Strategic Sustainability

25 November 2025

Bringing Everyone with You: The Human Core of Organisational Change

Organisational change is more than strategy, structure, and systems – it’s about people. Leaders invest heavily in process redesign, governance frameworks, and performance metrics, believing these will steer the organisation toward a new future.

While these elements are essential, lasting transformation needs more.
Change that endures, reshapes culture, unlocks innovation and builds resilience needs people to believe in it, take ownership and participate.
Change lasts when people feel a part of it.

Why it takes more than systems to deliver change

Process and governance changes are the scaffolding of transformation. They provide clarity, consistency, and accountability.

Whilst governance can aid compliance, it doesn’t necessarily inspire commitment. Processes can define how work should flow; they cannot generate the energy and creativity needed to navigate difficulty. People do that.

Without emotional buy-in, even the most elegant systems can become brittle, resisted, or quietly ignored.

For sustainability to take root, people need to see themselves in the change. When teams feel heard and involved, systems and processes become functional, resilient and regenerative.

Sustainability Transformation Collaboration

JA Consulting and Cala Sustain have joined forces to offer a powerful new approach to sustainability transformation. Our approach combines deep technical sustainability expertise with a proven understanding of organisational culture and change. Together, we help organisations unlock the full commercial and cultural potential of sustainability. 

Sustainability Maturity Assessment

We’ve created a Sustainability Maturity Assessment. It’s a structured, diagnostic framework that evaluates how deeply sustainability is embedded across your organisation. It looks at operations and processes and vitally, it looks at the cultural, behavioural, and leadership factors that drive sustainable outcomes. 

Our assessment diagnoses both the systems and the underlying mindsets that shape behaviour. This approach ensures that sustainability initiatives launch – and continue to deliver long-lasting value. 

Our sustainability Maturity Assessments enables clients to gain: 

Clarity: Understand where sustainability is working – and where it’s not 
Focus: Prioritise investments and initiatives based on strategic value 
Engagement: Build buy-in across leadership and employees 
Alignment: Navigate frameworks with confidence
Impact: Embed sustainability in policy and culture.

Change as a Human Journey

At its core, organisational change is a human journey. It involves uncertainty, hope, and adaptation. People must let go of familiar ways of working, learn new skills, and often reimagine their roles and how they fit into the new world. This emotional terrain requires empathy, trust and an ongoing dialogue.

Bringing everyone with you means recognising that people are more than implementers of change… they must be the co-creators of it.

Individuals are more likely to wholeheartedly engage with the transformation, when they understand the “why”, see their values reflected in the change and feel that their voices are heard.

Inclusion as a Catalyst

Inclusive change is about creating space for diverse perspectives, surfacing concerns early, and building shared understanding. It’s not necessarily about pleasing everyone or consensus (although those things help).

The key is listening – really listening – to the hopes, fears, and ideas of those affected. This means involving frontline employees in shaping solutions and recognising informal influencers and engaging them.

Inclusion also means acknowledging the emotional impact of change. People may feel lost with a change in team structure, fear obsolescence, or feel overwhelmed by new expectations.

It’s vital to create psychologically safe environments where vulnerability is met with compassion rather than judgment. In doing this, leaders can build the trust necessary for people to move forward together.

Storytelling and Creating meaning

One of the most powerful tools for inclusive change is storytelling. Facts and figures help to inform, but stories inspire.

Organisations need to create a narrative arc that people can join. Storytelling helps people make sense of change, see their place in it, and imagine a better future.

Equally important is helping teams connect the change to their own values and aspirations. For example, a sustainability transformation is more likely to succeed if employees see how it aligns with their desire to leave a positive legacy, not just reduce emissions. When change is framed as a shared mission rather than a corporate initiative, it taps into intrinsic motivation.

Building Change from the Inside Out

To bring everyone with you, change must be built from the inside out.

Investing in change agents at every level

People who can:

Bridge strategy and culture
Translate vision into action
Model the behaviours the organisation seeks to cultivate

Equipping and empowering managers

Empowering managers is key to lasting change. This means:

Clear KPIs
Coaching Skills
Empathy
The ability to lead through ambiguity

Pacing change

It’s key to pace changes in a way that respects people’s capacity. Change fatigue is real.

Organisations that succeed in transformation do so by:

Sequencing change thoughtfully
Celebrating small wins
Creating feedback loops that allow for course correction
Treating change as a continuous, adaptive process

The Role of Leadership

Leadership is pivotal in bringing people along. Culture is shaped by what leaders celebrate, reward, and reinforce.

For sustainability transformation to be meaningful, it must become part of performance metrics, leadership KPIs, and everyday conversations.

Culture also thrives on storytelling. Leaders who focus on why they care about sustainability, sharing their own journey and the trade-offs they have wrestled with, create emotional resonance. This approach invites others to connect with sustainability on a deeper level.

By championing sustainability with clarity, conviction, and consistency, Leaders can set off a ripple effect that transforms culture, operations, and impact.

Change That Sticks

Bringing everyone with you is the difference between change that fades and change that flourishes. When people feel seen, heard, and valued – they commit. That commitment unlocks the power of transformation

Make sustainability transformation a reality 

Together Cala Sustain and JA Consulting help organisations translate sustainability into measurable value and competitive differentiation. 

If you’re ready to unlock the full value of sustainability, we’d love to talk. Whether you’re a CSO seeking strategic clarity, a CEO looking to drive long-term value and commercial advantage, or a procurement lead navigating ESG criteria, our partnership brings the tools, insight, and support to make it happen. 

Get in touch. 

Find out how we can help

If you think we could be a good fit for your organisation or project get in touch.

Get in touch

11 November 2025

The Power of Leadership in Driving Sustainability

Sustainability transformation is a strategic imperative.

Its success hinges on a blend of:

Policy
Technology
Systems and processes
People
Culture
And vitally – leadership

When leadership teams champion sustainability with clarity, conviction, and consistency, they unlock a ripple effect that transforms culture, operations, and impact.

Vision Starts at the Top

Leadership defines the horizon. When the Exec Team articulate a compelling sustainability vision (that aligns with purpose, values, and long-term strategy) they create a beacon for the entire organisation.

The aim is to embed sustainability into the core purpose and narrative of the business.

Consider Patagonia’s leadership, which has long positioned environmental stewardship as central to its brand. Their leaders went beyond endorsing sustainability, they lived it, from supply chain transparency to regenerative agriculture. That authenticity built trust and loyalty, both internally and with customers.

Modelling Values Through Action

Leadership teams can set the tone by showing that sustainability matters through their behaviour. When leaders make sustainability visible in their decisions, it signals that these values are non-negotiable. Whether it’s choosing low-carbon travel, prioritising circular design, or investing in community partnerships, these choices speak loudly when aligned with policy and values.

This modelling also creates psychological safety. Employees feel empowered to innovate, challenge norms, and propose bold ideas when they see leaders doing the same. It shifts sustainability from a compliance exercise to a creative frontier.

Embedding Sustainability into Culture

Culture is shaped by what leaders celebrate, reward, and reinforce. When sustainability becomes part of performance metrics, leadership KPIs, and everyday conversations, it moves from aspiration to expectation.

Culture also thrives on storytelling. Leaders who share personal journeys. Focussing on why they care about climate justice, how they’ve wrestled with trade-offs helps to create emotional resonance. These stories humanise sustainability and invite others to connect with it on a deeper level.

Sustainability Transformation Leadership Example

Dame Alison Rose, former CEO of NatWest Group, embedded sustainability into banking strategy and governance.

Alison Rose positioned NatWest at the forefront of sustainable finance. She declared climate change “the biggest existential threat we face” and launched a clear climate strategy that reshaped lending, operations, and customer engagement. Under her leadership, NatWest achieved net-zero operational emissions by 2020, committed £100 billion in climate and sustainable funding by 2025, and supported SMEs in transitioning to low-carbon models.

Rose championed circularity through green financing for energy efficiency, renewable infrastructure, and sustainable housing. She also tied executive accountability to ESG metrics and advocated for industry-wide climate action. Her approach combined data-driven tools, customer empowerment, and systemic change, making finance a force for good.

