Economic Recovery: Business Sustainability Risk or Opportunity?

As we move forward into a new age of expanded eco awareness, the business practices of the past continue to evolve to meet shifting global expectations of the future.  This forward business sustainability progress can already be seen in the constantly evolving supply chain.  With consumer expectations always present on the front-end, legislative and resource pressures are being felt from all sides. However, does a rebounding economy just beyond the horizon present the next big supply chain risk or a business opportunity?

In a recent report from CEB – Risk Integration Strategy Council, an updated supply chain risk matrix was examined.  With the usual concerns still present, some surprising factors rising to the top may be signaling a positive shift for business.

As we all know, economic pressures continue to remain the most immediate concern for most companies.  However, CEB has identified talent risk and competitive pressures to be among the highest and most probable impact areas to be addressed by year’s end.   This may be yet another signal for companies to begin to plan for a business growth environment.   Are you ready?

To respond to the competition in a market recovery, businesses will need to reevaluate both internal and external resources.  Some key questions for your supply chain in a rebounding economy:

•    What changes resulting from the market shifts could result in major disruptions or potential business opportunities if managed effectively?

•    Are the business value drivers of key suppliers and customers aligned with the direction of the company to exploit a business growth environment?

•    Are current and future business risks accentuated or mitigated by the current supply chain relationships?

As we approach a point of rebound from these uncertain economic times, the business world stands at the crossroads.  While some organizations are taking a reactive approach, waiting to see how the market responds before taking business sustainability action, our professional consulting finds leading-edge organizations taking the opportunity to rework traditional business practices to transform recovery risk into business opportunity.

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

We Have Met the Enemy of the Gulf Oil Spill and He Is Us

BP and Tony Hayward are the villains of the day. As the oil keeps spilling from the Deepwater Horizon into the Gulf it’s easy to hate them. Hayward has made it easier with his comments and his yachting expedition. And the culture of cutting corners and failing to prepare for or stop the spill. It seems increasingly clear that BP took unnecessary risks, frustrated by the length of time the drilling job was taking.  

As easy as it is to blame BP and Hayward though, I’ve got to say it isn’t all their fault. It’s our fault too. Not to let anybody off the hook, but by continuing to burn oil in our cars and failing to find alternatives to oil in the decades since the 1970s oil shocks, we are all a part of this tragic story. 
 
We’re addicts, and like most addicts we’re having a hard time facing up to our addiction to oil.  The first step is moving out of apathy and denial to admitting the problem. 
 
The next step is taking positive action with clean and renewable alternatives.  Here’s how: Click Here to read more at Fast Company.
 

Glenn Croston is the author of “75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference” and “Starting Green”, and the founder of Starting Up Green, helping green businesses to get started and to succeed in every way.  You can also find him at www.EZGreenBiz.com. 

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

Sometimes We Forget

Sometimes, I think we forget what we’re talking about when it comes to the sustainability movement. Even the ardent professionals among us who try everyday to help the world’s people consume a little less or those trying to make the products and services that can create a better, more resourceful world, even the most globally conscious among us…they too sometimes forget what it is we’re really talking about when we say “sustainability.”

We’re not talking about anything less than the advancement of human civilization. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but it’s absolutely true. I would never pretend to know what political turmoil will come next or what piece of art will move the culture.  But I do know none of that advancement will take place without a powerful movement toward sustainability. There are simply more and more people on the planet competeing for the same number of resources. So if we do not rapidly change the way people consume and create those resources, we will not advance as a global civilization. Everything we do as modern people consumes energy: moving from place to place, writing our next piece of research, listening to music. Every bit of that requires energy and we don’t know where we’re going to get it all.

Buildings are no small part of that struggle. When taken together all sectors of existing buildings use 48% of the energy consumed in America, according to the folks at Architecture 2030. So the built environment is half of the energy crisis, half of the problem. As building professionals, when we tackle a problem like that–a problem so large–we aren’t just making things better for our client, we are advancing civilization.

