“The practice of gift-giving can help your business grow — from boosting customer relationships to enhancing brand reputation and increasing employees' productivity.” (Entrepreneur, 2022)
The production, consumption and disposal of sustainable gifts cause little or no damage to the environment. Often, sustainable gifts are practical and reusable, adding to their longevity. Furthermore, a sustainable gift given by your company confirms that you:
Appreciate the recipient’s contribution to your business.
Care about the earth and reducing your company’s impact.
Want to help the recipient to do the same.
How to choose a sustainable corporate gift
Who? Start by identify qualifying criteria. Think quality – gifting and personalisation should reflect the quality of your relationship and the amount of business and/or value the recipient provides.
When? Consider on which occasions you need to create a touchpoint with clients and employees. Gifts may be given throughout the year; they are not confined to the end of year holidays.
What? Reinforce your company values. Reducing plastic in the workplace? Give a gift that demonstrates your zero-plastic stance. If your business focuses on local sourcing, make sure the gift is local.
Here are some sustainable corporate gift ideas:
Reusables – coffee mug, water bottle, portable cutlery set, metal straw and cleaning brush, beeswax wraps.
Eco-friendly or upcycled bags – laptop cover, tote bag, shoe bag, shopping bag.
Organic cotton clothing.
Eco-friendly stationery.
Plants, saplings or seed packs.
Locally sourced, organic food and drink.
How? Investigate your clients' corporate gift-taking culture and rules. Make sure they will be able to accept your gift without falling foul of their company’s policies.
Lastly, consider eco-friendly wrappings such as reusable fabric gift bags or furoshiki. The wrapping should match the quality of the gift. Adding a handwritten note (on recyclable paper) signals your connection with the gift and the receiver.
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