Rose’s legacy reflects how financial institutions can drive climate resilience and sustainability transformation at scale.

Unlocking Cross-Functional Collaboration

Sustainability is inherently cross-functional. It touches procurement, finance, marketing, HR, and beyond. When leadership sets the tone, they break down silos and foster collaboration across departments. This is especially powerful when sustainability is framed as a catalyst for innovation. Leaders can convene diverse teams to reimagine packaging, rethink logistics, or redesign services with circularity in mind. These collaborations often yield unexpected environmental and economic breakthroughs.

Moreover, when leaders champion inclusive sustainability, they ensure that diverse voices are heard. This includes frontline workers, Indigenous communities, neurodivergent thinkers, and others whose insights are often overlooked. Inclusion is both an ethical choice and a strategic one.

Building External Credibility and Influence

The tone set by the leadership team does more than shape internal culture, it influences external ecosystems. When companies take action on climate, biodiversity, or social equity, they raise the bar for their industries. They attract like-minded partners, influence policy, and inspire consumer loyalty.

Take IKEA’s leadership, which has committed to becoming climate positive by 2030. Their executives have not only invested in renewable energy and circular design, but have also advocated for systemic change in supply chains and legislation. That kind of leadership amplifies impact far beyond the company’s walls.

Navigating Complexity

Sustainability is complex. It involves trade-offs, uncertainty, and systemic challenges. Leaders who set the tone acknowledge this complexity rather than glossing over it. They invite dialogue, embrace transparency, and make space for learning.

This courage to do this is especially vital in moments of tension; when sustainability goals clash with short-term profits, or when progress stalls. Leaders who stay the course, communicate openly, and adapt with integrity in turn build resilience and trust.

It’s key to recognise that perfection isn’t the goal. Progress is. By celebrating incremental wins and learning from setbacks, leaders can foster a growth mindset across the organisation.

Legacy and Long-Term Impact

Ultimately, leadership tone shapes legacy. Leaders who embrace a long-term view inspire others to think beyond their roles and timelines.

They ask: What will our grandchildren say about the choices we made? How will our business be remembered—not just for its products, but for its principles?

This legacy lens transforms sustainability from a compliance checklist into an imperative.

Make sustainability transformation a reality 

Together Cala Sustain and JA Consulting help organisations translate sustainability into measurable value and competitive differentiation. 

Get in touch. 

Find out how we can help

If you think we could be a good fit for your organisation or project get in touch.

Get in touch

30 October 2025

Leveraging Value From Sustainability Transformation

We recently announced our collaboration between JA Consulting and Cala Sustain. This partnership is powerful because it enables us to fuse technical solutions and the human dynamics that ensure that change takes root.

JA Consulting are specialists in employee engagement, change management, and organisational design. They specialise in building cultures that support transformation. 
Cala Sustain are technical experts in sustainability and climate strategy. They bring scientific rigour and policy insight to sustainability planning and execution.

Through our collaboration, we combine strategic thinking, technical depth, and cultural intelligence to offer a holistic approach that embeds sustainability into the very fabric of your organisation.

Sustainability Maturity Assessment

We’ve developed a fresh approach to sustainability transformation through our Sustainability Maturity Assessment. It is designed to quickly assess where your organisation is on its sustainability journey.  Our assessment diagnoses both the systems you have in place and the underlying mindsets that shape behaviour.

The framework covers eight core areas. Each area is scored on a five-point maturity scale, from ad hoc to optimised. The result is a clear picture of where you are, where the valuable wins are and what it will take to achieve them.  

The benefits of our maturity assessment are:

Fast Assessment
Strategic Alignment 
Gap Analysis
Roadmap

Unlocking strategic opportunity

Many organisations we come across, approach sustainability from a compliance perspective and as a cost of doing business.
We take a different approach. We know that within sustainability transformation there are a wealth of strategic opportunities to reduce cost and add lasting value to the bottom line.

Leveraging Value

We help organisations to make informed choices on how to engage with sustainability. We provide the clarity and expertise needed for boards to make those critical decisions with confidence.

Our framework enables us to assess strategic alignment and where your organisation is currently and what the opportunities are. We can then determine the size of the prize.

We’ll evaluate the possible sustainability measures from their impact, ease of implementation and the positive impact on your business performance. This approach is ‘Win:Win’, because it both improves your sustainability credentials and saves the organisation money – increasing profitability. 

Some of the sustainability measures that deliver value to the bottom line may be obvious. If for example your company has large energy expenses or exposure to regulations and compliance.

Sometimes the value may not be immediately clear or might be harder to measure. But the advantage it offers can still be substantial. We explore the connections and model the impact to determine the value.

Examples of areas where companies can leverage value from sustainability initiatives

Risk Mitigation

Improved sustainability can insulate your business from negative market movements, saving money. Using cleaner energy sources / renewable energy could protect a business from energy price volatility or fuel shortages, providing competitive advantage. By investing in supply chain due diligence, companies can safeguard their reputation and avoid costly PR crises.

Operational Efficiency

Efficiencies, like waste reduction and circularity can reduce input costs and waste disposal fees while unlocking new revenue streams.
By reducing water use or recycling wastewater companies can lower utility costs and mitigate risks in water-scarce regions.

Companies that adopt lightweight, recyclable, or compostable packaging can reduce shipping costs and appeal to eco-conscious consumers.

Brand Equity & Market Differentiation

Achieving standards like B Corp, Fair Trade, or FSC can build trust and justify premium pricing with customers.

Sustainability-aligned brands often enjoy deeper emotional resonance with their customers, especially among Gen Z and millennials who prioritise values-driven consumption. This drives brand loyalty and repeat purchases which reduces the cost of acquisition of your customers. Loyal customers are also more likely to become brand advocates and ambassadors. Improving your organic reach.

A strong sustainability ethos improves employer branding. Strong employer branding means candidates come to you, lowering marketing spend and reducing time-to-hire. Helping your organisation to attract top talent, especially younger professionals seeking purpose-driven work. In sectors facing skill shortages, sustainability can be a decisive factor in winning over candidates.

Innovation & Product Development

Designing for sustainability by creating products with lower lifecycle impacts can open new markets and reduce long-term liabilities. Biomimicry and nature-inspired innovation can create breakthroughs in efficiency and resilience. This in turn can reducing production and disposal costs.

Financial Performance & Access to Capital

Accessing green bonds or loans with favourable terms tied to ESG performance can reduce capital costs. ESG performance is increasingly scrutinised by institutional investors, and strong sustainability metrics can boost valuation and shareholder confidence. By proactively managing Scope 1,2 & 3 emissions through Carbon Accounting and Offsets, companies can reduce future liabilities and position the company for regulatory incentives.

Regulatory Alignment & Future-Proofing

Early adoption of low-carbon practices can avoid future compliance costs and penalties.

By designing products with end-of-life in mind companies can pre-empt regulatory burden from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR regulations) and create reverse logistics opportunities. EPR regulations often require producers to pay for the collection, recycling, or disposal of their products. Designing for disassembly, recyclability, or reuse reduces these potential costs. Being ahead of regulation also signals responsibility and foresight, strengthening stakeholder confidence and brand equity.

These are just some of the ways we can help you leverage value from your sustainability transformation programme. Our experienced consultants are able to cut through the complexity, with relevance and proportionality applied to your organisation. To deliver the biggest impact from your sustainability initiatives.

We’ll ensure your sustainability transformation boosts your bottom line while building long-term resilience.

Embedding change

Once we’ve unlocked the strategic opportunities, our experienced consultants will support your organisation in designing and delivering a change programme that embeds sustainability across the business. This includes

Defining what sustainability means for your organisation
Setting appropriate targets and governance
Aligning sustainability practices with business strategy
Building capability and engagement with your people
Measuring progress and adapting over time

Whether you need a light-touch diagnostic or a deep-dive transformation programme, we tailor our approach to your context, ambition, and pace.

Why JA Consulting and Cala Sustain?

Because together, we offer more:

Integrated expertise – Strategy, culture, and sustainability together in one team
Pragmatic delivery – Relevance, proportionality, and hands-on implementation
Credibility – Senior consultants with real-world experience
Flexibility – Scalable solutions tailored to your needs
Impact – Change that sticks and delivers lasting value.

If you’re ready to unlock the full value of sustainability, we’d love to talk.

Get in touch. 

Find out how we can help

If you think we could be a good fit for your organisation or project get in touch.

Get in touch

22 August 2025

Scope 1, 2 & 3 Emissions Icon, Cala Sustain, Green Consultancy

Carbon Footprint

What is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is a calculation of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused directly by a person, organisation, event, or product.

There are six key greenhouse gases emitted by human activities that contribute to global warming, but to make things easier we measure everything in relation to CO2 because it is the most common.

Everything we do leaves a carbon footprint, from the cars we drive, the food we consume, or the clothes we wear.

One way to gain a quantifiable understanding of the impacts of our actions, for good and bad, is through what is known as a carbon footprint. But while the concept is gaining traction – Googling “How do I reduce my carbon footprint?” yields almost thirty million responses – it is not always fully understood.

Personal Carbon Footprint

The average carbon footprint per person in the UK, per year, is 12.7 tonnes CO2e, which is around double the global average. To put that into perspective, you would need to drive 23,000 miles in the average car to emit 12.7 tonnes of CO2e (that is once around the world).

To limit climate change and remain within the IPCCs target of 1.5C warming, it is estimated these emissions need to be reduced to around 2.3 tonnes CO2e per year.

Calculating our carbon footprint, enables us to understand the measures we can take to reduce our footprint.

There are a number of free resources online that show how to calculate your carbon footprint. One useful resource is Carbon Footprints carbon calculator. By combining the various aspects of your life, from energy used in the household, transport to spending habits, it provides an overview of your carbon footprint and where you emit the most carbon in your life.

Business Carbon Footprint

Within a few short years, knowing your organisations’ carbon footprint has gone from a niche ‘nice to have’ to a common occurrence in business. Large UK companies and larger energy users have had to report on their carbon emissions by law for over 10 years. Many organisations are making carbon a key part of their procurement process.

Measuring Carbon Footprint

When it comes to measuring your carbon footprint, data collection is the trickiest part of the process. It requires you to obtain data for every component of your business’s carbon-releasing activity. A bottom-up approach is frequently applied to carbon footprint calculations to manage emissions and evaluate carbon policies. By considering individual contributors separately and progressing from lower-level stakeholder towards high level management, more accurate calculations can be made.

Reducing Carbon Footprint

Once you’ve collected the data, it is a case of analysing what you can and cannot reduce. Factors including:

Energy usage
Transportation and logistics
Supply chain choices
Product design
Employee and facility practices.

Where your focus lies will differ depending on the size, sector, and industry your business is in.

Reducing or offsetting emissions

In some sectors, technologies exist that can bring emissions to zero.

By using Renewable energy, electricity generation can be reduced. Basing industrial processes on renewable energy rather than gas can help bring emissions to zero.

In some industries, such as aviation, agriculture, or manufacturing the switch to clean energy is harder. The emissions are unlikely to become zero. Therefore, emissions from these sectors will need to be offset, with equivalent CO2 being removed from the atmosphere.

Why companies should reduce their carbon footprint

Economic cost of not acting

In the UK, the Climate Change Committee estimates that delivering net-zero will cost 1% of UK GDP, with the investment delivering £90 billion a year in economic benefits. The costs of not acting are much higher, with reports suggesting that the global economy could be 7-10% smaller in 2050 because of climate costs.

Effective Climate Action

We have entered an era where companies big and small are making public environmental commitments. Alongside those commitments, you’ll have heard the terms carbon neutral, net-zero, and climate positive a lot. Your company might be tempted to jump on the climate commitment bandwagon. The key step before making commitments or inadvertently greenwashing is to measure your emissions.

When it comes to sustainability, measurement and tracking help break large, complex sustainability goals into smaller, manageable steps. You will also be able to identify strategies and interim goals to support those big ambitions.

Scope 1,2,3 Emissions

Emissions use a classification system.

Scope 1 Emissions

These are the emissions from sources you own and control and are therefore directly responsible for. For most businesses, this will be any gas heating or fuel oil you burn on-site, and the fuel you use in your company vehicles. If you use industrial refrigeration or air conditioning, refrigerant losses would also be included here, along with any emissions that may be released directly during a manufacturing process.

Scope 2 Emissions

These are the emissions you indirectly produce through the energy you purchase, which for many businesses is solely electricity. By using electricity, you are indirectly responsible for the greenhouse gases generated at source by the energy producer.

Scope 3 Emissions

These are any other emissions you are indirectly responsible for from sources outside your direct control, e.g., the goods and services you purchase, the distribution and use of your own goods and services by customers, the disposal of your waste, employee commuting or business travel.

A carbon audit is key to begin to start tackling your emissions.

Reducing Scope 3 Emissions

Scope 3 emissions are the largest part of overall emissions. For manufactured products, typically 60-80% of the total emissions will be Scope 3.

Scope 3 Emissions are also the most difficult to track because they occur across a company’s entire value chain. This includes suppliers, distributors, and end-users, which makes data fragmented, indirect, and often out of the company’s control. Whereas with Scope 1 and 2, a company will normally have the source data needed to convert direct purchases of gas and electricity into a value in tonnes of GHGs.

The challenges in achieving net zero value chains

There are five key challenges to achieving net-zero value chains for businesses:

A lack of carbon accounting foundations
Over Reliance on secondary data for Scope 3 emissions
Uncertainty over cost and technical feasibility of carbon-reduction levers
Lack of industry-wide collaboration to address sources of emissions
The need for sustained engagement by internal and external stakeholders

Tackling Scope 3 Emissions

One of the difficulties in evaluating Scope 3 emissions is that companies use different methodologies and data sources which reduces comparability.

Addressing the data gap in supplier-emissions tracking requires collaboration between multiple players in the value chain.

There are improvements in this area, the Value Chain Carbon Transparency Pathfinder for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) was launched by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

This is a global initiative designed to enable the exchange of product-level carbon emissions data across entire value chains. It helps companies track and share verified Scope 3 emissions using primary data, rather than relying on industry averages, making carbon accounting more accurate and actionable. The Pathfinder Framework provides consistent guidelines for calculating emissions and fosters collaboration among businesses, tech providers, and standard-setting bodies to accelerate decarbonisation.

Forging alliances is such a pivotal element in achieving sustainability and decarbonisation.

Measuring the carbon footprint of a business and its extended value chain is a necessity for most organisations. Those that succeed, will provide their business with a safer future and new value in a world with limited resources.

The Benefits of decarbonisation

Reducing a company’s carbon footprint unlocks strategic opportunities and delivers tangible business value. It lowers energy and resource costs, boosts operational efficiency, and enhances brand reputation with increasingly eco-conscious consumers.

Regulatory compliance becomes easier, and companies may gain access to green funding or preferred supplier status. It also builds resilience against climate-related risks and fosters innovation through sustainable practices.

Employees tend to engage more when companies reflect values they support, which improves retention. Importantly, tackling emissions – especially Scope 3 – helps strengthen partnerships across the value chain, setting businesses up for long-term success in a low-carbon economy.

Cala Sustain can help you to Scope your 1,2,3 Emissions

We are experts at delivering carbon reduction programmes. We are helping the Ministry of Defence (MoD) achieve its Net Zero commitments.

Cala Sustain will help you to quantify, analyse and report your carbon footprint, whether that is direct emissions (Scope 1) or indirect emissions (Scope 2 &3). We help you navigate the complexity of emission accounting, helping to reveal emissions drivers, emissions by facility or region and year-on-year trends.

We will work with you, providing guidance on your carbon accounting and reporting by:

Helping to define the scope of reporting
Reviewing your processes, controls and data
Providing recommendations on best practice in monitoring and reporting
Providing independent assurance over your carbon reporting and disclosure in your Annual Report
Assisting you with creating a strong reporting and communication strategy

Find out how we can help

If you think we could be a good fit for your organisation or project get in touch.

Get in touch

22 July 2025

Integrating Circular Economy, Header image

How to integrate a circular economy into your business

The Circular Economy is an economic system designed to eliminate waste and keep materials in use for as long as possible.

Benefits of Circluar Economy

Circularity is sensible from a sustainability perspective – it also makes good business sense.

The circular economy can:

Give businesses a competitive advantage by leading the innovation curve,
Open up new markets,
Improve brand reputation and value
Improve customer perceptions and relationships
Reduce risk from price volatility and pressure from new legislation to supply chain failures.

We look at how you can integrate circularity into your business.

Using sustainable procurement

Sustainable procurement plays a critical role in building a circular economy. Supply chains account for a significant share of an organisation’s environmental impact, particularly in sectors reliant on imported raw materials.

Circular procurement involves sourcing goods and services that align with circular principles. This means prioritising

Durability
Reparability
Recyclability
Shared ownership models

The two core pillars of Sustainable Procurement are:

Stimulating circular supply chains by increasing demand for circular products and services
Supporting innovative, resource-efficient business models that enable product-as-a-service and closed-loop systems

Adopting circular procurement transforms purchasing into a strategic tool. It pushes organisations to look beyond upfront costs and consider the full lifecycle of what they buy. These kinds of questions become central to decision making:

Should we lease this equipment rather than buy it?
Can we procure materials with recycled or certified sustainable content?

By embedding circularity criteria into procurement, it becomes a lever for risk reduction, cost optimisation, improved resilience, and greater impact.

This evolution gives procurement a more strategic role across the supply chain.

It changes how suppliers are chosen, how performance is measured, and how relationships are managed. This paves the way for more transparent, circular value networks.

Product design

Product design is the engine room of the circular economy. It determines around 80% of a product’s environmental impact. When done right, it keeps materials in use, reduces waste, and enables new business models that are regenerative by design.

Here’s how product design promotes circularity:

Design for durability: Products are made to last longer, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Think Patagonia jackets or Vitsoe shelving.
Modularity and repairability: Components are easy to replace or upgrade. Fairphone, for example, lets users swap out parts like batteries or cameras with a screwdriver.
Material selection: Designers choose materials that are recyclable, biodegradable, or already recycled. This minimises virgin resource use and simplifies end-of-life recovery.
Design for disassembly: Products are assembled in ways that allow easy separation of parts and materials, which is crucial for effective recycling or remanufacturing.
Product-as-a-service models: Design supports leasing or subscription models (e.g. lighting as a service), where ownership stays with the manufacturer, incentivising longevity and reuse.
Closed-loop thinking: Designers consider the entire lifecycle – from sourcing and manufacturing to use and recovery – ensuring materials flow in loops, not lines.

Ensuring the product has a sustainable design requires innovation. If the product design is durable and / or modular, this can greatly reduce the raw materials needed to replace or repair broken parts.

Packaging

According to Accenture, 40% of plastic pollution comes from packaging, and if circular solutions don’t scale, we could see more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. That’s why businesses are under growing pressure from regulators and consumers alike.

Packaging plays a pivotal role in a circular economy. Here’s how packaging supports circularity:

Use of renewable or recycled content: Circular packaging often incorporates biobased or post-consumer recycled materials, reducing reliance on virgin resources.
Reuse and refill models: Reusable containers for groceries and refill stations for cleaning products. These models reduce single-use packaging and foster long-term material loops.
Compostable solutions: For packaging that can’t be reused or recycled, compostable materials offer a biological route back into the ecosystem, especially for food-contaminated items.
Right-sizing and minimalism: Reducing excess packaging both cuts down the use of materials and lowers emissions from transport and disposal.
Design for recyclability: Packaging should be made from materials that are easy to recycle, like mono-material plastics or paperboard, and avoid complex laminates or mixed materials that hinder recycling.

Distribution

Distribution plays a crucial role in enabling a circular economy. Distribution in a circular economy is about more than moving goods from point A to B; it’s about reimagining logistics to support reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling.

Here’s why distribution matters:

Reverse logistics: In a circular system, products and materials need to flow back through the supply chain – for returns, repairs, or recycling. Efficient reverse logistics are essential to close the loop.
Localisation and decentralisation: Circular models often favour local production and consumption. Smart distribution networks reduce transport emissions and support local economies by shortening supply chains.
Product-as-a-service models: These require flexible, responsive distribution systems to deliver, maintain, and retrieve products. Such as leased appliances or shared mobility services.
Inventory and material flow optimisation: Circularity demands
real-time tracking of materials and components to ensure they’re reused or reallocated efficiently, reducing waste and idle stock.
Collaboration across networks: Distribution becomes a connector between manufacturers, refurbishers, recyclers, and consumers, facilitating shared value creation across the lifecycle.

As one recent study points out, the potential to distribute value and power in circular systems is just as important as the flow of materials. Without equitable and transparent distribution networks, circularity risks becoming extractive in new ways.

End of life

Managing a product’s end-of-life in a circular economy is all about keeping materials in use and their value circulating, rather than letting them slip into landfill or incineration. Instead of seeing end-of-life as the end, circular thinking treats it as a new beginning.

Here’s how it works:

Repair and refurbishment: Products are restored to working condition and reintroduced into the market. This extends their lifespan and reduces demand for new resources.
Remanufacturing: Components are disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt to original specifications. This is common in sectors like automotive and electronics.
Recycling and material recovery: When reuse isn’t possible, materials are recovered and reprocessed into new products. The goal is to maintain material quality and avoid downcycling.
Product take-back schemes: Brands collect used products from customers such as IKEA’s furniture buy-back or Apple’s device recycling – to ensure responsible recovery and reuse.
Design for end-of-life: Products are created with disassembly, recyclability, and material separation in mind, making recovery easier and more efficient.
Cradle-to-cradle systems: Materials from one product’s end-of-life become the input for another’s beginning – closing the loop entirely.
Ease for consumers: For these systems to work, they must be intuitive and convenient for consumers. That means:
- Clear labelling and transparency about recycled content or repairability.
- Easy access to take-back schemes, repair services, or refill stations.
- Seamless digital platforms for renting, sharing, or reselling products.

When circular options are the most convenient ones, adoption accelerates and so does impact.

Examples of good practice of circular economy

Within the UK, there are many examples of positive circular economies in practice.

Interfloor

Interfloor, one of Europe’s largest underlay manufacturers, have adopted a circular economy for their products.

The Renu underlay reduces the amount of waste going to landfill and is 100% recyclable at the end of its life, allowing for a circular economy of materials. As it is made from sustainably sourced sugar cane, it can be considered proactively green, with the sugar cane actively capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. This particular underlay won the Flooring Innovation Award 2021.

Winnow

Within commercial kitchens food waste is a serious issue. Winnow’s solution to this is innovative. Using AI to provide an easy way to weigh, categorise and analyse the underlying reasons for food waste, Winnow’s technology increases awareness within the kitchen.

A typical client can expect to reduce waste by 40-70%, with an average reduction of about 50%. The AI system can help identify situations where overproduction has occurred, or work out the monetary value of the food waste. This helps staff to understand the causes and cost of food waste.

Winnow’s food waste technology is currently used in nearly 2,000 locations worldwide, helping to save the equivalent of 36 million meals annually, which translates to around $43 million in food cost savings. Environmentally, this equates to preventing 61,000 tonnes of CO₂e emissions and saving 4.4 billion litres of water each year.

It’s a standout example of how digital tools can drive circular economy outcomes by cutting waste, saving money, and reducing environmental impact all at once.

Teemill

Teemill is a standout example of circular fashion in action. Their closed-loop system is designed to eliminate waste by ensuring that every product is made to be returned, remade, and re-worn.

Every Teemill product comes with a label that encourages customers to send it back when it’s worn out. Returned items are then reprocessed into new garments, creating a continuous material loop.

