Going green

Global warming is fast becoming the biggest threat to humanity’s survival.  The significant effects that this has on communities, health and climate have opened the eyes of many business owners.  With the bigger picture in mind, they are now looking for solutions that can be implemented in their own organizations.

While definitions may vary from site to site, a universal consensus on the main objective of sustainable businesses are apparent.  Sustainability in the business sense refers to the ability of the organization to perform its business processes and tasks in an environmentally responsible way. This means protecting the environment and its natural resources.

Gone are the days where an organization can call itself sustainable just because they use energy saving light bulbs and have a few paper recycling bins in some offices on the third floor.  Following the three ‘R’s (reduce, re-use, recycle) is but the beginning of the long journey of becoming a sustainable business.  It needs to be both socially and environmentally responsible.

Sustainability affects current and future profitability.  Choosing a feasible implementation strategy might result in an initial investment but will provide future cost saving to the organization.  A small change in the initial phase of product development can have a huge impact on the carbon footprint made by the organization.  A reduction in packaging materials will not only lead to fewer raw materials used, it will also decrease the cost of shipping.  A decrease in weight will also lead to more items being loaded on trucks, meaning fewer trips for trucks.  This will lead to a decrease in fuel cost, to just use a simple example.

Sustainable businesses do not only focus on their immediate environment.  They also promote corporate responsibility in providing their product free to needy and less fortunate individuals.  For example, Tyson Foods launched a campaign through the use of social media. They agreed to donate 100 pounds of chicken to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas for user comments on their blog.  Within two hours they had enough comments to load two trucks full of chicken.  This was delivered within the same day.

With governments worldwide currently sitting on the sidelines, it is up to the organization to become a sustainable business.  This is as good a time as any to examine your business practices, develop your sustainability strategy and implement it to help reduce the negative impact businesses have on the environment.