We ask our customers every day to shop ethically—an act that can take any number of forms. Whether it’s buying products from local vendors, upgrading your lifestyle with low-impact technology (EVs, LEDs), or saying “no” to brands who insist on plastic wrap and animal testing, there’s always something to be done in pursuit of a better planet.
Despite all of the boogeyman imagery big data conjures (we all agree Mark Zuckerberg is at least half-alien, right?”), it might just be our ticket to a better environment in the future.
For Jack59, we took the pandemic as an opportunity to examine the practices we held deeply. During an external audit, we faced down all of the practices, habits, and minor variables that could help us be the best business we could be.
So, what did we learn?
Firstly, we learned that a little goes a long way.
Secondly, we learned that there is still a long way to build resilience among local companies going forward.
This blog highlights what we learned in our sustainability report—not just the good but the surprises we found along the way. After all, you can’t fix a problem you can’t see.
Sustainability Report Findings
These reports were made possible by Savick Inc. This Calgary-based climate initiative business took the time to analyze our space and products alongside their relationship with Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
Our sustainability report looked at three “scopes” of emissions:
Scope 1: Emissions traced directly from our operations, such as combustion vehicles and heating.
Scope 2: Emissions incurred indirectly through purchased electricity consumption.
Scope 3: Emissions from sources outside our control, like manufacturers and employee commutes.
We see how our business actions translate to emissions by looking at these three metrics. Without this data, we could not make informed decisions about moving forwards as an ethical Albertan company.
Sometimes, it is scary to look at your process and ask if you can do better? Sure—but that’s progress. If you’re ethically shopping with us, you understand. The ethical route often isn’t the easiest or the cheapest one. So let’s look at some wins!
In the seven months of study, we noticed immediate positives in landfill diversion. With the help of Re:Waste (our recycling partner), it looks like our low-waste packaging works! To illustrate, let’s look at what 140kg (the amount of plastic we diverted over the study period) looks like…
By sequestering 1,430kg of CO2, we saved the carbon equivalent of any of the following:
- 312 passenger vehicles driven for one year!
- 3,600,910 miles driven by a passenger car!
- 1,583.650lbs of burned coal!
- 174,289,600 smartphone charges!
Not only that, but we save on landfill pollution, plastic bag usage, waste transport, and a whole lot more!
While we love these numbers, the first 7 months of study were about laying the groundwork. The next steps involve looking at where we can do better, and we invite you to do the same!
Looking Forward & The Importance of Eco-Business in Alberta
It’s not always pretty to put your business under the microscope. Like in our personal lives, however, being honest with yourself is the first step in admitting where you can do better.
Our goals for the future are to move production into an eco-friendly new building. At first, we shared our bay with our friends at Soap So Co. to better use the square footage. However, without owning the building directly, we are prevented from upgrading the building ourselves.
You might be thinking, “hold on, won’t building a new space create more waste?” Not exactly.
For growing businesses, it helps to think about emissions “intensity” or emissions in relation to total sales. Emissions, after all, are a process we face every day—there is no easy answer.
If we grow our business by 50% but drop our emissions by 25%, there is still a net reduction in emissions intensity. This “intensity” is how we balance growing our compassionate product network while maintaining our status as leaders in sustainable business.
Our three-pronged approach to sustainable growth in 2022 includes pursuing our own space (which we can upgrade with eco-friendly infrastructure), seeking out more partnerships with low-emissions manufacturers and shipping companies, and elevating the consumption habits of our customers—one purchase at a time. We also look forward to achieving our B-Corp certification by the end of the year!
Alberta businesses are driving our provincial renewal. As more initiatives like carbon taxes are pursued to fund environmental efforts, we must offer customers products that work for their lives and the environment.
By researching, challenging, and innovating the processes that connect Jack59 with the environment, we hope to inspire change in the lives of customers and colleagues in the industry.
Ethical business doesn’t have to be boring—check out our online store for plastic-free and vegan alternatives to your favourite wellness and beauty products. Or, contact us with any questions you might have about sustainable living!