Sustainability: business, life, environment

Since the introduction of the concept of the Triple Bottom Line, supporters and critics have debated the ability to link the environmental and social responsibility to business profitability.  Without a definitive financial incentive, companies have historically not been receptive to the idea of integrating sustainability concepts into core business practices.  However, recent trends tend to indicate that the business world may be changing their view.

Companies both large and small are learning first hand the value of integrating eco awareness into their operations, business strategies, and product deliveries.  Business sustainability is now both a top-line and bottom-line company focus.  Companies are going beyond the ‘feel-good’ and implementing business sustainability plans that target specific revenue generation and strategic sustainable cost reduction.

Our professional consulting practice has seen first hand how business sustainability strategies are making their way into corporate decision making.  In additions, recent reports indicate a that there is a significant shift in how the business world is addressing sustainability:

•    Corporate Engagement: The ‘2009 Greening of Corporate America’  report reveals, compared to 2006, fewer companies are viewing sustainability as an obligation and more of a value opportunity.

•    Strategic Planning: ‘The ROI of Sustainability: Making the Business Case’  discusses how top performing organizations now view sustainability as a "must have" strategy for long term business viability and success.

•    Technology and Innovation: Many companies have traditionally separated sustainability from business objectives.  In the Harvard Business Review report, ‘Why Sustainability Is  Now a Key Driver of Innovation’, top executives now believe sustainable innovation to be a key to progress and early movers will develop competencies that rivals will be hard-pressed to match

•    Business Operations: A recent report, ‘Sustainability: From the Boardroom to the Breakroom’, shows that consumer products companies now realize that manufacturing and distribution operations represent a major opportunity to achieve substantial gains in business sustainability.

Our sustainability consulting experience with leading organizations has shown there to be an exponentially increasing number of benefits to business sustainability, and we are currently working with clients who have built their companies around capturing this value.  Engaging small business resources to work directly with clients, we take proactive steps to create a business case for sustainability.