CSR: Everything you always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask…

Regardless of how you view corporate responsibility, there is no denying that it has been increasingly grabbing more news space in mainstream and alternative media than ever before. Especially in the wake of the ongoing BP oil spill fiasco, there remain some core questions regarding the extent, criteria and involvement of CSR that could use some honest answering. Whether you ask these questions as involved consumers or informed professionals, the answers remain central to the heart of our daily decision making: How do personal accountability and responsible actions extend to the brand I work for and associate myself with?

I turned to consulting expert and CEO of Korngold Consulting, Alice Korngold, who helps companies build fully integrated CSR strategies, including leadership development through nonprofit board service. (See below for more info on Korngold Consulting.) Bluntly candid and extremely relevant, the following Q&A should help you demystify CSR on the social, environmental, corporate and personal levels.

Also, stay tuned later this week for the complete interview, where we discuss her experience with company boards and nonprofits, what a good integrated CSR strategy involves, how the changing economic landscape is redefining MBA curricula, and dig deeper into the many aspects that together translate into corporate social responsibility.

Should I, as an individual, really be worried about saving the planet in the middle of a recession when getting that paycheck is way more of a priority?

This is a personal decision. Some people have a personal drive to work on environmental issues. Unless that is the case for you, then you should pursue jobs that interest you regardless of environmental matters. And, eventually, if and when you want to, you can always add volunteering to your activities.

Should I, as a company, really be worried about saving the planet amidst a recession when keeping that bottom line positive is way more of a priority?

As we see with BP, companies that are not paying attention to risk management, and environmental practices ultimately put their companies, their shareholders’ value, and their employees’ paychecks in jeopardy. In a cost-benefit analysis, it’s quite obvious that BP would have been better off making better plans for the possibility of this oil spill; that would have been referred to as plans to protect the environment, or “save the planet.”

I eat organic, why is it important that I work for a company that is sustainable in its operations?

Sustainable as a business means it is long-lasting, so that’s a good thing. I imagine you want to work with a company that invests in its people and the communities where it works so that the company has good, long-term relationships and prospects. Also, with BP as the negative example, I think you want to work at a company that is purposeful in how it uses the earth and the environment so that the resources are there for the long-term. For example, many companies, such as PepsiCo that rely on water for ingredients and production are investing heavily in efficiency in their operations, preserving water resources and enabling access to safe water.

I’m doing my part by volunteering for causes I care about, why should I have to worry about my company giving back? They have a great benefits package so they are, in a way, giving back!

Giving back in the communities around the world where your company does business is a way for your company to build good relationships. Also, many of your colleagues at work enjoy the opportunity to volunteer through work; they enjoy doing something with colleagues that is other-than-work, and they appreciate their company making volunteering easy and accessible.

I want to approach my boss about becoming more responsible in our operations and business strategy, but hesitate that it might paint me as a softie. I mean is there really a definable triple bottom line?

People: It depends on what your company does. As far as people go, I’d have to first ask you who the people are whom your company would like to bond together for relationship-building? Certainly the employees, in order to help them feel good about the company, enjoy working at the company and with each other (team-building), and maximize their productivity.

Next, most likely your company is interested in building relationships with the community where your company lives. This is valuable for a number of reasons, including “crisis glue;” that is, if something goes wrong, you want good will in the community towards your company. (I’ve seen this work in favor of a company that built good will, and I’ve seen it work against a company that had shunned volunteering prior to the crisis.) Additionally, if the vitality of the community where your company lives is relevant to your business, that’s another reason for your company to engage in service. If you sell consumer products in the community, that’s another point too.

Planet: Ask BP if regard for planet is relevant. If your company does not pay attention to environmental factors, it can come back to bite them. On the other hand, companies that think long-term about environmental factors will not only win good will, but are likely to have the resources they will need for the long term.

Profits: Companies see that CSR is good for business.

