The current UK economy follows a linear ‘take, make and dispose’ approach. For example, when a new iPhone is released, we immediately ditch our old model even if it is working just fine. Similarly,  we purchase on-trend clothes which may only be worn once and eventually thrown away.

As this approach relies on the world’s finite resources, it isn’t sustainable in the long term. Only 9% of the world’s economy has moved away from the linear model and far more organisations need to get onboard to help preserve the planet. One alternative is the so-called circular economy. Here we explain what the circular economy is and why your business should consider switching to this model.

What is the circular economy?

The circular economy is a closed-loop economic system focusing on reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling items and services instead of disposing of them. There are seven key elements, including rethinking business models, designing for the future, and preserving and extending existing products and services. This aims to reduce the volume of resources used and avoids creating waste, pollution and carbon emissions.

This sustainable model considers the full life cycle of products and aims to design these to ensure we get maximum value from the natural resources used. All potential waste should fuel another process. For example, London waste management company Bywaters offer food waste collection as part of its recycling services. During the decomposition process, the gases given off can be used to produce energy which helps to provide electricity to the UK. A circular system aims to eliminate waste, keep materials and products in use, and power the economy with renewable energy.

The benefits of a circular economy

A circular economy benefits businesses, citizens and the planet by promoting resource efficiency, encouraging eco-friendly product innovation and supporting green companies. Many industries including hospitality, fashion and technology will benefit from this economy model, increasing performance and reducing costs. This will help to make non-green industries green which will boost GDP by nearly 1% and create two million additional jobs.

A McKinsey study in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation revealed that the circular economy could boost Europe’s resource productivity by 3% by 2030 and reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 48% by 2030 and 83% by 2050. While it could also help save EU countries €600 billion. What’s more, businesses will benefit from reimagining its products, packaging and services to meet the demands of a sustainable environment, and consumers will be purchasing better products meaning they won’t need to keep paying to replace them.

Why businesses need to adapt now

The UK government has introduced laws on greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to reach net zero by 2050. This involves things like introducing greener transport, carbon efficient agriculture technologies and the Climate Change business tax. As well as ensuring emissions are offset by measures like planting trees or using carbon capture and storage. As a result, it makes sense for businesses to adapt now rather than later when restrictions and laws may be stricter.

Using the circular mode will help create a consistent supply chain that is beneficial for both your business and the planet. For example, Katie Leggett, sustainability manager at drinks company Innocent told The Telegraph: “The benefit to the business may not be short term but may instead be for the planet, and the knock-on impact associated with that. For example, less extreme weather means more predictable harvests and therefore more consistent supply across the global agricultural system.” Adapting your operations is worthwhile in the long run, helping to reduce environmental damage and costs, innovate products and services, and protect against reputation damage.

Failing to pay attention to the impact of consumerism on climate change may impact your reputation as customers may be less likely to do business with you. Considering 25% of UK consumers want to shop more sustainably, this is a great opportunity for your business to build and retain its loyal customer base. It will enable you to stay relevant and ahead of the competition in an ever-changing consumer market. In fact, taking action now will enhance your branding and place you as a sustainable company.

It is hugely important for small businesses to build product reviews. These reviews get the business out there – people often look at reviews before buying, after all. A small business relies on these reviews for a lot of its custom.

People Read Reviews

The biggest change the internet has brought to people’s lives is change. Instead of being limited to their immediate area, they can now buy things from all over the world! People can now compare and contrast before they buy what’s on offer. They read reviews of the various businesses that offer that product! A small business needs reviews because that is the only way they will be seen. Customer reviews bring the business to a whole new level of visibility! If there are no reviews, no one will see what the business offers. They will get no new custom.

People Now Get Suspicious of No Reviews

Strange as it may sound, people are so used to seeing reviews for almost anything online that they get suspicious if they don’t see any. Even one review can be enough. No reviews will make people pass over your wares for somebody who has reviews. Reviews ae therefore essential for drawing people into your business. They make people stop and think. They make people come into your site, however briefly. The more people who come to your site, the more likely it is that some of them will stop and shop there.

