Nine ways to overcome barriers to sustainable business

From competition to communication, there are numerous challenges to sustainable business. Here's what the experts say about overcoming them

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1. Use sustainability as a unique selling point
Consumers are increasingly looking to buy ethically sourced, sustainable products, especially in the food sector. Brands should use their sustainability as a point of difference to encourage sales, argues Rich Clothier, managing director of Wyke Farms.

2. Think long term
One of the main cultural barriers across society is the focus on short-term key performance indicators (KPIs) and budgets. A sustainable business needs to encourage all those it works with to look at, and reward, long-term results. This idea is perhaps most apparent in the construction industry, where the perceived higher cost often blocks the creation of greener buildings. "When looking at costs across the lifetime of a building, it really makes economic sense to build a green building," says Elaine Trimble, urban infrastructure economist at Siemens.