A green business functions in the best interests of the local and global environment, meaning it supports the community and economy dependent on a healthy planet. An environmentally aware business considers more than just profits — it considers its impact on society and the environment. Such a business is sustainable because it contributes to the health of the structure within which it operates, thereby helping construct an environment in which the business can thrive.
A sustainable business adheres to the triple bottom line , a term coined in by John Elkington, the founder of a British consultancy called SustainAbility. The three components of the triple bottom line are profits, people, and the planet. According to the scientific journal Environmental Sustainability , an island of plastic twice the size of Texas approximately 1.
This plastic harms marine life, and microplastics in seafood can end up in humans. Unchecked CO2 emissions are projected to contribute to a temperature increase of two degrees Celsius by , which will cause sea levels to rise and catastrophic weather events to increase.
Now is the time for businesses to become part of the solution, cut down on emissions and waste, and contribute to cultivating a livable planet. The case for sustainability is strong.
To become sustainable, your business must engage everyone who can contribute. Every individual can take steps to live and work more sustainably, but when it comes to improving sustainability in business, there are some people who are in a unique position to effect change.
Effecting change throughout an organization takes organizational leadership training and skills to make effective top-down decisions.
Business owners and leaders who possess organizational skills have the savoir faire to make strategic sustainability decisions that benefit the business, its employees, its customers, and the planet. Leaders are perhaps the most important link in the chain. Owners and executives have the intellectual acumen to identify the most effective sustainability strategy and initiatives, as well as the power to change policy and spur innovation. Administrators, managers, and supervisors have unique insights into the day-to-day operations of a business.
The future of business administration requires preparation to solve complex problems via unique perspectives, and the combination of skill and expertise to think of creative sustainability solutions. Admins, managers, and supervisors can provide valuable insights; because of their more hands-on role, they have a different perspective and understanding of how to improve business sustainability.
The HR department at your organization can play an important role in the development, creation, and implementation of company-wide sustainability policies. They can help ingrain these policies into the company culture and create a lasting shift in your business.
The HR team can act as a cultural ambassador, helping employees and new recruits feel recognized and valued as key drivers in efforts toward sustainability. Because these employees were working with the product directly, they knew exactly what could be improved.
Encourage employees to speak up and share their thoughts about how your business can become more sustainable. The results could contribute to both sustainability and profitability.
Here are just a few of the many benefits of operating a more sustainable business:. You can reduce your business costs by going green. For instance, using more efficient lighting or creatively reusing existing materials will save money. Most businesses pay off the cost of panels in five to seven years. The federal government even offers tax credits, rebates, and savings for going green.
Reputation management in business is about establishing a good image by aligning messages with actions. Among the most reputable companies for corporate social responsibility, Lego comes in at No. After it made the announcement, Lego immediately followed through with products produced from leaves and sugarcane.
The Danish toy company plans to use sustainable materials for all of its core products and packaging by People view sustainability as a plus, and companies with green values are eager to showcase them because of that fact. Going green shows the world you care about more than just making money. You can use this to your advantage when marketing your business and developing your brand identity. Our research shows that sustainability is a mother lode of organizational and technological innovations that yield both bottom-line and top-line returns.
You can earn more money and boost your bottom line by making your business more sustainable. The Management Dictionary covers over business concepts from 5 categories. What is MBA Skool? About Us. Business Courses. Quizzes test your expertise in business and Skill tests evaluate your management traits. Related Content.
Negative legacies contribute to deterioration e. Positive legacies contribute to improvement e. Processes Transparency — Open review and scrutiny is essential; one can claim not to be causing harm but this does not account for unintended consequences e. Waste Reduction — Resource conservation is critical; depletion of non-renewable materials must be avoided at all costs. Two frameworks that focus on this are Lean and Zero Waste. See by-product synergy , paper from agricultural residue.
Positive Impact — Safety zero harm, zero toxicity, zero strain is tantamount! Beyond safety going above the zero standard we must engage in life cycle management which involves managing for both present and future generations.
For details see Cradle to Cradle. Quality Control — Quality cannot be evaluated without standards; standards not only define baseline performance, they guide operational activities designed to meet and exceed those standards.
Standards must be documented in order to be controllable. Value Creation — any organization including non-profits must deliver value; value is determined by the level of demand that exists and organizations like organisms engage in behavior that responds and reacts to environmental stiumli. Ensuring value is created requires double-loop learning , stakeholder engagement and design of experiments.
In reality, it is more about the adaptation to changing environmental stimuli both physically and biologically. Rapid environmental changes cause species collapses. Gradual environmental changes cause adaptive reactions. The same occurs with organizations. Resilience and agility are becoming organizational mandates. Research is also showing that quality and innovation are necessary to sustain market value. Marketing and Comms.
Cecilia Wandiga. The Marketing and Comms channel is sponsored by.
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