You need a Healthy Mix of Good and Bad Reviews

People are automatically wary of reviews that can seem too extreme. If you have all negative reviews, then people will assume that your product is terrible. But if you have all positive ones, then they will still avoid you. People now assume that positive reviews with no negative ones mean that you have bought all the positive reviews. A small business therefore needs as many reviews as possible. It could unintentionally be caught in the trap of having too many of either kind of review, which can affect sales.

Small Businesses Rely on Word of Mouth

Small businesses often don’t have the marketing budget that big ones do. They have to rely on word of mouth to a far greater degree. In the modern world, this now includes product reviews. If a business has no reviews, this will have a huge effect on sales and profits. Even one review can mean a product turns up in an internet search. Word of mouth leads to more people using the business and leaving reviews. Then the cycle repeats itself with other products, and other areas of the business.

Visibility is Key

Reviews mean visibility for small businesses. Think about it. When people search for reviews, the sites that have the most reviews come up first or second in the results. If a small business has no reviews, it won’t turn up in the search results at all! No results means that no one will know about the products. No one knowing means no sales. Reviews are absolutely vital for putting a small business on the map. Most sites now put reviews on their own site. When somebody searches for reviews, they are then taken directly to the site itself. If a small business does this, it could mean more sales.

You spend the majority of your adult life working, so it’s important to choose a career that’s going to satisfy you. However, securing your dream role doesn’t happen by accident. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve already made it a few rungs up the career ladder, you’ll want to do everything you can to impress potential employers.

If you want to be ready when the next promotion opportunity comes along, take a look at these three ways you can increase your employability now:

1. Gain Experience

If you don’t have the right experience, you’re going to struggle to land your dream job. Of course, it can be difficult to gain experience when you can’t get your foot in the door. Fortunately, you can get more experience in your chosen industry by volunteering, taking internships and honing your skills outside the workplace.

People tend to assume that they can’t take an internship while they’re in full-time employment, but this isn’t always the case. Many firms offer short-term vacation schemes which allow you to gain experience over a two or three-week period. This can be a great way to boost your skills without leaving your current role.

2. Get Qualified

Being well-qualified will indicate to potential employers that you have the requisite skills they need, and it could put you a step ahead of your competition. With a Diploma of Business Administration, for example, you can gain theoretical and practical knowledge across managerial, technical and specialised business functions. What’s more – studying for a Diploma of Business Administration with TrainSmart Australia gives you the opportunity to complete your qualification online in just 12 months. Their rolling enrolment ensures you can start at a time that suits you and fit studying around your existing commitments.

3. Make Contacts

Although companies are required to adhere to strict policies and regulations when it comes to recruiting new employees, the old saying, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’, still rings true. If you have an extensive professional network, you’re more likely to hear about potential vacancies as soon as they become available. Furthermore, having a stellar reputation in your industry will ensure that potential employers receive positive feedback when your name comes in conversation.

It’s important to extend your professional network regardless of what stage you’re at in your career, so make time to attend industry events, socialise with colleagues where possible and be active online. By doing so, you can widen your network and make important contacts that will stand you in good stead for the future.

Prioritising Your Employability

If you’re not actively looking for a new role, you might think you don’t need to focus on your employability right now. In reality, however, you should always be taking steps to maintain your employability. It will help you to retain your position if redundancies occur, for example, and it could mark you out for imminent promotion. Additionally, being a top candidate will help you to build a profile within your industry and give you a wider range of options to pursue.

First came reports of a new virus from China. Just days before February it had crept its way into the UK population. Soon, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared a global health emergency – and in no time at all the COVID-19 virus has pulled shutters down on the world.