Teemill only prints garments after they’re ordered, which eliminates overproduction and unsold stock – two major sources of waste in traditional fashion.

They only use organic materials and renewable energy. Products are made from GOTS-certified organic cotton in factories powered by wind and solar energy which reduces environmental impact from the start.

Teemill’s dyeing process uses a closed-loop water filtration system which is so effective that the wastewater is drinkable at the end.

They share their technology with other brands, helping scale circular fashion beyond their own operations.

Lastly, they’ve built software to manage reverse logistics. So, when a product is returned, it’s tracked, sorted, and remade efficiently. It’s a full-circle approach that redefines what sustainable fashion can be.

Embracing circular economy

If you’re ready to embrace the idea of a circular economy for your business, or are figuring out where and how to start, we can help to turn your circular ambitions into reality.

Our experienced circular economy team can help you to develop and apply a circular economy strategy, we will create a bespoke plan that is tailored to your organisation, including:

Mapping how resources move through your business
Identifying resource hot-spots such as raw materials with supply risks
Assessing and developing areas for improvement

References

[1] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43615-024-00379-1

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team has been our trusted support service for all things “responsible business”. They are able to quickly understand and meet our challenges, understand our business and they always add unexpected value.

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Mark’s knowledge and understanding of corporate sustainability issues is extensive. His ability to provide practical solutions to difficult problems through the application of analytical and lateral thinking makes him a great person to do business with.

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Mark has substantial knowledge and experience of environmental and sustainability management issues, an in-depth knowledge of the Ministry of Defence’s processes and procedures, and a sound knowledge of the wider defence industry.

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Cala Sustain have been a great partner to work with on Sustainable Procurement projects, including for the NHS, Defra and under a variety of Frameworks. They demonstrated a wealth of knowledge, experience, tenacity and a clear understanding and practical application of the client’s needs.”

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

We’ve worked with the team at Cala Sustain over the last few years. We’ve valued their expertise, plus their highly professional and ethical approach and would recommend them to any organisation seeking to develop a company-wide sustainability strategy.

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

22 July 2025

Circular Economy

What is the Circular Economy?

The Circular Economy is an economic system designed to eliminate waste and keep materials in use for as long as possible.

The circular economy model is a shift away from the linear economy, where fossil fuels and raw materials are used once and then discarded.

Key Principles of Circular Economy

The key principles of a circular economy include:

Eliminating waste and pollution by designing products that can be reused or repurposed.
Circulating materials at their highest value, ensuring they remain in use rather than becoming waste.
Regenerating nature, supporting sustainable practices that replenish ecosystems.

This means that everything is used at its highest possible value for as long as possible and that natural systems are regenerated.

The concept of circularity closely mimics nature, where there is no waste: all materials have value and are used to sustain life in a myriad of ways.

Why do we need a circular economy?

We need a circular economy to avoid the risk of environmental collapse.

If we continue with current consumption trends, we’d need the resources of three Earths by 2050 to sustain ourselves. The circular economy offers a smarter, more sustainable path forward.

Every year humans generate billions of tonnes of waste much of which ends up in landfill or the ocean. At the same time the earth’s natural resources are being extracted at unsustainable rates. The use of natural resources increases pressure on the environment risking environmental collapse.

According to the Circularity Gap Report, of the 100 billion tonnes of resources used by the global economy each year, only 8.6% are cycled back.

By embedding circular economy principles in major policy frameworks, the UK could deliver 80% of the additional emissions cuts needed to meet its fifth carbon budget, which covers 2028-2032.

In terms of monetary value, it is reported that a comprehensive circular economy could boost the wider UK economy by £75 billion, while creating half a million new jobs.

Benefits of A Circular Economy

A circular economy is beneficial to the environment, the economy, and socially. Here are some key advantages:

Environmental Benefits

Reduces waste and pollution: By designing products for reuse, repair, and recycling, a circular economy minimises landfill waste and pollution.
Cuts carbon emissions: Circular practices can significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Conserves natural resources: Instead of continuously extracting raw materials, circular systems keep resources in use, reducing strain on ecosystems.

Economic and commercial benefits

Boosts economic growth: Transitioning to circularity could generate £3.4 trillion in global economic benefits by 2030, creating new business opportunities.
Encourages innovation: Companies develop new models for product longevity, repairability, and material recovery, driving sustainable innovation.
Supports job creation: Circular industries, such as re-manufacturing and recycling, create employment opportunities in sustainable sectors.
Enhanced brand reputation: improve brand reputation and value by improved customer perceptions and relationships.
Reduces risk: from price volatility and pressure from new legislation to supply chain failures.

Social Benefits

Job creation: By shifting toward reuse, repair, re-manufacturing, and recycling, the UK alone could see up to over 450,000 new circular jobs by 2035.
Inclusive employment: Circular jobs span all skill levels from refurbishing electronics to managing reuse hubs. This creates opportunities for both skilled professionals and those entering or
re-entering the workforce.
Lower cost of living: Products designed to last longer and be repaired easily can save consumers money over time. Think refurbished phones, shared tools, or clothing rental models.
Community resilience: Local repair cafés, sharing platforms, and reuse centres foster stronger community ties and empower people to participate in sustainable living.
Healthier environments: Reducing pollution and waste improves air and water quality, especially in lower-income areas often hit hardest by environmental degradation.
Empowerment through design: When products are made to be repaired or reused, people gain more control over what they own. With a less throwaway culture more value is retained.

A circular economy can help build a fairer, more resilient society – where prosperity is shared, not extracted.

Circular Economy Package

The Circular Economy Package (CEP) UK is a set of policies aimed at transitioning the UK towards a more sustainable, resource-efficient economy. It was introduced to align with the EU’s Circular Economy Package before Brexit and was transposed into UK legislation in December 2020.

In the UK, compliance with the Circular Economy Package (CEP) primarily affects businesses involved in waste generation, product manufacturing, packaging, and resource management. The CEP sets out obligations that apply across sectors. Here’s a breakdown of who’s most affected:

Manufacturers and producers
Retailers and importers
Waste management and recycling firms
Construction and demolition firms
Public sector bodies

How to integrate a circular economy

We look in depth at how you an integrate a circular economy in this article. The top line information is below.

Using sustainable procurement practices: Supply chains account for a significant share of an organisation’s environmental impact, particularly in sectors reliant on imported raw materials.
Product design: Product design determines around 80% of a product’s environmental impact. When done right, it keeps materials in use, reduces waste, and enables new business models that are regenerative by design.
Packaging: According to Accenture, 40% of plastic pollution comes from packaging. Businesses are under growing pressure from regulators and consumers alike.
Distribution: It’s vital to reimagine logistics to support reuse, repair, re-manufacturing, and recycling.

Embracing circular economy

If you’re ready to embrace the idea of a circular economy for your business, or are figuring out where and how to start, we can help to turn your circular ambitions into reality.

Our experienced circular economy team can help you to develop and apply a circular economy strategy, we will create a bespoke plan that is tailored to your organisation, including:

Mapping how resources move through your business
Identifying resource hotspots such as raw materials with supply risks
Assessing and developing areas for improvement

References

[1] https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/what-is-circular-economy-and-how-it-helps-fight-climate-change

[2] https://resource.co/article/circular-economy-could-boost-uk-economy-75bn-says-wrap

[3] Ellen MacArthur Foundation

[4] https://green-alliance.org.uk/press-release/transforming-approach-to-repair-and-remanufacture-would-create-thousands-of-jobs-and-help-define-levelling-up-report-finds/

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

30 June 2025

Innovation Packaging

The problem – Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution poses one of the most urgent threats to Earth’s natural ecosystems.

Without action, plastic waste entering waterways (and ultimately the ocean) could climb to 22 million tonnes annually within a decade, potentially reaching 58 million tonnes.

Currently, 40% of all plastic produced is for single-use packaging. Despite the mounting environmental costs, global plastic production is projected to more than double by 2050.

Widespread usage of single-use packaging containers has resulted in a heavy burden on the environment, and the management of packaging waste is facing a crisis due to two unresolved challenges:

Recyclability – Large amounts of packaging produced today cannot be recycled in existing recycling systems.
Packaging recycling and leakage – In Europe the plastic-recycling rate reported is approximately 40%, with 80% for paperboard, and 75-80% for metal and glass. Global leakage is estimated at around 19%. Despite the potential for plastic to be reused and recycled, most global plastic waste goes into incineration (25%) and landfills (40%).

Sustainability and consumer behaviour

Over the past decade, the global packaging industry has enjoyed strong growth, driven by shifts in choice of substrates and expansion of new end-markets.

It is more important than ever for companies to have both a short- and long-term plastics strategy, that can minimise the impact on the planet and get ahead of future regulation. Concern around single-use packaging waste – is combining with other powerful trends to drive major changes in consumer packaging.

Thanks to a shift towards sustainable behaviour, we are entering a new era of innovative packaging.

Packaging that is sustainable, functional, useful and innovative are the foundations of consumer trends for the future.

Securing Competitive Advantage

Companies that manage to develop new, sustainable packaging solutions will secure a major market advantage. Customer demands in relation to sustainability are on the rise. One study found that 55% of consumers worry about packaging’s environmental impact, especially due to marine pollution and resource depletion. So it is very much a mainstream concern.

Sustainable packaging concepts that combine innovative materials and design and that reduce consumption of materials will be winners in the future.

Changing the behaviour of big business and consumers

Some packaging often seems vital – until it isn’t.

In the UK the 5 pence charge on plastic bags brought down their use by 86% with customers quickly adopting reusable options.

The UK Plastic Tax

The UK government introduced a new tax on 1 April 2022 on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. The rate of tax is £200 per metric tonne of plastic packaging. This is designed to provide a financial incentive for businesses to use recycled plastic in the manufacture of plastic packaging. Alongside this, businesses will have to provide robust evidence and keep records.

According to the Government, this new tax is expected to impact around 20,000 manufacturers and importers of plastic in the UK.

Packaging Solutions

Almost all of the top 100 FMCG companies have made bold declarations and commitments to drive sustainability over the coming years.

There are three main areas of activity:

Committing to higher/ full recyclability is the most widely adopted practice, accounting for 60% of commitments
Reduction in plastics usage 26% of commitments
The innovation and promotion of change in the use of packaging coming in third at 14% of commitments

Circular economy and innovation

In a circular economy, upstream innovation is about tracing a problem back to its root cause and tackling it there.

This means that rather than working out how to deal with huge amounts of waste, we prevent it from being created in the first place. This innovation requires a shift in mindset, rethinking how products and services are sold without creating waste.

This upstream innovation mindset can be used to achieve three key circular economy strategies – elimination, reuse, and material circulation. Where elimination and reuse are fairly self-explanatory, material circulation refers to recycling or through biological process composting.

Redesigning packaging

By redesigning packaging, plastic packaging can be completely removed.

Using Biodegradable Materials

Biodegradable packaging is one of the key innovations, and has been gaining traction over the past few years. Single-use plastics, such as polythene bags and straws are intended to be thrown away immediately after use.

By engineering biodegradable single use products companies can ensure convenience is blended with environmental responsibility.

Biodegradable packaging involves the use of starch, cellulose and biopolymers. In addition, plant-based packaging, such as sugarcane, coconut, hemp, and cornstarch can be used as replacements.

To enable the use of paper-based packaging, some brands have changed typically liquid products, such as soaps, into dry solids – eliminating the need for plastic bottles.

Biodegradable Packaging Example: Earth Breeze

Earth Breeze is a laundry detergent company that offers a subscription based service.

They have redesigned detergent from a liquid to a sheet. This has enabled them to drastically reduce the amount of packaging required, compared to traditional liquid detergent. They also use 100% biodegradable ink and cardboard packaging. So there’s no need for plastic.

They claim this reduces carbon emissions from transport by 94%. Standard liquid detergent can also be up to 90% water, therefore this product reduces water use.

This innovative redesign of a product has reduced the company’s carbon footprint.

Biodegradable Packaging Example: Notpla

Notpla has developed a biodegradable takeaway box made from seaweed, which Just Eat is using to replace plastic containers. These boxes are designed to be fully compostable in a home compost or general waste within a few weeks. Just Eat is trialling these boxes with restaurant partners across the UK, aiming to reduce plastic waste in the takeaway industry.

Improving recyclability

Eliminating plastic at source and changing people’s mindsets should be the number one priority. However, where this is not possible recycling and ensuring plastics are biodegradable is a good second step.

Recycling is at the heart of the circular economy, however only 9% of plastic waste is currently recycled. Lots of brands claim to have recyclable packaging (despite the fact that in certain areas, the facilities to process so-called ‘recyclable’ materials simply don’t exist), they’re having trouble producing recycled packaging. This comes down not only to the low availability of top-notch recycled plastic due to the purportedly reduced quality of recycled resin (eco-responsible packaging is tricky to engineer, and different types of plastics can’t be recycled as one) but also due to concerns over food safety.

LAM’ON

LAM’ON are a Bulgarian start-up that produce 100% compostable and biodegradable lamination film and foil packaging. The foil is made of polylactic acid, derived from corn. The use of silver nanoparticles as antibacterial additives in the foil makes it a suitable solution for food packaging. This is an eco-friendly alternative to cling film, which is not recyclable in any way.

Grown

Mycelium packaging, made from the root structure of mushrooms, is a sustainable alternative to traditional packaging materials like polystyrene. It’s a biodegradable and compostable material, offering a lower environmental impact than plastics. Grown has received recognition for their innovative use of mycelium in packaging, including winning the German Sustainability Award in 2023.

A closer look at Mycelium

Mycelium packaging is made from renewable resources (agricultural waste) and is completely biodegradable, breaking down naturally without harmful residues.

It has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to plastic production, with some sources claiming up to 90% less carbon emissions.

Mycelium can be moulded into various shapes and sizes, making it suitable for a wide range of products, from electronics to perfume bottles.

It’s lightweight, water-resistant, and offers good shock absorption, making it a practical and protective packaging solution.

While initial costs may be higher, the long-term benefits and potential for cost savings through reduced waste and compliance with environmental regulations are significant.

Consumers are increasingly seeking sustainable products, and mycelium packaging allows companies to showcase their commitment to environmental responsibility.

A Global problem needing a global solution

Plastic is a global problem, and it demands a global solution. The world can adapt to reduce and even eliminate plastic pollution, and this needs to be driven by collaboration between governments, businesses, and consumers. All three have vital roles to play in this journey to sustainable packaging. Large producers and consumers of plastics should not wait for international standards to be set, but instead actively innovate and rethink the way plastic is used.

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

Every business and product / service is unique. The scope of an LCA also varies, it could include the entire operation or simply be an assessment of one product or service.

We can help you:

Collect data from suppliers, crafting supplier data requests and ensuring you receive the information you need.
Create a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI), this can be the most complex part of a Life Cycle Analysis, if the scope of the assessment is large.
Develop metrics and a deep understanding of your supply chain, showing you where there is high risk and where the negative impacts are within the life cycle.
Provide recommendations to help you to continually improve your supply chain.

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

16 June 2025

Defining Sustainability in Business

Defining Sustainability in business and why measuring it is important.

What is the definition of Sustainability?

Sustainability is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability has become an important topic in business with most organisations keen to be more sustainable and to be seen to be more sustainable.

Benefits of Measuring Sustainability

Measuring sustainability performance gives businesses clear insights into their impact and helps drive meaningful progress. Here are some key benefits:

Enhanced accountability – Regular assessment ensures a company stays on track with its sustainability commitments, building trust with stakeholders and preventing greenwashing.
Regulatory compliance – Many industries face increasing environmental regulations, and tracking sustainability metrics helps companies stay compliant and avoid fines.
Operational efficiency – Data-driven sustainability strategies uncover opportunities to reduce waste, optimise energy use, and cut costs without compromising performance.
Competitive advantage – Companies with strong sustainability performance often stand out in the market, attracting investors, partners, and customers who prioritise ethical business practices.
Innovation and growth – Measuring impact encourages businesses to adopt cleaner technologies and sustainable solutions, driving innovation and long-term success.
Talent retention and attraction – Employees increasingly seek workplaces committed to sustainability, and transparent performance measurement fosters a positive, purpose-driven company culture.

