Defining Corporate Sustainability

This is part 3 of 5 in the Corporate Sustainability Explained Series.

In the last section of this series, we defined sustainability. In this section we take a look at how we apply the definition of sustainability to our organizations and find ways to reduce environmental impact.

Green products and services are everywhere these days. Does green advertising make a company sustainable?

Almost every company in every industry is now advertising a green product or service. Many product manufacturers claim that their product will make your company more sustainable.

Corporate Sustainability

Corporate Sustainability requires more than just purchasing products with a green label. Corporate sustainability requires we operate our organizations and live our daily lives in a way that satisfies our current needs while providing the resources future generations require to meet their needs. The primary areas of concern from our current production model are:

• Emission of greenhouse gases
• Energy and water consumption
• Waste production
• Environmental impact of our buildings
• Lack of clarity on the life cycle environmental impacts of products and services
• Disappearing biodiversity
• Environmental and social impacts of our supply chains

We must address each of these to reduce the impact of our organizations on the natural world.

In business, this presents great risks and great opportunities.

What are the risks to your business if

• Commodity prices fluctuate wildly
• Your water is polluted
• Consumer groups threaten lawsuits over toxicity

What can your business gain if it is positioned to minimize use of

• Virgin materials
• Water pollution
• Toxic products in your supply chain

To successfully address these issues, our organizations leadership needs to understand the risks of continuing our current product model and also needs to understand the business opportunities found in sustainability. In fact, organizational leadership in developing a sustainable business model may be the most important aspect of corporate sustainability. Without leadership’s support of sustainability initiatives it is nearly impossible to make sustainability a fundamental priority in our organizations.

Continue Reading - Page 4 of 5: Who’s Who in Sustainability.

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