Argues why businesses should move beyond the duality of environmental concerns and making money to expos the false divide between environmental and business thinking. It makes the case that doing so is important in order for the organization to operate successfully, and thrive, in an increasingly resource constrained world. by Christopher Gleadle, author of Sustainable […]
In this post Elaine focuses on the importance of critically reviewing the organization’s sustainability reporting by posing and then speaking to a series of questions that focus in on various aspects of how to evaluate the current state of an organizations sustainability reporting.
Lean manufacturing practices and sustainability are conceptually similar in that both seek to maximize organizational efficiency. Where they differ is in where the boundaries are drawn, and in how waste is defined. Sustainability expands the definition of waste to include the wider range of consequences of business actions including environmental and social consequences. Lean processes are inherently less wasteful and in this sense promoting lean processes can help organizations become more sustainable.
Looks at the importance of sustainable packaging in achieving a sustainable supply chain. Many factors ranging from form factor, packaging weight, to recyclable post consumer content and so forth acting in concert go into green packaging, which can lead to significant cost savings throughout the supply chain, at each single step where packaged materials are used, including consumer packaging itself. The post goes on to list important considerations and attributes related to green packaging.
In this post Jennifer uses excerpts from an article on change management and applies the seven strategies outlined in the article to the specific challenge of getting employees to change their habitual behaviors in ways that help the organization achieve its sustainability goals. Actually getting people to adopt change in their lives is a lot more involved than a glossy vision statement that outlines lofty and worthy goals; unless the message connects with the people it needs to reach it will soon be forgotten.
In this post guest author Bob Faulhaber does a little bit of self examination, using his own personal life to illustrate the many ways and the many habits we may have that might make us considerably less green than we would like to think we are. He takes stock of how he lives; in what kind of house; his work; his car; his kids and his personal habits.
This post highlights how facilities management is an important, if often unsung part of so many businesses… any businesses with facilities, in fact. Sustainable facilities management is an area that can have a profound and near term impact on overall business sustainability. Very large potential energy savings and hence carbon footprint reduction could be realized in facilities management areas such as HVAC or lighting for example; the embodied energy of facilities — their materials and recurring requirements; how runoff is handled and so forth all are areas in which sustainable facilities management can really impact the triple bottom line in a positive way.
Using financial data from 1,833 firms with US revenues of more than $1 billion in 2008/09, independent analyst firm Verdantix finds that spending on 29 sustainability initiatives will grow from $28 billion in 2010 to $60 billion in 2014. Over the 2009 to 2014 period the US sustainable business market will experience a 19% compound annual growth rate. The sustainable business market forecast finds that growth of 11% in 2010 will increase to 16% in 2011 and 24% in 2012. Growth in spending is driven by improved economic growth, risk drivers, competitive dynamics, innovation diffusion, higher oil prices, state-level GHG regulations and renewable energy policies. The study covers all industries and all sustainability initiatives from energy efficiency to spending on strategy, risk and brand.
sustainability as a profit centerA new Aberdeen report serves as a roadmap for those attempting to match environmental and social stewardship to clear, actionable, and measurable improvements to their bottom lines – thus ensuring the sustainability of their business ecosystem.
