It probably feels like it does
For a lot of business owners, sustainability has meant spending.
A solar quote. A certification. A consultant. An audit that ended up in a drawer.
You put in the time and the money, and it is hard to see what came back. It starts to feel like one more thing pulling you away from running the business.
Meanwhile, the bills you do care about keep going up.
The costs you're already worried about are the place to start
Electricity. Fuel. Materials. Waste. Freight. Water.
These are business costs and resource use at the same time. Use less of them and you pay for less of them.
That is where doing the right thing and running a tighter business turn out to be the same job.
You don't need a sustainability strategy to begin. You need your own numbers.
So which changes are actually worth it?
That is the real question, and it is usually three questions.
"I don't know what's driving my costs."
A cost that has gone up could be price, could be usage, could be a busier year. Each needs a different answer, and one of them needs no answer at all. We help you find out which it is.
"Everyone advising me is selling something."
The solar installer recommends solar. The energy broker recommends switching. We start from your accounts, not from a product, and follow where they lead.
"I can't tell if it will pay for itself."
We weigh it up with you: what it costs, what it could save each year, how long it takes to pay back, how long it will last. If it doesn't stack up, we say so.
Where are you starting from?
"My costs are up and I want to know why."
We are piloting a review that begins with about 12 months of your accounting data. We look for costs worth a closer look, talk with you about what is behind them, and give you a short summary of where it may be worth acting.
We are calling it the Sustainability Savings Review.
The first two businesses receive it at no charge, in return for honest feedback.
"I want to do this properly but don't know where to begin."
You care about how your business operates and want a plan you can actually follow. Our HelloSustainability approach helps you work out where you stand, decide what matters most, and set goals you can measure.
Behind it is One Planet Living, an international framework that keeps the bigger picture in view without making it complicated.
"We've made a start and it isn't sticking."
You have tried a few things. Some worked, some faded, and nobody is sure what difference any of it made. We help you measure what has changed, keep what is working, and build it into how the business runs day to day.
Is this for a business like mine?
We work with small and established Australian businesses, including:
-
Cafes, restaurants and food businesses. Refrigeration, gas, food waste, packaging.
-
Retail and shops. Lighting, heating and cooling, packaging, freight.
-
Workshops and manufacturing. Machinery, materials, offcuts and scrap.
-
Trades and construction. Vehicles, fuel, materials, tip fees.
-
Farms and agriculture. Fuel, water, pumping, inputs.
-
Transport and delivery. Fuel, vehicles, maintenance.
-
Accommodation and venues. Energy, water, laundry.
-
Offices and professional services. Premises, equipment, travel.
-
Community organisations and not-for-profits. Buildings, vehicles, events.
Don't see yours? If you have bills for energy, fuel, materials or waste, it is probably for you too.
You don't need to be a sustainability expert.
You don't need a big budget.
You don't need to have made up your mind about any of it.
Who would I be dealing with?
Leonie Martin, a CPA with 20 years' experience as an accountant and the founder of HelloLedger, an online Australian accounting firm.
She started The SustainableLedger after watching businesses struggle to act on sustainability without a clear financial reason to. An accountant already has the numbers, so that is where the conversation starts.
Based in regional NSW, working with businesses across Australia.
Questions you might have
Will you find savings in my business?
We don't know until we look, and we won't assume. Sometimes a cost turns out to be reasonable. That is worth knowing too.
Do you do energy audits or carbon accounting?
No. We work on the business and financial side. Where technical work is needed, we tell you and help you brief the right specialist.
Do I have to be "into" sustainability?
No. Wanting to know where your money is going is reason enough.
Do you only work with businesses near you?
No. We are based in regional NSW and work with businesses across Australia.