The ancient Romans gave us infrastructure, the very idea that we could alter the earth and move its resources from place to place. Water, earth, grain: the idea that not only could these resources be stored, but shared between areas of plenty and areas of want was given to us by that flawed empire. The British gave us the first hint of globalization; the idea that products and services and government could actually function over vast distances. I’ve skipped over whole swaths of history and culture, but I ask you, what will our age be known for? We can be the people that usher in an age of unbridled ideas and instant communication, the people who not only created vast wealth, but were able to remake the way we used natural resources and became harmonious with the Earth. The power to create that age is within all of us…that’s what we work toward everyday when we talk about sustainability.

Build2Sustain is dedicated to sharing information about sustainable renovation and retrofit, particularly in commercial spaces.  We look to foster conversation and appeal to business owners with transparent processes and a realistic focus on ROI.

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

A Bottle’s Place?

A continuous discussion following yesterday’s International World Water Day, many may be left wondering: What about the plastic bottle?

The rapid growth in eco awareness over the last decade has many examining not only the health aspects but the environmental impacts of their water choices.  Within our sustainability consulting, we have seen a shift in the view of plastic bottles, specifically the growing number of water bottles. 

With water bottles now rivaling soda cans in numbers, the ‘Three Rs’ (reduce, reuse, recycle) have their place in water decisions.  When it comes to the plastic bottles, only two of the three sustainability concepts are applicable to plastic water bottles, as reusing plastic bottles is not advisable.

For many the most sustainable long-term option is to ‘reduce’  the use of plastic bottles.   With many bottles making their way into landfills combines with a growing awareness around health concerns around plastics, choosing alternatives may be the most sustainable long-term strategy.

However, a large number of consumers continue to prefer bottled water.  This makes recycling an important sustainable practice and necessary point of water education.  For the bottle that finds its way into the recycling bin, it can have a second life of recycled products such as Recycled-Content PET Carpet and recycled polyester clothing.

Water is a very important personal and business sustainability topic.  Taiga Company explores alternative options in water use and post water consumption.  Our professional consulting works with individuals and businesses to include reduce/recycle in water decisions and as part of an overall business sustainability plan.

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

Learn Secrets of Social Media/CSR Success at PRNewswire’s “Engage CSR 2010″ Virtual Conference

With the speed of business sustainability information rapidly increasing and global eco awareness constantly expanding, it has become increasingly important for companies to harness the power of social media to engage with stakeholders.

 
While the space is still emerging, questions surface: 

• How are leading brands and organizations showcasing their CSR activities in the social landscape?

• What are the best practices for success?
   

PR Newswire is kicking off its First Virtual Conference and Expo directed at answering those very questions.   Social media provides individuals, communities, businesses, and non-government organizations the ability to connect with business in meaningful discussion from anywhere in the world in real time.  To focus the corporate ear, business sustainability minded organizations are engaging with stakeholders, who have a vested interest in the success of the business and profoundly advance the sustainability conversation.
 
Learn from industry leaders, attend webinars, network with conference attendees, and visit various sponsor booths right from your desktop. And best of all it’s FREE!
 
Click here to register for the June 30th conference. 
 

Confirmed speakers include:

• Deb Berman, Managing Director, Justmeans

• Ronna Charles Branch, Global Reputation Management, Public Relations, UPS

• Dan Bross, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship, Microsoft

• Elaine Cohen, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond Business

• Suzanne Fallender, Director, CSR Strategy & Communication, Intel

• Beth Holzman, Manager, CSR Strategy, Timberland

• Maggie Kohn, Director CSR, Merck

• Mike Lawrence, Chief Reputation Officer, Cone

• Nancy Lublin, CEO, DoSomething.org & Founder, Dress for Success

• Michael Muyot, President & Founder, CRD Analytics

• Fabian Pattberg, Founder, Sustainability Forum

• Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire

• Dave Stangis, Vice President, Sustainability, Campbell’s Soup

• Sue Stephenson, Vice President, Community Footprints, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

• Julie Urlaub, Managing Partner, The Taiga Company

• Mike Wallace, Director of Sustainability Reporting, GRI

• Cynthia Walsh, Executive Director, Marketing, SELF Magazine

• And more!

 
See you there!
 

Home to one third of the earth’s trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company’s vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the “oxygen for your business”

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