I get that CSR is important, but I’d rather work as an investment banker, consultant or lawyer after my MBA, and start paying off that college loan. If I personally do well, it’ll enable me to do more for my community. Right?

Absolutely! That’s a personal decision. And if that’s the decision you make, you will have plenty of opportunities to volunteer or serve on boards and to make charitable contributions whenever you are ready.

A company’s reputation and work culture is important in my decision to work for them, but not really their CSR quotient. It doesn’t affect me personally, does it?

Again, that’s entirely a personal decision. Also, your first job won’t be your last job. Try it and see.

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Alice Korngold is the CEO of Korngold Consulting LLC, which assists corporations in building fully integrated, high-impact CSR strategies, including leadership development through nonprofit board service. Korngold Consulting also trains and places business executives on nonprofit boards, and consults to nonprofit boards and leaders to strengthen governance for financial and strategic success. Besides being a vocal advocate of corporate responsibility on Twitter, Ms. Korngold is also an expert blogger for Fast Company.

Aman Singh is the CSR Editor at Vault.com, where she focuses on how corporate diversity practices and sustainability translate into recruitment and strategic development. Her blog, In Good Company, discusses on many of these issues.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Green Teams Putting the Green in Business

Implementing sustainable change can be unsettling, create a shift beyond our comfort levels, or be experienced as outright scary. Sometimes it is just easier to slip back into a traditional and comfortable way of doing things.  However, implementing effective sustainable change does not have to be a laboring process.  In fact, it can be very rewarding.

 Our sustainability consulting encourages clients to be aware that sustainable change can be easily integrated into daily business practices when it is realistic, achievable and beneficial.  One way to get started on your path to business sustainability is to create a green team. 

  ”Green Teams”, a formal or informal group of people in a company who are passionate about environmental issues, are gathering in offices across America to brainstorm solutions and promote ways in which their company’s practices can become more environmentally sustainable.  As explained in our sustainability consulting, a green team can reduce paper use, increase recycling, promote energy conservation, and more, making a huge difference within a department or building.  Following are suggestions to get your own green team going:
 

• Start by finding interested individuals, encourage co-workers from different levels and parts of your organization, and meet with management to get approval and buy-in for the idea.
• The best way for your green team to blossom it is to pick an initial project that everyone can get behind. Pick the lowest hanging fruit. The easiest thing to start with is to establish a recycling program or tangible projects that are easiest to benchmark success.
• Remember to set goals and strategies—identify your purpose, whether your goal is to cut costs or to be environmentally responsible, or both.   Create a timeline of how you would like to progress as well as set up future benchmarking activities to ensure that it is being implemented as planned.
• Celebrate success!  Communicate your success to internal and external stakeholders. Ride the momentum of your achievement and look for other pilot projects to expand eco awareness.  Training and educating others is a great way to keep others informed as well as invite them to participate in future sustainable business activities.

 
Green teams help business capture the benefits of sustainable business: reduce business costs, improve business reputation, and attract and maintain top job candidates.  Get your green team started today

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Sustainability Solving Supply Chain Issues

To manage stable operations requires sustainable source of quality supply.  The businesses we speak with today have a growing concern with the health and future of their supply chains.  In fact, many companies cite supply risk as a high business priority for the next few years.  Some organizations are turning to sustainability as a potential solution.

In today’s global business environment, it is rare for a company to own an entire product or service value chain.  Business operations rely heavily on external sources.  This has made the supply chain a critical component of business success. 

According to a recent post by Harvard Business, major companies are changing their view of business sustainability issues.  By coupling supply chain best practices with business sustainability strategies, many companies are opening the door to improved consistency and reliability of supply, even in these unstable economic times.  

We find that many of the companies we work with and follow are implementing new sustainable supplier qualifications and internal procurement policies to create a more sustainable supply chain.  Some of the elevated supply function actions we have observed include:

•    Evaluating business needs, market conditions, and sustainability value drivers (research / benchmarking) to improve supplier relationships or initiating sourcing.

