How to Build a Sustainability Business Plan

When it comes to sustainability, many small businesses feel they need to have all the answers before getting started. In reality, the most impactful thing you can do is take the first step: begin tracking.

A sustainability business plan doesn’t need to be complex or costly. At its core, it’s about understanding your material flows, identifying inefficiencies, and taking measurable action. Whether you’re a coffee shop, boutique retailer, or construction firm, the path to sustainability begins with one simple shift: turning your waste into resources.

​Why Waste Matters More Than You Think

Waste isn’t just what ends up in the dumpster. It includes the cost of materials purchased but never used, the energy and water required to process them, and the labor spent moving, storing, and eventually discarding them.

The full cost of waste includes:
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• The cost of materials that are ultimately wasted
• The cost of processing those materials before they’re discarded
• The cost of managing and preventing waste
• The cost of treatment and disposal

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These hidden costs can quickly add up. Most businesses focus only on disposal fees, overlooking the larger losses tied up in unused materials and inefficient processes. That’s why tracking is so important. By keeping a record of what materials are coming in, how much is being used, and where it ends up, you gain the insight needed to reduce waste, cut expenses, and improve efficiency. Tracking is the foundation for every smart sustainability decision that follows.

Step 1: Just Start Tracking

Start with what you already know. Create a list of materials your business uses regularly and answer the following questions for each:
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1. What is the material? (e.g., Cardboard, plastic wrap, aluminum cans, food scraps)
2. How much do you generate? (Estimate weight or volume per month.)
3. What happens to it? (e.g., Landfill, recycling, compost, reuse, salvage)
4. Who hauls it away? (Which waste hauler? Where does it go?)
5. What does it cost? (Disposal fees, hauling costs, rebates if applicable)

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➡️ Pro Tip: ​Standardize your metrics. For example, track Amount of Landfill / Unit of Product Sold (lb/$) or Amount of Recycling / Unit of Product Sold (lb/$). This helps normalize your data over time and gives you a better sense of progress as your business grows. Here is where you’ll start to understand part of the “cost” element of your waste.

Case STUDY: TOYOTA

Toyota’s North American parts operations switched from single-use cardboard and wood packaging to reusable shipping containers.

​The results were dramatic:
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• 27.93 pounds of waste eliminated per use
• Over $1 billion saved from 2002 to 2013

This change not only reduced landfill-bound materials, it streamlined Toyota’s logistics operations, reduced packaging costs, and supported a more circular supply chain.

case study: kellogg's

In 2013, Kellogg’s Chicago 31st facility was sending up to 30 tons of trash to landfill each month, with a diversion rate below 50%.

Determined to improve, the site challenged its waste management team to identify better recycling methods and engaged all 300 employees in efforts to reduce the amount of waste generated.

The results were significant:
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• Achieved TRUE Gold certification
• Increased diversion rate to 95.5%
• Reduced waste management program costs by 80%
• Cut finished goods packaging size by 21%
• Focused on front-end waste reduction and reuse systems for transportation and storage

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This case shows how employee engagement and process redesign can drive both environmental and financial performance.

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CASE STUDY: MOUNTAIN ROSE HERBS

​Mountain Rose Herbs achieved TRUE Platinum certification by implementing comprehensive waste reduction strategies and a company-wide culture of continuous improvement.

Key highlights include:

• 96% of waste diverted from landfill
• 70,000 pounds of herbs donated to local farms in 2015
• Use of biodegradable and recycled air pillows and recycled content fill materials for shipping
• A dedicated Green Team and three Master Recyclers on staff to lead employee education and improvement efforts
• Use of reclaimed furniture and FSC-certified timber from a local company to outfit their first retail store in 2016

Their approach reflects a commitment not just to sustainability, but to community impact and long-term systems change.

Step 2: WasteCap Can Help You Go Further

Understanding and managing waste streams can be complex, but you don’t have to go it alone. WasteCap offers a full suite of services that support businesses through every stage of waste reduction, from baseline understanding to continuous improvement:

1. Waste Audits

We offer three types of waste audits to fit your specific needs:

• Operational Waste Audit – Examines how you're handling waste in daily operations, asking “how and why” materials flow through your facility—covering things like sorting processes, billing, and equipment.
• Waste Characterization Audit – Provides a “big picture” snapshot of your waste streams, including diversion rates and opportunities to improve system-wide efficiency.
• Zero Waste Audit – A deep dive into individual material types, tracking purchase costs, handling, disposal, and identifying paths to eliminate or reuse the items.​

These audits uncover inefficient purchasing, sorting errors, contamination, and hidden cost-saving opportunities. Periodic audits help confirm progress and solidify a culture of continuous improvement.

2. Facility Operations & Ongoing Planning

WasteCap works with your team to implement a Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach:

• Map your materials from purchase to disposal
• Review and optimize collection schedules and disposal contracts
• Train staff and engage stakeholders to ensure clear processes
• Track results and costs each month, identifying opportunities for service adjustments or material substitutions

This cycle supports continual refinement—transforming waste management from a reactive task to a proactive, strategic asset.

3. Data Collection, Reporting & Tools

Our team consistently compiles and validates key performance metrics, such as:

• Monthly diversion rates
• Hauling service efficiencies
• Disposal vs. recycling costs

We then analyze trends, benchmark performance, and recommend adjustments to ensure your operations evolve and stay cost-effective.

​4. Education, Outreach & Certification Support

Effective waste reduction is as much about people as it is about processes:

• We provide training, produce clear signage, and run engagement programs for staff, tenants, and customers
• We assist with aligning waste management data to support certifications like LEED®, TRUE Zero Waste®, STARS®, or Living Building Challenge
• Membership benefits include check-ins, audits, reminders, and support for maintaining certifications

We help businesses at every stage: from those just beginning to track waste to those working toward third-party certification.

​If you’d like to explore how we can support your business, fill out the form here and we’ll be in touch.

Step 3: Set Goals and Make Improvements

With tracking data in hand, you can set realistic, data-informed goals. Start small:
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• Reduce landfill waste by 20% in 6 months
• Eliminate all Styrofoam containers
• Divert all cardboard from trash
• Compost 100% of pre-consumer food waste

Tracking gives you the baseline. From there, it’s all about progress—and WasteCap is here to guide and support that journey.

​Final Thoughts

Creating a sustainability business plan doesn’t require a ten-year strategy or an environmental science degree. It requires a willingness to look closely at what you’re throwing away and why.

Start simple. Start tracking.

Visit www.wastecap.org to learn more about audits, reporting tools, and support services.

Ready to talk about your specific business needs? Fill out our quick interest form here. 
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Let’s turn waste into opportunity—together.