A Tailored Approach to Sustainability

Thousands of organisations have embraced sustainability strategies as both a means of enhancing productivity, and as a powerful driver of competitive advantage.

At its core, organisational sustainability is rooted in longevity and the preservation of fundamental principles and purpose. However, sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all concept. For each organisation, the definition and execution of sustainable practices will vary. The key lies in developing a strategy that is both relevant and impactful. By addressing environmental, social, and ethical challenges effectively whilst aligning with the organisation’s core values.

Why Sustainability is important

Sustainability is important for the planet because it helps maintain the delicate balance of ecosystems, ensuring that future generations inherit a liveable world. Here’s why it matters:

Environmental protection: Sustainable practices reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and protect biodiversity, keeping ecosystems healthy.
Climate stability: Cutting carbon emissions and using renewable energy sources helps to mitigate climate change, reducing extreme weather events and global warming.
Resource conservation: The planet has finite resources, and sustainable practices ensures we don’t exhaust essentials like clean water, fertile soil, and forests.
Healthy communities: Clean air, water, and food sources contribute to human well-being, preventing health crises linked to pollution and environmental degradation.
Wildlife preservation: Many species are endangered due to habitat destruction. Sustainable production helps protect habitats and ensure biodiversity thrives.

By making sustainable choices, we help keep the planet liveable for all life forms.

Sustainability Throughout the Supply Chain

The social dimension of sustainability is just as vital as environmental and economic factors. Businesses play a crucial role in safeguarding the well-being of people and communities across their supply chain. Businesses need to ensure fair treatment, ethical labour practices, and equitable opportunities.

Beyond preventing exploitation, companies can actively contribute to positive change by designing products and services that foster social good throughout their lifecycle. Whether by enhancing accessibility, promoting ethical sourcing, or supporting community development. A truly sustainable business both reduces harm and strives to create lasting benefits for society.

Sustainability in different sectors

Defence Industry

Sustainability is an ever-growing priority within the defence sector, shaping procurement strategies and operational frameworks. The UK armed forces must ensure that ethical and environmental considerations are embedded at every stage of equipment acquisition and deployment.

With commitments to Net Zero now firmly integrated into procurement strategies, the defence industry is taking decisive steps toward sustainability. By prioritising sustainable practices, the sector is both reducing its environmental footprint and enhancing resilience, operational efficiency, and long-term effectiveness. This ensures that defence capabilities align with the evolving demands of a sustainable future.

Manufacturing Industry

Sustainability is a critical priority within the industrial manufacturing sector, given its inherently energy- and resource-intensive nature. Businesses can address this challenge by developing resource-efficient infrastructure and technologies, alongside optimising processes that drive a shift toward a more circular economy.

Consumer facing industries

Consumer-focussed industries face distinct challenges. Brand perception and stakeholder engagement are key. Sustainability efforts must be transparent and communicated effectively to build trust and credibility. It’s important for all businesses that their sustainability efforts are meaningful and avoid green-washing.

Considering the end-of-life impact of products is a crucial concern, requiring businesses to implement responsible disposal and recycling solutions that mitigate environmental harm and reinforce long-term sustainability commitments.

How to measure sustainability

There are lots of potential Key Performance Indicators when it comes to measuring sustainability in your organisation. Here are some of the most important ones to consider:

Carbon Footprint
Energy Consumption
Product Recycling Rate
Supplier Environmental Sustainability Index
Supply Chain Miles
Water Footprint
Waste Reduction Rate
Waste Recycling Rate
Social Impact

Examples of sustainability KPIs

Supply Chain Miles

Measures the total distance goods travel from production to final delivery. This metric helps businesses assess their carbon footprint, logistics efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Total Distance Travelled – Tracks the miles covered by shipments across the supply chain.
Emissions per Mile – Measures the carbon footprint associated with transportation.
Fuel Efficiency – Evaluates fuel consumption relative to distance travelled.
Percentage of Local Sourcing – Assesses how much of the supply chain relies on nearby suppliers to reduce transport miles.
Cost per Mile – Helps businesses optimise transportation expenses.

Energy Consumption

This KPI evaluates a company’s total energy use, both in terms of absolute consumption and efficiency improvements.

Businesses monitor renewable vs. non-renewable energy sources used in operations.
Tracking energy intensity (energy used per unit of output) helps measure efficiency gains over time.
Implementation of smart meters, IoT sensors, and AI-driven analytics allows for real-time monitoring and optimisation of energy use.

Water Usage

Water consumption is monitored to ensure responsible usage, conservation, and reduction of waste.

Companies measure total water withdrawal, use in production processes, and wastewater discharge.
Tracking water recycling rates and improvements in water efficiency helps reduce strain on natural resources.
Certifications such as Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) help businesses align with global best practices.

Waste Reduction & Recycling Rates

Businesses assess how effectively they manage waste, ensuring materials are reused, recycled, or responsibly disposed of.

Tracking percentage of waste diverted from landfill versus total waste produced.
Monitoring product lifecycle impact, focusing on materials used, recyclability, and end-of-life waste management.
Initiatives such as zero-waste policies, closed-loop production, and circular economy models help companies minimise waste footprint.

The communication of KPIs is vital to strong sustainability strategy. The use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting are the most common ways for organisations to communicate their sustainability performance to relevant stakeholders and investors.

Tracking sustainability is about continuous improvement and adapting to the evolving business landscape.

When sustainability strategy is integrated and communicated well, there are tangible benefits for your organisation, customers, stakeholders and the environment. Cala Sustain can help you with:

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

20 May 2025

From Apathy to Action: Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Decarbonisation

In the journey toward decarbonisation, organisations face a diverse array of stakeholder opinions that can significantly influence strategy. Different stakeholders – ranging from employees to investors to customers – often hold varying views on the urgency and importance of decarbonisation. While some may see it as a critical business imperative, others might perceive it as a costly distraction or an unachievable goal.

Challenges to Opportunities

The diversity of thought amongst your stakeholders is an opportunity to unlock strategic growth.

When we engage with the challenges stakeholders have it enables us to assess potential strategies from multiple perspectives. This often raises opportunities – in response to the challenges – that may have gone unnoticed.

When we delve into stakeholder specific concerns and beliefs, we can tailor our decarbonisation strategies to speak to and address wider needs.

We find that because stakeholder concerns are often rooted in business challenges, they also help to integrate decarbonisation with wider business imperatives.

Unlocking strategic opportunities in decarbonisastion

Identifying Who Your Stakeholders Are

It is vital to identify all the relevant stakeholder groups. These groups will vary, depending on what your organisation does.

The groups will often include:

Employees from all areas of the organisation
Executive Team
Customers / Consumers
Suppliers
Partner organisations
Government bodies
Businesses, communities
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

This cross section of views is important because an employee’s concerns may centre on how sustainability initiatives impact their day-to-day work. Whereas customers concerns may be around whether it will increase the price or impact the quality of the product.

Engaging your Stakeholders

Gathering views from different stakeholders effectively, requires building trust and using appropriate methods of engagement. Some of the following methods can be useful in information gathering:

Conduct Surveys and Polls: These are efficient for collecting quantitative and qualitative feedback. Tailor the questions to address your specific stakeholder groups.
Host Focus Groups: Smaller, interactive sessions allow stakeholders to share insights and discuss issues openly. This format is particularly useful for diving deeper into specific topics.
Organise Public Forums or Workshops: Larger events provide a space for diverse groups to express their views, hear the views of others and exchange ideas.
One-on-One Interviews: For key stakeholders, individual conversations help to foster trust and get a more detailed, nuanced perspective.

