Sustainability as Strategy Start-ups like TAL Agency are embedding values from the ground up

When Claire Crompton launched TAL Agency, a Bolton based creative marketing firm, in 2017, she was not chasing the conventional trappings of entrepreneurial success. "I knew from the start that I didn't want to build a traditional business - I wanted it to be something meaningful and different in the industry," she says. For TAL, sustainability is not a side initiative; it is central to the agency's identity.

"Sustainability for us isn't just about ticking a box; it's about consciously designing how we operate every day," Crompton explains. That design includes decisions ranging from supplier relationships to workplace logistics. Remote work is embraced not just for flexibility but for its role in "reducing our collective carbon footprint."

Such intentions are increasingly common among startups, especially in the marketing and creative sectors where reputational capital matters. But principles are one thing; margins are another. Can environmental commitments coexist with financial viability?

"Honestly, it's not always easy," Crompton concedes. "In the early days, it's tempting to make decisions based purely on short-term cost, but I've found that building sustainable practices into who we are as a business from the beginning actually makes us stronger." For TAL, embedding values has proved more than just an ethical posture - it has turned into a competitive advantage. "When you stand for something beyond profit, you attract better partnerships, and that's helped us grow in ways I didn't expect."

This alignment between values and valuation is increasingly relevant to investors. "ESG isn't a side topic anymore - it's becoming way more central," Crompton says. "Investors are looking beyond flashy numbers and they want to know you're building a business that can last and adapt."

The shift in capital markets toward environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations may still be uneven, but the trend is unmistakable. "For any founder today, showing that you take your social and environmental responsibilities seriously isn't just a 'nice to have', it's becoming a baseline expectation," says Crompton.

TAL's approach may not be typical for an agency of its size, but it reflects a broader shift. Start-ups are no longer waiting to "grow up" before implementing purpose-driven policies. As Crompton puts it, "I genuinely believe that our creativity can be a force for good, and that means being intentional about our impact."

In a crowded industry, sustainability may be the differentiator that endures.