•    Improving sustainable material selection and supplier manufacturing processes as part of supplier selection criteria.

•    Establishing key supplier performance metrics to ensure continuous alignment with sustainability targets.

•    Reducing inventory levels on non-critical supply resulting in lower carrying cost, waste and material obsolescence not only internally but across the entire supply chain.

The ability to effectively engage key supply chain stakeholders in long-term business sustainability we believe is a required “stay-in-business” strategy.  By adding general eco awareness or simply incorporating a few sustainability concepts into and existing supply chain best practices, companies can proactively address supply stability and quality issues from a different perspective.

At Taiga Company, our professional consulting works with clients to build a long term business sustainability plan that identifies and cultivates critical touch points in the supply chain.  Our sustainability consulting stresses the value in taking proactive steps to engage and leverage the supply chain.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

From Billboards to Bags: AdVinylize Repurposes Advertising Waste

A large part of our visual environment is composed of billboards, with a limited life span and which ultimately end up in the landfill. But now they can be turned into headturning accessories, thanks to this unique company.

One big selling point of billboard ads is their ability to be seen by just about anyone, and they last a long time. But what about the downside? For companies that create or commission billboard advertisements, once the campaign is over, the after product is 85 pounds of used vinyl, which for all intents and purposes is useless. Unless it gets repurposed, that is.

AdVinylize takes these used, dirty, vinyl billboard ads and transforms them into a unique promotional product: bags of all shapes and sizes, made from the leftovers of billboard advertising campaigns that have run their course.

The president of promotional products manufacturer Your Promo Place, Sue Rigler, says that she became increasingly shocked by the disposable nature and waste generated through all of the promotional products produced by her industry.

“Many of the products sourced in our industry are a huge problem for the landfills. I think about this when presenting options to my clients and always offer responsible choices.”

So she developed the AdVinylize line, with the intent of bringing high quality, effective and affordable products to a disposable industry, and reducing waste at the same time by reusing a premium resource.

Companies that are conscious of their environmental image have a need for branded, sustainable promotional products – products that could appropriately demonstrate a company’s commitment to the environment by reusing that same company’s own advertising materials to reduce their contribution to the waste stream.

AdVinylize can transform a company’s own billboard vinyl into durable promotional products to give away at their next event, or, if they don’t have their own material, can use other billboard vinyl to create products that coordinate that company’s brand colors. They will arrange everything from the pickup of the vinyl to the manufacture and delivery of the finished goods.

From messenger bags and grocery totes to insulated cooler bags, wine totes, and checkbook covers, AdVinylize has a range of products that can be made from these old billboard ads. The number of items that can be made from each one depends on the products, as they take differing amounts of materials.

According to AdVinylize, the billboard vinyl is resistant to UV, rain, snow, wind and heat, which means that the goods made from them will probably survive anything that the average user could put them through. And one single billboard goes a long way – each one is big enough for 100 grocery totes!

So if you’re thinking of giving away promo products for your next event, consider getting in touch with the folks over at AdVinylize. They’ll help you back up your company’s commitment to sustainability, while providing a truly unique product.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behavior on our website, through our Greenopolis recycling kiosks and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP7110

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Petroleum Saved the Whales

In his 1991 “can’t–put-it-down” book The Prize, Daniel Yergin writes engagingly about the birth and rise of the petroleum industry. In the 1850’s, society was using whale oil for lighting homes, and the big beasts were getting scarcer all the time. Rising prices for whale oil kept whaling ships in the hunt, and a search for a cheap abundant substitute was afoot. Enter “rock oil”, petroleum pooling on the ground in Pennsylvania. It was used to make kerosene, and as people switched wholesale to kerosene lamps instead of whale oil, the whaling industry died down, and the whales got a respite from a march to extinction.

