Thankfully this was solved for us in 2020 when AIB in conjunction with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), provided the finance required. Both of these organisations have been very helpful. The team at AIB are very supportive on an ongoing basis.

Another challenging area is the supply chain; specifically, sourcing suppliers with similar values to ours, who understand the true social and environmental impact of their enterprise and the products they supply. Whilst this is improving, a gap in sustainability knowledge exists amongst a significant number of those from whom we purchase materials. Getting the necessary environmental information regarding specific products can be both difficult and time consuming.

There is a saying in business; ‘when the crowd arrives, it’s too late’. It is clear that in the context of sustainability, the crowd is not there yet, and currently there is a unique selling point for not only small enterprises, but for every business that embraces sustainability now.

While a company that produces a product or service sustainably will not always be competing on price, it is also true that an eco-business, will usually manage resources better, and have a more dedicated, productive team, where production costs can be lower than its competitors. Regarding the team, The Factory’s success is as a result of our super fantastic team, each of whom plays an important role in our ongoing eco-journey.

I believe they now understand that our small business is not only about producing great products, but also about how we can have a positive impact on our environment and within our local community. This sense of purpose creates a positive atmosphere and a more productive and financially strong business.

During the noughties, for example, the majority of our customers had very limited understanding of sustainability; some wondered why we were trying to do things differently. Thankfully, there is a noticeable and positive change in this area today. Re the second part of the question, I believe that pursuing an eco-path is not a cost, but in fact a significant business advantage. For example, we expect our solar panel array will have a life of 25 to 30 years.

We expect the investment will be fully repaid in less than seven years from the date of purchase, after which time we will have very low-cost electricity, giving us a competitive advantage in the market. The cost of ownership of our EV is likely to be significantly less than a similar size vehicle with an internal combustion engine. And as our heating system is now powered by electricity, much of which is produced on-site, there is an obvious financial advantage here too.

In addition, generally being more efficient with resources, will reduce waste. This in turn reduces the cost of both supplies and waste disposal. Regarding our customer base, this has significantly changed from mostly local with a small number of national customers, to a very evenly spread of customers throughout the country today.

It is also clear to us that a growing number of customers are shopping for meaning and are taking the values of the businesses that produce those products and services into account. However, in this context, it is very important to tell one’s story.

Respect and understanding are also of great consequence. From a business success perspective, the ability to construct and implement a strategy to achieve the agreed vision would be central to that person’s success.

For many years he has been promoting the importance of soil in humanity’s existence. He has worked with leading scientists and the United Nations to develop soil management policies for regions around the world to highlight the loss of organic content in soil and to provide solutions to reverse that trend.

Last year, at 66 years of age, he met with national representatives in some 27 countries during a 100-day 30,000 km motorcycle journey that covered 3 continents. He is very well known for his engaging public speaking, not just about soil, but how one can achieve both physical and emotional well-being through what he terms ‘inner transformation’. Over 30 years ago (1992) he founded the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose goal is to promote human well-being through yoga, meditation and various spiritual practices.

I would also consider how your business can make your area or community better in every way. It’s not just about manufacturing a fantastic product or delivering a super service, but also about how you can make your local environment more beautiful. This might be through planting some flowers, shrubs or trees, for example. Perhaps one could create a small project that might be beneficial to pollinators.

From a social perspective, think about how your enterprise might enrich the lives of those you come into contact with, but especially your team. For example, we financially support and encourage further education.

To date four of our team of 12 have completed part-time third level courses and a fifth is currently participating in a course on sustainable design at Limerick College of Art and Design.

We also have a four-day work-week, that includes a free yoga session. While this will not be possible for every business, I’m confident that one will be able to find some way of incorporating a positive social element. It’s probably worth pointing out that an enterprise that can implement a 4-day work-week can reduce lighting and heating costs by one fifth.

For larger enterprises, this could also reduce emissions from staff commuting by a similar percentage, which could be significant in terms of a reduction in CO2 emissions. Then, when you are confident that your business is creating a better world for future generations, it is important to tell that story. In the past, one would have required a substantial budget for television, radio and other national media to reach a large audience.

Today, this can be achieved for far less, through employing a specialist with social media skills; this could be done internally or through an external contractor. For a business with a small team, it is important that the vision is fully explained and that everyone understands the future path. We have discovered that regular team meetings have been very successful in this context. Additionally, ensure everyone is given at least one task on that eco-path. I think it is also a good idea to encourage conscious thinking about every aspect of the enterprise’s operation. Invite everyone to submit their ideas on how the enterprise could be more sustainable.

One other very important point is education. I mentioned this earlier in relation to the social aspect of the enterprise. However, this additional knowledge is fundamental to good decision making. As nothing stays the same, it will also be significant in the ongoing evolution of our enterprise.

Additionally, we are continually finding things we can do better. Every day there is something or perhaps many things we could do better. It is a continual learning experience.

As CO2 is the most significant greenhouse gas, I believe that we are likely to see an increasing number of restrictions on burning everything and anything; in time this could potentially extend to wood-based products.

Also, on the subject of energy, there is a significant volume of research being carried out into ‘green’ hydrogen as an additional energy carrier to batteries to store electricity produced from renewable sources. If this can be solved in a cost-effective manner, it may obviate the need for a grid connection and offers the potential for many more businesses, including farms, to produce and store their own electricity. Perhaps kits will be developed that will enable heavy machinery ICE engines be converted from diesel to hydrogen. I understand that JCB are currently building new machines with modified engines to run directly on hydrogen.

In time, it is likely that the traditional business model of setting up a business with the sole focus of making a profit, will become obsolete. It is likely that a lending institution will not only require a solid financial plan before making a loan, but social and environmental plans too.

This project has been established with support from Offaly Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and Offaly Local Development Company (OLDC). The vision is that The Eco School @ The Factory will become a centre for sustainability-learning, helping small enterprises and community groups urgently and more easily transition to sustainable practices. The Eco School will focus on practical implementation of eco-initiatives, where the participants can see many of those solutions in practice at The Factory. Since March 10th this year, three courses have been held, and based on feedback, are of real value to the participants. It is envisaged that courses will be made available to community groups and SMEs from all over Ireland, and beyond, in a timely manner.

Later this year, we are hoping to replace our small 2.6kW wind turbine with a larger unit, to help meet our electricity demand during the shorter winter days. We also plan to extend our solar array and install an additional 24.5 kWh of battery storage.

We plan to continue the development of what we call our Circular Signage System. The idea is to produce signs that can be part of a circular economy. This involves supplying a wooden frame with an internal sign. The customer rents the sign, complete with frame, and then returns to us where we can re-cover the sign with new artwork. This gives the complete sign a longer life and can look far superior to other event signs one might see on the roadside. Currently we have these available in 8×4 feet, 4×4 feet and another 4 feet wide by 2’8” high. To date, all of the wooden sign-frames have been created from used wood, but we may use new wood for these frames in the future.

Overall, the team at this small enterprise has set itself a goal of not only making our business more environment friendly, but through our actions to show others that an eco-business can be more fun, more rewarding, better for people and the planet, and financially stronger; proving that a business is capable of being much more than a money-making entity.