I have the option to actually voice my opinion and share my ideas on the subject and really make the change happen in many departments.

KBK: So you also help brands leverage their sustainability story to work with investors, which I think is really awesome. So what are investors looking for? And do you see this being a key pillar for brands looking for funding in the future?

KN: Yeah, actually, one of the key reasons I have a business is because company founders sometimes encounter questions about sustainability from investors. And that is the point where they have to start thinking about it. Once their investor is asking,” What do you know about sustainability?” And, “What is your strategy?” Or “What are you going to do about it?” This really becomes an important subject, because you need the fundraising, you need the next fundraising funding round. And then it becomes a very good business reason to do something about it. And what, there are different kinds of investors, of course, and some of the investors are really looking at companies whose main business goal is to solve one of the Sustainable Development Goals. For example, that would be a company who is providing drinking water in countries in third world countries where it's currently not accessible. That company obviously is doing good for the planet. Maybe we don't even need to account its carbon footprint, because, yes, people need drinking water everywhere. No discussion about that. And then there are the other kinds of investors who…[are] continuing to invest in normal kinds of companies. And then they are trying to shift their focus to become more sustainable through measuring and tracking ESG. ESG is basically environmental, social and governance performance. And these are the majority of investors that are currently in the tech industry seen. So when you're talking to them, you have to show some kind of action plan, what are you going to do? Are you going to start measuring your carbon footprint? Maybe. Or you're going to do certain things to really become [a] better employer? Or create a new service or product that really solves a problem that you were not really thinking about before, but now you can.

KBK: Okay, so just just so that I understand, I find this super interesting that you've broken it down. So there's the one business that, you know, is upfront about their mission, and it links to say an SDG. So that's business type number one. And the other business type is one that their mission is, let's say, use Printful, for example, is to make made to order for entrepreneurs easier. It's not to sell T shirts and build wells. So they're not necessarily a social enterprise, by definition, but they are attempting to be a better business for the planet and for people. So do you think when we think about the SDGs as a communication tool, are you seeing that investors really understand what the SDGs are and if a business is coming to them and explaining their impact using this lens, is it landing with investors? Are they picking up and speaking that language as well?

KN: Depends very much on the investor. There are some that are fluent in SDGs that have based their whole investment thesis around this. And they truly believe that the biggest opportunity lies in solving the world's biggest problems. However, there are many, many investors who are really not that well versed in the subject, which is fair. For example, early stage investors who are looking mostly at the business case, very often might not well even be aware of the subject. But those investors who are interested in companies doing good and who care about sustainability, those investors would usually ask companies to have some proof to their claims. They will ask companies to share some data, share some insights about what they're actually doing. Some investors would ask companies to start reporting [on] sustainability as part of their quarterly or yearly financial report.

KBK: Is there a single language that investors are speaking that maybe more sustainable brands should be thinking about?

KN:Yeah, it's, it's a bit of a mess at the moment. So there are two parts to communicating this, there is the investor facing side, which is part of the financial report, and based on the ESG framework (country and industry specific), which would be basically an Excel spreadsheet with a lot of data in there. And that's obviously not something that you and me as a consumer would look up, or look into, or even understand what this actually means. And then there is the consumer facing part, the story, the soul of it. And some investors care about [all of it], but some just look at the financial part of it.

KBK: Yeah, that's fair, they're investors. I love how your website states 80% of customers don't believe sustainability claims companies make that is quite the statement. So time and time again. I mean, I also see brands making vague statements, and they think it's good enough. But what kind of information are consumers craving? To build trust with with a brand?

KN: We have been receiving greenwashing messages for years and years. It's sometimes even hard to understand what is the truth when you're working in the field. And it is even more confusing for the Average Joe who is buying milk in a grocery store. So what could really build more trust is, of course, having one system for all but that's a moonshot goal . What I think would really be useful for any brand to note is first, to always make sure that there is a link of reference for consumer to go and check the full story… there is somewhere I can find more information about it and do my own fact checking. Because if you just say a claim and there [are] no backup facts [or] data information, then there is no absolutely no reason for me to believe because I have been lied to for such a long time. So that is the number one thing. And yeah, having it accessible.

KBK: What brands are sharing their impact story well, and maybe give us some examples of mistakes that you commonly see of brands, really doing all the things that you said not to do?

KN: Sure, yeah, of course, I want to share a couple of examples from tech industry because that's where I am working, working most. The first example I wanted to mention was a company called Trafi. It is founded in 2007. Their software is powering [the] world's largest largest mobility as a service network in Berlin. Their technology is really something unique.Their homepage states that they are building connected mobility solutions that help people, cities, and companies move towards a more balanced and sustainable future. So basically, they not only increase the efficiency of how…cities are run, but they also increase the sustainability of the cities. And they figured that out, and they reframed the way that they're positioning their company, because that is way more attractive. And not only that, but they also recently became carbon neutral. And they launched their own website, like their own sustainability page where they elaborate on their journey: what is their strategy, what are they in the progress of doing, what are going to be the next steps, and the clarity and insight out of that. That is really outstanding.