It can be beneficial to leverage online platforms such as webinars, virtual town halls, or social media polls to engage stakeholders who may prefer digital interaction. It’s possible to engage a broader audience this way.

It’s worth considering whether you can offer people the opportunity to feedback anonymously. This can give stakeholders greater confidence to express themselves freely. You may hear from people and get information you otherwise wouldn’t in an open forum.

Once you have gathered the stakeholder feedback it is important to follow up with people and keep them in the loop as the project progresses. This demonstrates that their views were valued and acted upon.

Complex Value Chains

Cala Sustain’s work to help the Ministry of Defence reduce carbon emissions from their equipment is a great example of diverse stakeholder groups. This project involved significant engagement along the length of the value chain. We discovered that each stakeholder group within each organisation had varying opinions on what would prevent decarbonisation.

Understanding this enabled Cala Sustain to develop strategies to unlock value in areas including:

Carbon benchmarking
Supply chain efficiency
Collaborative ways of working
Process efficiencies
Operational needs
Cost saving opportunities.

Cala Sustain created bespoke communications for each stakeholder group. This enabled us to acknowledge their challenges and present a compelling argument for how we would turn those challenges into opportunities.

Inclusive Approach

This inclusive approach improves both buy-in and increases the likelihood of achieving decarbonisation goals through linking them to tangible business opportunities. Decarbonisation as a growth lever is a more compelling strategy than decarbonisation as a cost.

In summary:

Listen
Understand
Diversify thinking
Integrate decarbonisation with business-critical issues
Personalise your strategies
Personalise your stakeholder engagement

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

2 May 2025

Why your carbon reduction initiative needs cultural and behavioural change to succeed

The human factor in decarbonisation

Organisational change programs frequently focus on new technologies, policies, or infrastructure. This focus can neglect the cultural and behavioural shifts essential for lasting success. When sustainability is embedded into the routines and mindsets of employees, even the boldest decarbonisation initiatives will succeed.

To drive genuine change, organisations must address behaviour at every level and make decarbonisation a tangible, routine and rewarded aspect of daily work. Achieving real and lasting impact requires following four golden rules for changing human behaviour:

1. Make it real

Decarbonisation goals are easy to agree on in boardrooms but challenging to implement in break rooms. Success requires translating policies into actionable tasks. For example:

Devolve sustainability targets along the same boundary lines as existing financial budgets to ensure accountability.
Provide tools that help employees make low-carbon decisions through carbon accounting platforms designed to work in the organisational context.
Focus efforts on impactful areas—prioritising large emissions reductions over symbolic but minor actions.
When employees see how sustainability can integrate with their role and their existing practices, they are more likely to adopt and champion it.

2. Embed it in routine

Humans thrive on routine, so sustainability must become an organisational habit. Focus on embedding decarbonisation into key workflows and decision gates.

Our work redesigning Defence procurement to embed sustainability is a good example. We identified that Defence equipment has thousands of processes it must go through across its lifecycle from idea to disposal. However, there are a few key decision gates that can be targeted to have the greatest impact. This, leads to significant sustainability gains.

3. Reinforce and reward

It is essential to create an environment that supports and celebrates sustainable behaviours. Start by identifying barriers that might hinder sustainable practices.

Ensure workflows are optimised to reduce waste and energy use.
Ensure tools are available to enable sustainable behaviours, such as remote work and virtual meetings instead of frequent travel.
Celebrate the small wins to build momentum. Highlight achievements like departmental carbon reductions or individual initiatives.

In a recent consulting engagement, we found that an awards ceremony where the prizes were branded mugs identifying the owner as a ‘green champion’ created a real culture of kudos amongst the team. If the reward is visible and linked clearly to the decarbonisation goal, then the organisation can reward and reinforce appropriate behaviours.

4. Align with wider operations

Sustainability goals must align with broader organisational priorities and they must be integrated into the systems, processes and ways of working of wider operations.

Take a systematic top-down look at workflows, decision-making frameworks and organisational structures to ensure that the whole organisation is aligned to the decarbonisation outcome.
Start with the leadership team – get leaders to truly commit to the decarbonisation programme and its implications, and then model and communicate that to the wider organisation.

When sustainability becomes a shared enterprise priority, it transitions from rhetoric to reality.

Creating Cultural and Behavioural Change to achieve sustainability

Lasting impact

Carbon reduction efforts will only thrive alongside cultural and behavioural transformation. By embedding decarbonisation into everyday practices and fostering a culture of sustainability, organisations can achieve enduring success.

This requires determination, focus, and systematic integration – but the rewards, both for the planet and the organisation, make it a vital pursuit. Sustainability is more than a goal; it’s a way of working, thinking, and thriving, and like your new year resolutions, it needs focus and determination to truly land into organisational habit.

Check out our groundbreaking initiative to decarbonise UK defence equipment. We are helping the Ministry of Defence (MoD) achieve its Net Zero commitments.

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Second to None

We have collaborated successfully with the Cala Sustain team on a number of occasions. We have always found them to be knowledgeable, reliable, enthusiastic and very experienced.

In Defence, their understanding of environmental and sustainability policy and standards is second to none.

Marc Brule-Walker

Integrated Logistic Support Manager

Red Scientific

Always Add Value

The Cala Sustain team is trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Jerry Beeston

Facilities Manager

Nisbets Plc

We couldn’t have done it without you

I just wanted to thank you for all the support you gave us with the renewal of our Royal Warrant.

We all breathed a big sigh of relief when we found out that we had been successful, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Kate Gough

General Manager

Mitre Linen

Great people to do business with

Phil Harding

MBE

In depth Knowledge

Tommy Mason

QINETIQ

Great Partner to work with

Philip Duddell

Sustainable Procurement Limited

Would recommend them

Matt Roper

GREENBUYING

Strategic Sustainability

Bringing Everyone with You: The Human Core of Organisational Change

Why it takes more than systems to deliver change

Sustainability Transformation Collaboration

Sustainability Maturity Assessment

Change as a Human Journey

Inclusion as a Catalyst

Storytelling and Creating meaning

Building Change from the Inside Out

Investing in change agents at every level

Equipping and empowering managers

Pacing change

The Role of Leadership

Change That Sticks

Make sustainability transformation a reality

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Find out how we can help

The Power of Leadership in Driving Sustainability

Vision Starts at the Top

Modelling Values Through Action

Embedding Sustainability into Culture

Sustainability Transformation Leadership Example

Unlocking Cross-Functional Collaboration

Building External Credibility and Influence

Navigating Complexity

Legacy and Long-Term Impact

Make sustainability transformation a reality

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Find out how we can help

Leveraging Value From Sustainability Transformation

Sustainability Maturity Assessment

Unlocking strategic opportunity

Leveraging Value

Examples of areas where companies can leverage value from sustainability initiatives

Risk Mitigation

Operational Efficiency

Brand Equity & Market Differentiation

Innovation & Product Development

Financial Performance & Access to Capital

Regulatory Alignment & Future-Proofing

Embedding change

Why JA Consulting and Cala Sustain?

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Find out how we can help

Carbon Footprint

What is a Carbon Footprint?

Personal Carbon Footprint

Business Carbon Footprint

Measuring Carbon Footprint

Reducing Carbon Footprint

Reducing or offsetting emissions

Why companies should reduce their carbon footprint

Economic cost of not acting

Effective Climate Action

Scope 1,2,3 Emissions

Scope 1 Emissions

Scope 2 Emissions

Scope 3 Emissions

Reducing Scope 3 Emissions

The challenges in achieving net zero value chains

Tackling Scope 3 Emissions

The Benefits of decarbonisation

Cala Sustain can help you to Scope your 1,2,3 Emissions

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Why Choose Cala Sustain?

Find out how we can help

How to integrate a circular economy into your business

Benefits of Circluar Economy

Using sustainable procurement

Product design

Packaging

Distribution

End of life

Examples of good practice of circular economy

Interfloor

Winnow

Teemill

Make sustainability transformation a reality 

Make sustainability transformation a reality 