Download or read book Integrating Environmental Sustainability Into the Company s Strategy written by Arend Grünewälder and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2009-04 with total page 141 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Master's Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Business Ethics, Corporate Ethics, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences Essen, 120 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The findings of this research are most useful for those (e.g. executives, environmental managers) who view environmental sustainability as a vital issue for business and intend to develop a corporate strategy that responds to stakeholder's expectations while ensuring long-term performance. The aim of this research is to verify that shareholder is exactly the right focus for pursuing an environmental related strategy, and that key stakeholders are expecting firms are taking ownership on environmental issues. Central to the research question are identified barriers preventing companies from pursuing an environmental strategy. According to various surveys among executives, they regard environmental issues as strategically important, however relatively few companies appear to be translating the importance they place on these constraints into corporate action. The methodology of this study is to test hypotheses during an explanatory case study. Before testing the hypotheses, a descriptive literature research provides basic information, describing the topic as well as common practices and results from empiric studies. Then a case study serves as a research strategy to collect and analyze data for testing the constructed hypotheses. It explains the relationship between variables within the arguments which are environmental initiatives and the financial performance, reporting standards and effectiveness of communication to stakeholders, and meeting stakeholder's expectations with corporate practices. The findings from the second research phase, the real-life case study, are basically supporting the findings from the literature research. By expressing eco-efficient practices in financial terms, a significant impact to the estimated cash flow and return rate (RO

Download or read book Integrating Environmental Sustainability into the Company s strategy written by Arend Grünewälder and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2009-03-25 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Master's Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Business Ethics, Corporate Ethics, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences Essen, language: English, abstract: The findings of this research are most useful for those (e.g. executives, environmental managers) who view environmental sustainability as a vital issue for business and intend to develop a corporate strategy that responds to stakeholder’s expectations while ensuring long-term performance. The aim of this research is to verify that shareholder is exactly the right focus for pursuing an environmental related strategy, and that key stakeholders are expecting firms are taking ownership on environmental issues. Central to the research question are identified barriers preventing companies from pursuing an environmental strategy. According to various surveys among executives, they regard environmental issues as strategically important, however relatively few companies appear to be translating the importance they place on these constraints into corporate action. The methodology of this study is to test hypotheses during an explanatory case study. Before testing the hypotheses, a descriptive literature research provides basic information, describing the topic as well as common practices and results from empiric studies. Then a case study serves as a research strategy to collect and analyze data for testing the constructed hypotheses. It explains the relationship between variables within the arguments which are environmental initiatives and the financial performance, reporting standards and effectiveness of communication to stakeholders, and meeting stakeholder’s expectations with corporate practices. The findings from the second research phase, the real-life case study, are basically supporting the findings from the literature research. By expressing eco-efficient practices in financial terms, a significant impact to the estimated cash flow and return rate (ROI) generated by opportunity benefits was identified. Various practices were discovered to prove that smart companies focusing on the right accounting and reporting tools seize competitive advantage through strategic management of environmental challenges.

Download or read book Integrating Sustainability Into Business written by Xavier Font and published by UNEP/Earthprint. This book was released on 2005 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This manual aims at providing an overview of the many practices that have been explored by members of the Tour Operators' Initiative and is designed to help the individual in charge for promoting responsible tourism within a company to determine both what needs to be changed and how to facilitate those changes.

Download or read book An Integrated Approach to Environmental Management written by Dibyendu Sarkar and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2015-09-30 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covers the most recent topics in the field of environmental management and provides a broad focus on the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of environmental management Provides an up-to-date survey of the field from the perspective of different disciplines Covers the topic of environmental management from multiple perspectives, namely, natural sciences, engineering, business, social sciences, and methods and tools perspectives Combines both academic rigor and practical approach through literature reviews and theories and examples and case studies from diverse geographic areas and policy domains Explores local and global issues of environmental management and analyzes the role of various contributors in the environmental management process Chapter contents are appropriately demonstrated with numerous pictures, charts, graphs, and tables, and accompanied by a detailed reference list for further readings

