Reinventing Business for a Sustainable Future: From Hair Salons to Sound Systems

I recently attended a ladies networking event and while the lunch was light, the conversations were nourishing.  What struck me most wasn’t just the range of industries represented, but how sustainability is finally making its way into boardrooms, salons, event spaces and beyond.

One lovely lady, an ex-hairdresser, introduced me to the Green Salon Initiative, a programme that helps salons responsibly dispose of waste such as hair, foils, and chemicals. Another, who runs a sound company, shared how they’ve overhauled their operations to reduce plastic at events, rethink equipment choices, and ensure greener waste management. These may seem like isolated wins but to me they represented a bigger change where business is no longer separate from responsibility, but central to it.

In a recent conversation with Mary Creagh, the secretary of state for nature, she assured me that the government is committed to a circular economy for waste, investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs and an accelerated path to net zero. But until stronger, protective laws are in place to help meet our sustainability and climate goals, we remain reliant on forward-thinking businesses to lead the way. The encouraging news is that many now recognise that adopting safer, more sustainable alternatives not only benefits the planet, it also significantly boosts consumer trust and enhances brand reputation.

 At Plastic Free Kitchen, we’ve been championing this very shift in the food industry. We’ve seen how powerful it is when cafes, restaurants, and food factories begin questioning how and why they use plastic and take active steps to reduce or eliminate it.

This isn’t a fantasy. It’s a new kind of economy, one built on long-term thinking, human and planetary health, and a rejection of the disposable culture that got us here.