Earth Unscrewed: Sustainable start-ups having a positive impact on the planet

A close up view of a leaf with white text reading 'Earth Unscrewed' written over it
Clare Kelly
by Clare Kelly
29 January 2020

In this week’s episode of Earth Unscrewed you’ll hear from Virgin StartUp – the Virgin not-for-profit on a mission to help start-ups get the support they need to turn great ideas into successful, sustainable businesses.

Andy Fishburn, Managing Director of Virgin StartUp, talks to presenters, Helen Scales and Seyi Rhodes, about the growing global interest in sustainable businesses, in plant-based diets, and in the win-win formula of producing fully recyclable, sustainable products.

Episode Eight.  The sustainable start-ups having a positive impact on the planet.  With guesrs Andy Fishburn, Managing director Virgin Start up.  Andrea Cavallo founder of planty.  Earth Unscrewed. White text on a salad leaf background
Image from Virgin

Here are Andy’s three top tips for green businesses to thrive:

1. Be clear on your purpose

Have purpose at the core of what you do – be able to article why you do what you do. In business you’re often faced with very difficult decisions – and being really clear on why a purposeful way of doing something is important to you, your customers, your business, is vitally important to ensure you do stay the course. 

2. Don’t aim for perfection

As a small business it’s really difficult to do the right thing all of the time. Being small is a double edged sword – yes you’re agile, lean and can respond to things, but you don’t necessarily have the resources and money to invest in every sustainable business practice. 

3. Live and breathe your values

Practice what you preach. Thinking about what you do as a business – as well as the people that you work with. As a small business owner you have the power to decide the types of suppliers and partners you work with. 

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Listen to Earth Unscrewed

Earth Unscrewed is Virgin’s podcast about the incredible (and often surprising!) solutions that are providing some serious hope for the future of our planet.