Download or read book Sustainable Manufacturing written by Rainer Stark and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-01-16 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume presents the research results of the Collaborative Research Center 1026 “Sustainable manufacturing - shaping global value creation”. The book aims at providing a reference guide of sustainable manufacturing for researchers, describing methodologies for development of sustainable manufacturing solutions. The volume is structured in four chapters covering the following topics: sustainable manufacturing technology, sustainable product development, sustainable value creation networks and systematic change towards sustainable manufacturing. The target audience comprises both researchers and practitioners in the field of sustainable manufacturing, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

Download or read book Strategic information systems management for environmental sustainability enhancing firm competitiveness with Green IS written by Löser, Fabian and published by Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin. This book was released on 2015-07-06 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the last three decades, information and communication technologies have fundamentally changed the way we work, live and communicate. The ubiquity of internet services, which become increasingly interactive and complex, together with enhanced connectivity, facilitated by innovative mobile devices, induces an ever-rising demand for computing, storage and data transmission capacities. Today, information systems (IS) constitute the backbone of the globalized economy and are indispensable for modern business and production processes. At the same time, environmental sustainability has evolved as the most pressing societal challenge of the 21st century, in particular due to the looming threats of climate change. By virtue of their global influence and reach, business companies significantly contribute to the creation of environmental problems, but owing to their organizational knowledge, capabilities and resources, they also have the capacity and ability to play a key role in shaping the path towards a more sustainable development. The companies leading the way have noticed that corporate sustainability is not necessarily a burden that negatively impacts their bottom line. If strategically managed, environmental product and process innovations can decrease operational costs, enhance corporate reputation, and differentiate from competitors. With regard to environmental sustainability, IS play a contradictory role: on the one hand, the manufacturing, operation and disposal of information technology (IT) infrastructure are responsible for serious environmental impacts: from the mining of conflict minerals to carbon dioxide emissions that equal those of the airline industry to enormous amounts of toxic e-waste. On the other hand, IS are perceived as key enablers of a "green" economy: environmental management systems and the reengineering of business processes can substantially reduce the environmental impacts of business organizations, while technological innovations provide opportunities to decrease the ecological footprint of end-user products and services. Many organizations have started to implement first environmental measures to decrease IT energy consumption and to reduce operational costs, mostly in an unstructured and uncoordinated manner though. Although Green IS practices feature a considerable potential to increase corporate environmentalism while creating promising business opportunities, the adoption of enterprise-wide cross-functional initiatives aimed at implementing Green IS has been rather slow. Economic uncertainties regarding the long-term effects of Green IS adoption and the lack of appropriate management frameworks have been identified as main inhibitors of an encompassing implementation of Green IS initiatives throughout the enterprise. In this context, this thesis addresses relevant research gaps, contributes to theory development in the evolving Green IS research discipline, develops practice-oriented management frameworks, and emphasizes the importance of following a strategic approach to leverage the competitive potential of Green IS. This cumulative thesis comprises an introduction that includes a literature review and a pre-study, four theory-based conceptual research articles, and two empirical studies, one of them building on qualitative, exploratory case study research whereas the other relies on quantitative data which has been analyzed with structural equation modeling. This thesis targets four specific research goals to advance theory-building in Green IS research and to promote the adoption of Green IS in practice. First, this thesis clarifies and defines the central terms and key concepts Green IT, Green IS, Green IS strategy, and Green IS practices drawing on a transdisciplinary research approach. Second, the most important challenges and inhibitors of Green IS adoption are identified and characterized. In particular, the lack of management frameworks, which encourage a holistic implementation that follows a strategic rationale, the complexity of strategic Green IS alignment, the multi-dimensional performance impacts of cross-functional initiatives and, above all, the uncertainty relating to the business case of Green IS practices, are identified as the most pressing challenges. Third, current actions of business firms to address these challenges are examined. Building on exploratory case study research, distinctive Green IS strategies are identified in managerial practice. Most notably, the empirical insights from quantitative survey research suggest a positive relationship between Green IS adoption and firm competitiveness, thus decreasing the economic uncertainty which inhibits the implementation of far-reaching environmental initiatives. Fourth, practice-oriented management frameworks are developed. The fine-grained Green IS strategy concept advises the formulation of strategies addressing the corporate, competitive, and functional management level. The proposed typology of four Green IS strategies illustrates distinct strategic options, from which executives can choose under consideration of their competitive targets and the firm-specific context. To allow for consistency of Green IS strategies, the presented alignment framework facilitates coherence with economic and environmental corporate goals. Furthermore, the actors, roles and responsibilities relevant to the alignment process are described. In addition, a management framework for the holistic adoption of Green IS, which specifies decisive management areas and distinguishes between three degrees of environmental impacts, is presented along with a comprehensive catalogue of Green IS implementation measures. As a consequence, this research offers both empirical insights and conceptual models to advance the adoption of Green IS initiatives, thus meeting the challenges of climate change and turning corporate sustainability into a business opportunity. Informationssysteme (IS) zeigen in Bezug auf ökologische Nachhaltigkeit gegensätzliche Eigenschaften. Einerseits verursachen die Herstellung, der Betrieb sowie die Entsorgung von Informationstechnologie (IT) – Infrastrukturen schwerwiegende negative Umweltauswirkungen: Vom Abbau von Konfliktmineralien über Kohlendioxidemissionen bis hin zu beträchtlichen Mengen giftigen Elektroschrotts. Andererseits werden IS als Schlüsseltechnologien für eine nachhaltige Wirtschaft gesehen. Umweltmanagementsysteme und die Umgestaltung von Geschäftsprozessen können den ökologischen Fußabdruck von Organisationen bedeutend verringern. Zudem eröffnen technologische Innovationen neuartige Möglichkeiten, die Umweltauswirkungen von Produkten und Dienstleistungen über den gesamten Lebenszyklus hinweg zu senken. Zahlreiche Organisationen haben damit begonnen, einzelne Green-IT-Maßnahmen zu implementieren um den Energieverbrauch und operative Kosten zu senken. Allerdings verfolgen die meisten Unternehmen hierbei keinen strukturierten oder strategischen Ansatz. Obwohl Green-IS-Initiativen beachtliche Potentiale zur Verbesserung der ökologischen Nachhaltigkeit von Organisationen bieten und gleichzeitig vielversprechende wirtschaftliche Chancen eröffnen, schreitet die Umsetzung von bereichsübergreifenden Green-IS-Maßnahmen in Unternehmen nur langsam voran. Ökonomische Unsicherheiten in Bezug auf die Rentabilität derartiger Maßnahmen sowie der Mangel an adäquaten Management-Frameworks werden in diesem Zusammenhang als zentrale Hinderungsgründe für eine strategische und ganzheitliche Umsetzung von Green-IS-Initiativen identifiziert. Diese Dissertation adressiert diese Hinderungsgründe, schafft Schlüsselkonzepte für den neuen Green-IS-Forschungszweig, entwickelt praxisorientierte Management-Frameworks und hebt die Bedeutung eines strategischen Ansatzes bei der Implementierung von Green IS hervor. Diese Forschungsarbeit offeriert empirische Einblicke wie auch konzeptionelle Modelle um die Umsetzung ganzheitlicher Green-IS-Initiativen in Organisationen voranzutreiben. Unternehmen haben somit die Chance, den Herausforderungen des Klimawandels verantwortungsvoll zu begegnen und gleichzeitig durch eine nachhaltige Unternehmensführung Wettbewerbsvorteile zu generieren.