But now petroleum is the problem, not the solution. Like the whales, oil is getting scarcer relative to demand, but rising prices keep oil drilling rigs in the hunt for more crude. A search for green alternatives is afoot, from natural gas (a fossil fuel, but far cleaner and producing far less waste CO2 than oil) to electric vehicles, bio fuels and wind, solar and new generation nuclear power that uses nuclear waste as fuel, dramatically reducing its radioactive danger in the process.

Oil continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico as of this writing. The brown crude sludge is reaching beaches, marshes, fisheries and estuaries along the Gulf Coast, killing dolphins, turtles and sea birds. Isn’t it time to try a bold new direction? While BP attempts, “top hats”, “top kills” and “junk shots” to stem the flow, we have a “unique shot” right now for a “Fuels Revolution “- after all, 2/3rds of the oil we pump goes into fuels and transportation.

Thomas Friedman nails it again in his recent NY Times column, Obama and the Oil Spill. He makes the point that just as we had a real opening to dramatically shift from fossil fuels after 9/11, we face a similar opportunity now. Only the deepest denial can block out the images of the oil and gas escaping from the BP oil well a mile below the Gulf. The massive waste of resources, lives, livelihoods and the sensitive coastal environment cry “Wake Up!” It’s clear to this writer that now is the time-again – to radically turn from oil and coal and build the next industrial age. An age where, like Ma Nature, we ride the free energy of the sun, and the solar, wind, and biofuel energy it provides.

It will take decades to remove the needle of oil addiction from the veins of society and get clean and sober as a species. We are all junkies strung out on fossil dope. But like any addiction, delay just makes the inevitable consequences worse. I’m cutting my driving to the bone, scoping out the electric vehicles for my next ride, and seriously looking into a horse and buggy for local travel. The Amish may have it right about internal combustion.

Friedman suggests we add a hefty tax to gasoline, (offset by a reduction in payroll tax) and use the funds to spur solar, wind, biofuel and other green energy development. Nobody likes higher taxes, but hey, when you’re headed into detox, you’ve got to pay the piper. The luxury of denial and delay is past. It’s time to go cold turkey into a waste free green energy future, before more of nature’s marvels disappear beneath the waves.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behavior on our website, through our Greenopolis recycling kiosks and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP7113

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Eco Thinking Key to Greening Conferences

Bringing people together for meetings, often for multiple days at a time, can create a “host” of environmental impacts—from the smog and greenhouse gas emissions associated with air and ground travel to the paper, plastic, and food waste associated with feeding attendees.  In fact, Marriott Hotels, estimates that the average three-day meeting attended by 1,000 people produces more than 12 tons of trash, uses 200,000 kilowatts of power and consumes 100,000 gallons of water.

 An aspect of business sustainability is making informed choices regarding green meeting planning.  This includes everything from site selection to meeting materials to catering.   Every eco action can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the event.  According to recent research, more than two-thirds of meeting professionals take environmental considerations into account when planning their conferences.  How are they doing this? By keeping eco awareness at the forefront of their decision making.   Within our professional consulting practice, we advise clients to consider the following areas in planning a meeting with eco awareness:
 

• Waste management and recycling
• Water conservation
• Energy efficiency

 
As eco awareness has expanded, more small business resources are available to help extend sustainability concepts into the planning process.  We mention quite a few resources in our business sustainability consulting.   However, for the serious planner, participation in the Green Meeting Industry Council is a must.  The Green Meeting Industry Council   is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization. It  s a membership-based professional organization which provides educational resources to planners, suppliers, and venues seeking to meet the ever-rising standards consumers set for sustainable meetings.  Specific resources of interest include:
 

• Carbon Offsets and Event Calculators
• Green Lodging
• Books, Tips, Publications for Green Meeting and Events
• Sustainable Tourism Organizations and Initiatives:

 
In our professional consulting in the area of business sustainability, we share with clients that planning or supplying a green meeting gives a business a competitive edge, a great reputation, and can save time and money in the process. 

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily