Blue Ocean Office Supplies

Setting The Tone for The Environment

Stephaniebirt 800 210

Author

Paige Cassidy

Paige Cassidy

School

University of Guelph

University of Guelph

Professor

Ruben Burga

Ruben Burga

Global Goals

1. No Poverty 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities 12. Responsible Consumption and Production 17. Partnerships for the Goals

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Summary

Blue Ocean Office Supplies main goal is to prevent waste and look towards a more re-usable lifestyle for office supplies. Offering these products creates less waste, and ultimately prevents further environmental disruption. Overall, Blue Ocean desires a future with responsible consumption,respect for each-other, and the environment surrounding us.

Innovation

Blue Ocean Office Supplies focuses on cutting waste and promoting sustainability. Blue Ocean creates products that not only aid the environment, but provide assistance to the surrounding community as well. The biggest innovative technique Blue Ocean Office Supplies implements into their business is their strong partnerships with neighboring charities. Incorporating the strong networking with these charities has allowed Blue Ocean to differentiate themselves from competitors within the industry. Blue Ocean donates 10% of every total sale to any charity of the customers choice, allowing customers to make a difference through every purchase. This component of their business model is something we have never seen before with a small business.

Allowing customers the opportunity to help a local charity promotes all components of modern day consumers need in their supplier.Cooperating with charities intuitions makes a difference among societies and provides customers with a strong incentive to continuously purchase Blue Ocean products.

Making profit is not the only goal of Blue Ocean, when people buying products from Blue Ocean, the customers are helping to protect their surrounding environment and help charities intuitions that are important to them at the same time. Blue Ocean wants to help customers reduce the squandering of harmful resources by using their products and promote a sustainable future.

Setting The Tone for The Environment

Inspiration

Ultimately, what inspired this leader was her passion for change. She wanted to create a positive brand that highlighted changes she wished to see environmentally, and socially. She saw what consumer habits resulted in, and decided to create a brand that not only made it cheaper for the consumer, but more environmentally friendly. It was through her passion for life, as well as for environment that resulted in the creation of Blue Ocean Office Supplies.

Overall impact

Blue Ocean Office Supplies was created when the owner took particular interest in sustainability, and the drive to create a company that would give back to the community around her. Previously, Stephanie worked with an office supply retailer and was surprised that most consumers would buy a new printer as opposed to purchasing ink and toner for their current machine, leaving quite an environmental impact. This curiosity tested her entrepreneurial skills and motivated her to begin Blue Ocean Office Supplies & Solutions.

Her passion and drive to consistently help enhance her surroundings for not only her, but the surrounding communities as well.During the beginning stages of the creation of her company she began to gain traction and attention from several charities in need of donations and funds that related to what Blue Ocean was about. However, at this early stage Stephanie did not possess substantial funds and resources. This triggered another important component of her company that led to incorporating sales percentages that would be used for donations to charities. After doing so, this altered her business model and differentiated Blue Ocean Office Supplies from competitors. Stephanie has always lived her life in pursuit to help others. Consistently implementing her impressive entrepreneurial skills to give back. Stephanie’s main mission statement when creating her company was she wanted to help local communities, and by donating to charities through sales as well as doing something ethically efficient for the environment, helped her achieve this goal. Blue Ocean Office Supplies donated 10% of each sale to charitable organizations. When customers purchase from Stephanie they are taking part in an organization that helps those in need, as well as promoting sustainability and efficient environment habits.

Business benefit

When creating this company Stephanie created a business model that both incorporated the effects of charity and a successful organization with usable products. Implementing charitable donations from each sale as well as improving wasteful habits from consumers. Benefits that save the consumer money, implementing environmental responsibility, and giving back to the less fortunate. Modern day businesses and organizations require office supply products such as ink and toner. When buying from Blue Ocean Office Supplies you are contributing to the environment through sustainability, and 10% of your total sale goes to a charity organization of your choice. This creates a credible image for the company, and potentially influences competitors to give back to the less fortunate as well. Implementing these factors into a company is what acts as the deciding factor for many consumers.

We live in a time where consumers really do care for the environmental effects of their consumption, and knowing that not all your money is going towards the efforts of the company but to charity as well is something that people value. This long lasting positive image Blue Ocean has created is what has pushed them ahead in their field, as well as how they remain so successful.Another ongoing component in their business model is in the works with the hopes of expansion internationally. The passion, and generosity the employees and Stephanie have to help others is what pushes them ahead in the industry and allows them to help as many people as they can well still be maintaining their dreams of an environmentally effective business.

Social and environmental benefit

Through the utilization of Stephanie’s business model, Blue Ocean office supplies has the ability to give back to their surrounding community through donations and environmental efforts while still maintaining to be a top competitor in the business supply market. By re-manufacturing ink and toner cartridges it limits the environmental impacts of consumers continuously purchasing new ink cartridges as well as save them money per purchase. Constantly encouraging environmental friendly alternative methods shines through to their consumers and act as a positive example to other competing firms.

This kind of creativity and drive has allowed Stephanie to attract a specific market that is ongoing. As well as influence consumers to purchase their products continuously due to the positive effects and limit ongoing searches for a loyal business supply company because of the effects of your purchase. By consistently donating 10% of every total sale has proved beneficial to several charities, indirectly supporting those in need and creating the most positive buying experience for their customers. When consumers invest in using Blue Ocean Office Supplies they are investing in less harmful for the environment and directly cut the amount of cartridges in landfills. When we remanufactured ink cartridges preserve our natural resources while keeping unnecessary harmful products out of the landfills. When companies choose blue ocean office supplies they are choosing greener and socially improved and efficient practices. By investing in blue ocean supplies and regularly using there environmentally responsible in these products companies are actually investing in long term positive environmental outcomes for the future.

Interview

Stephanie Birt, CEO

Photo of interviewee

Watch video on YouTube

Business information

Blue Ocean Office Supplies

Blue Ocean Office Supplies

Guelph, ON, CA
Year Founded: 2014
Number of Employees: 2 to 10

Blue Ocean Office Supplies is a company created and located in Guelph Ontario. Their primary focus is producing ink and toner cartridges that are environmentally friendly and help day to day businesses. Blue Ocean has a strong passion for a eco friendly alternative, and creating a community everyone can be proud of.