Green companies in black
GOING green is a growing trend for Queensland companies keen to boost their bottom line, according to experts.
The rise in eco-friendly offerings is being driven by both consumer demand for greener products and the cost savings it can bring to business.
Alison Price started SoilCylers in 2009 and it is now the largest business of its kind in the state offering on-site soil recycling across the construction, waste and mining sectors.
“It takes a lot of trucks off the road, which saves clients a lot of money,” she said.
Griffith Business School’s Dr Joan Carlini said adding an eco-friendly or socially conscious practice to a business could strengthen brand reputation and ultimately sell more products or services.
“If there are two products in front and, for example, one claims to be less harsh on the environment, then that can be more attractive to a lot of people,” she said.
“We can see a lot of examples in places like grocery stores, where more social dimensions are being placed on products.”
Homewares business owner and designer Sophie Mulheran said she had always had a passion for sustainable and ethical products.
About 90 per cent of products sold through her business Sophia. are made from recyclable materials, including one of her most popular products, copper plates, which she hand crafts from discarded electrical wire.