The UK has certainly been no stranger to the stay at home message, but even as we each do our bit to prevent the spread of the virus, businesses are shouldering a huge financial burden. Of course, it makes sense that retailers (like anyone else) have to do their bit to keep us all safe, but what makes this situation worse are the seemingly arbitrary pandemic regulations that have been pursued across Britain.

As the British Retail Consortium (BRC) rallies against lockdown rules, here’s a closer look at the issues arising out of business pandemic guidelines.

What are the rules for UK businesses during COVID-19?

Despite British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s call for a “four-nation” to pandemic management, the lockdown rules that apply to UK businesses very much depend on which area you are situated in. England, for instance, went into a second period of lockdown on Thursday 5 November until at least Wednesday 2 December. During this time shops that are deemed ‘non-essential’ must close, whilst those who are allowed to keep their doors open must stick to a strict regimen of social distancing rules.

Contrastingly, businesses in Wales have had a similar treatment under their two-week ‘firebreak’ lockdown but were able to reopen from Monday 9 November. A comparable situation has been seen in Northern Ireland, where a so-called ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown will prevent the full reopening of hospitality businesses up until 27 November.

Yet another regime still can be found by looking north of the English border to Scotland. A three-tier system has been introduced there, yet shops can remain open regardless of the tier that applies to their local authority area.

Whilst the intentions of those in power may be good, the muddled approach to pandemic business regulations seems set to confuse firms that are already struggling to cope amidst reduced footfall and economic uncertainty.

Essential or not?

Aside from the patchwork of COVID-19 regulations, perhaps the most egregious stance has been taken when deciding whether or not certain retailers are ‘essential’ or not. With little in the way of concrete guidance for the government, issues have presented themselves where supermarkets have been permitted to continue selling arguably ‘non-essential’ homewares simply by virtue of stocking them near to other clearly essential products.

The problem goes beyond the reported bluster and uncertainty caused by taped off products in Welsh supermarkets, though. Few would disagree that grocery products and medication are essential during the pandemic, but the waters become muddier beyond such evidently important items.

It stands to reason that some products are more widely considered as essential than others, but who can really determine what another consumer desperately needs at any given time. From kitchenware to office equipment and electronics, almost any item could be considered an essential if you really do need it. According to Tom Ironside, director of business and regulations at the BRC, politicians have created “arbitrary lines over what is and isn’t an ‘essential’ retailer.”

When looked at alone, it might not seem all that important that some people can’t buy new pots and pans, for instance. But when you look at the bigger picture, cracks begin to show in the government’s plans. With estimates suggesting that closed shops lose out on £2 billion each week, it’s easier to understand exactly why we need our shops open. Without them, the nation may find itself in a much stickier financial situation than it’s already in.

A new way forward for business

The total of these varied lockdown measures is anything but a “four-nation” approach, and that spells trouble for the businesses that are struggling to stay afloat whilst propping up the UK’s ailing economy.

As the BRC’s Chief Executive, Helen Dickinson OBE, puts it:

“many retailers had finally thought that they were finding their footing. The new lockdown in England will now throw away this progress as we enter the crucial Christmas trading period”.

With these sentiments no doubt echoed across the UK’s retail landscape, businesses can only hope that the government will be better equipped to deal with any future health crisis in a way that does not interfere with the legitimate and safe operation of shops.

Until such time, however, retailers may just have no option but to take matters into their own hands. Whilst the pandemic has all but crushed the high street, ecommerce is now outperforming even the most buoyant of traditional sales channels – and opportunity abounds for those businesses who can take advantage of the public’s exodus to internet shopping.

Among the best ways to take advantage of this consumer trend is to invest in a secure and reliable eCommerce payment gateway. As an online payment system, it could scarcely be easier for businesses to continue taking payments from their customers during the pandemic and beyond.

With solutions like this in place, businesses can keep trading online regardless of ineffective lockdown measures and mismatched restrictions. As ever the retail industry is innovating, and even there are ways for businesses to fight back and survive, even if they can’t return to full service just yet.