Download or read book Sustainability and company performance written by Lujie Chen and published by Linköping University Electronic Press. This book was released on 2015-09-03 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation approaches the question of sustainability and its influence on company performance, with special focus on the manufacturing industry. In the contemporary production environment, manufacturing operations must take into account not only profit, but also environmental and social performance, in order to ensure the long-term development of the company. Companies have to decide whether they should allocate resources to environmental and social practices in order to improve their competitive advantage. Consequently, in decision-making processes concerning operations, it is important for companies to understand how to coordinate profit, people, and planet. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the current situation regarding manufacturers’ sustainable initiatives, and to explore the relationship between these sustainable practices and companies’ performance, including financial performance, operational performance, innovation performance, environmental performance, and social performance. First of all, a structured literature review was conducted to identify sustainable factors considered to be important in the decision making of manufacturing operations. The findings were synthesized into a conceptual model, which was then adopted as the basis for designing the survey instrument used in this dissertation. Drawing on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reports, empirical research was performed to explore the relationship between environmental management practices and company performance. Interestingly, the findings showed that many environmental management practices had a strong positive impact on innovation performance. Sustainability disclosures and financial performance were further analyzed using extended data from the GRI reports. The results also showed that several sustainability performance indicators, such as product responsibility, human rights, and society, displayed a significant and positive correlation with return on equity in the sample companies. In order to further explore the research area and to verify these findings, a triangulation approach was adopted and new data were collected via a survey conducted among middle and large sample companies in the Swedish manufacturing industry. The results indicated that the sustainable improvement practices had a positive impact on company performance. Some environmental and social improvement practices had a direct and positive correlation with product and process innovation. Furthermore, findings suggested that better cooperation with suppliers on environmental work could help to strengthen the organizational green capabilities of the focal companies. When considering the company’s general approach to implementing sustainable practices, some interesting findings emerged. There were limited significant differences in sustainable practices when comparing different manufacturing sectors, and different countries and regions. However, the results showed that Swedish manufacturing companies often place higher priority on implementing economic and environmental sustainability practices than on social ones. This dissertation contributes to the literature on manufacturing sustainability. The study expands the understanding of how environmental, social, or economic perspectives as a triple bottom line can influence company performance and to a certain extent the supply chain. Identifying and understanding such relationships gives companies the opportunity to integrate sustainability into their manufacturing operations strategy in order to sustain their manufacturing operations over the long term.

