Additional Resources
for Business
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Sustainability is defined as: "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." |
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A survey of international business executives conducted in early 2008 by The Economist Intelligence Unit Report" found out that: - 57% of executives surveyed agree that the benefits of a corporate sustainability program outweigh the costs. Companies that had effective programs in place were on average 16% more profitable than competitors and had a share price that averaged 45% higher. -Energy savings programs can reduce the costs of office operations 35%-40% per year. - Worker productivity improves 2%-18% in a building that utilizes Green systems. - Sustainable commercial buildings yield an average 8%-9% overall reduction in operating costs, a 7.5% increase in building value, a 6.6% improvement of ROI, a 3.5% increase in occupancy and a 3% increase in rent levels. - An office building of 2,000 workers who recycle office paper reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions to the same extent as taking 119 cars off the road for an entire year. - Per unit costs of energy, water and sewage continue to escalate annually, so the value of reduction efforts grows each year. New government regulations and investments (including the recently passed stimulus package) are further enticing consumers and corporations,through tax incentives, to focus on green and sustainable energy practices. It is safe to say that Going Green has become a hot topic in the business world and is only going to gain momentum going forward. The question many companies ask is how to go green?. For a starter, the Waste Management corporation has put together a "Practical Guide to Developing a Successful Corporate Sustainability Program" which can be downloaded by clicking on the link. This report is a very good reading for businesses that are in the initial phases of developing an internal green program or for those that have started in the process but would benefit from a review of the required steps. Another way a corporate sustainability program is described is an Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS allows an organization to systematically manage its environmental and health safety matters. For a benefit and cost description of Environmental Management Systems (see below) There is a wealth of information on this subject at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website (www.epa.gov/ems/index.html). In 2001 EPA issued an updated thorough document on developing an EMS with small and medium-sized companies in mind. The report called an "EMS Implementation Guide to Small and Medium-Sized Organizations" can be downloaded here in a PDF format. This guide discusses why an organization should have an EMS, key EMS concepts, initial EMS planning, elements of an EMS and a roadmap for EMS development. Information Technology has been an area of focus for deriving green benefits. No wonder given the ever increasing use of technology equipment in the office. A recently issued (May 2009) report by the Symantec Corporation found that Green IT has reached a critical mass. 97% of companies surveyed are discussing their Green strategy and it is not only talking. Green budgets are on the rise with IT more willing to pay a premium on energy efficient products. A PDF copy of the Symantec Corporation report is made available to you by clicking on the link. Additional Resources: - "Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts (Business)" by Marc J Epstein, John Elkington, and Herman B Leonard (Hardcover - Jan 1, 2008). An authoritative book on sustainability practices at companies. - EPA's Environmental Stewardship website: Useful search engine to help businesses and institutions explore a variety of stewardship opportunities. - Fedcenter.gov: Links to over 100 web sites with resources to aid Federal facilities in developing and maintaining sustainable facilities and promoting sustainable practices. Many of the information provided by these websites is applicable to private companies. - Coalition for Environmental Responsibility & Economic Sustainability (CERES): is a national network of investors, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working with companies and investors to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change. -Business for Social Responsibility (BSR): is the world leader in corporate social responsibility (CSR) research and consulting. - Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC): Canada, Mexico and the United States cooperating to protect North America's shared environment. The North American Green Purchasing Initiative (NAGPI) of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation provides useful Green Purchasing Guides on its website. To download these guides click on the NAGPI link. - GreenBiz.com (www.greenbiz.com) is the leading online information resource on how to align environmental responsibility with business success. On this page and to the right we provide a Greenbuzz widget for your convenience. The widget updates news and articles as they are released on Greenbiz.com
Benefits and Costs of an Environmental Management Systems
The benefits of an EMS: * Improve environmental performance * Enhance compliance * Prevent pollution and conserve resources * Reduce/mitigate risks * Attract new customers and markets (or at least retain access to customers and markets with EMS requirements) * Increase efficiency * Reduce costs * Enhance employee morale and possibly enhance recruitment of new employees * Enhance image with public, regulators, lenders, investors * Achieve/improve employee awareness of environmental issues and responsibilities * Qualify for recognition/incentive programs such as the EPA Performance Track Program. The Costs of an EMS: * An investment of internal resources, including staff/employee time * Costs for training of personnel * Costs associated with hiring consulting assistance, if needed * Costs for technical resources to analyze environmental impacts and improvement options, if needed. |