KBK: Well, Kristine, thank you. It has been such a treat to have you here. I really appreciate all the the knowledge that you've been able to share today.

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Mon, 08 Apr 2024 02:51:25 -0400

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The Inspiring Journey of Little Victories Coffee: From Humble Beginnings to Global Recognition

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:56:29 -0400

When you think of a successful coffee business built on passion, community, and a relentless pursuit of quality, the story of Little Victories Coffee in Ottawa stands out. Co-founded by Andrew Bassett, this company epitomizes how dedication to craft and authentic relationships can transform a small startup into an influential industry player — recently ranked among the top 100 cafes worldwide. In this deep dive, you'll discover the inspiring origins, core principles, and future visions of Little Victories: an enterprise fueled not just by coffee, but by community and sustainability.

Starting from Ground Zero: The Birth of Little Victories

The journey of Little Victories Coffee began in 2016 with humble roots and big dreams. Andrew Bassett, the co-founder, recounts first meeting his partner, Jeremie, when they both worked at the same local cafe. "Jeremie served as a mentor, especially in roasting — a skill I was eager to master," Andrew shares. His passion deepened during a year working at Duke's Coffee Roasters in Melbourne, where he experienced coffee tasting that redefined his understanding of quality and flavour.

Upon returning to Ottawa, Andrew reached out to Jeremie with a shared vision: create a coffee company rooted in quality, sustainability, and genuine relationships. Their first step was roasting coffee in Andrew's parents' garage, aiming to build something they could truly be proud of. From the outset, their focus was clear — produce the best coffee possible, prioritize sustainability, and operate with integrity. Values that remain central today.

What made this journey possible was their willingness to start small and lean. With limited funds, they reinvested every dollar into green coffee, equipment, and building relationships with local cafes. Their initial sale was to Jordan O'Leary of Morning Owl, who bought their first roasted batch after a casual meeting in his living room — a defining moment illustrating the power of authenticity in business.

Building Community and Craftsmanship: The Heart of Little Victories

At its core, Little Victories emphasizes community — not just of customers, but of staff, producers, and the local neighbourhood. Andrew explains that staff training, personal connections, and genuine care form the foundation of their community-building. "It starts with the staff — if customers feel seen and recognized, they keep coming back."

Their attention to detail is evident in how staff are trained in pouring, tasting, and serving coffee, ensuring consistency and excellence across all locations. Their deep commitment to sustainability further distinguishes them in the industry. Andrew highlights innovative practices like the bucket program: using sturdy, reusable containers for green and roasted coffee, drastically reducing waste. "These buckets are practical, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly," he notes — illustrating that sustainability often aligns with operational efficiency.

The company also supports producers by sourcing high-quality single-origin coffees, including celebrated farms like Hacienda La Esmeralda, emphasizing organic and regenerative practices. Andrew passionately states, "If we don't take care of the planet, we won't have coffee to serve."

Navigating Challenges: From COVID-19 to Growth

The last few years challenged even the most resilient businesses. Andrew recalls how the COVID pandemic forced them to pivot rapidly from wholesale to online retail. With their cafes shut or operating at limited capacity, their website became a lifeline — online orders surged from a handful to over 60,000 within months, a testament to the importance of adaptability.

During that period, they also innovated with a shipping container cafe, built with the help of local friends and community support. This quick response not only kept their business afloat but strengthened their connection to the local community — turning adversity into opportunity.

Despite these hurdles, Andrew emphasizes staying true to their principles: quality, sustainability, and community. Moving forward, Little Victories aims to continue refining their locations, expanding their web presence, and deepening relationships with coffee producers.

The Future: Growth, Reinvestment, and Continued Purpose

As Andrew reflects on a decade of growth, he shares a balance between ambition and appreciation. Their goals include expanding their recognition beyond Ottawa, enhancing sustainability practices, and reinvesting in their locations and team. Yet they also prioritize enjoyment and purpose — recognizing that a mindful approach to growth preserves the quality and community spirit that set them apart.

"We've been fortunate to build something that allows us to enjoy what we do," Andrew says candidly. Their story is a testament that with passion, integrity, and community focus, a small startup can grow into a respected leader in the coffee industry.

Key Takeaways

Authentic relationships and community are pivotal to sustained growth
Prioritizing quality and sustainability builds trust and differentiation
Flexibility and resilience are crucial during challenging times
Reinventing business models (like online sales) can unlock new growth avenues
Staying true to your values underpins long-term success