Download or read book Handbook of Sustainability Driven Business Strategies in Practice written by Markovic, Stefan and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2021-12-07 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainability is a top priority for organizations and a key strategy in corporate agendas, but the effective deployment of any strategy demands that the strategy is consistent, functional, and aligned. This Handbook advocates sustainability strategies that encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions at department-level.

Download or read book Managing the Business Case for Sustainability written by Stefan Schaltegger and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 626 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The difficulties in moving towards corporate sustainability raise the question of how environmental and social management can be integrated better with economic business goals. Over the last decade, the relationship between environmental and economic performance, and more recently the interaction between sustainability performance and business competitiveness, have received considerable attention in both theory and practice. However, to date, only partial aspects of the relationship between sustainability performance, competitiveness and economic performance have been studied from a theoretical as well as an empirical perspective. And, to date, no unique relationship has prevailed in empirical studies. A number of explanations have been put forward to explain this, including methodological reasons, such as the lack of statistical data, the low quality of that data, or the fact that such data is often available for short time periods only. Other theoretical explanations have been developed, such as the influence of different corporate strategies or the relatively small influence of environmental or sustainability issues as one factor among many on the economic or financial success of firms. So, how should the business case for sustainability be managed? This is the starting point for this book, which compiles insights on a large number of aspects of the link between sustainability performance, business competitiveness and economic success in an attempt to provide a comprehensive and structured view of this relationship. The book provides an unrivalled body of knowledge on the state of theory and practice in this field and identifies prospective future fields of work. The book includes: conceptual frameworks for the interaction of social, environmental and economic issues in business environments; case studies of companies that have successfully integrated social, environmental and economic issues; analyses of the causal and empirical relationship between environmental and/or social performance, business performance and firm-level competitiveness; concepts and tools useful for improving business value with proactive operational strategies; assessment of the factors influencing operational sustainability strategies and their economic impact; and comparisons of interactions between sustainability performance and firm competitiveness across industry sectors and countries. Managing the Business Case for Sustainability is the definitive work in its field: the most comprehensive book yet published on the theory and practice of managing sustainability performance, competitiveness, environmental, social and economic performance in an integrated way. It will be essential reading for managers, academics, consultants, fund managers, governments and government agencies, NGOs and international bodies who need a broad and comprehensive overview of the business case for sustainability.

Download or read book Sustainable Strategic Management written by Jean Garner Stead and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Sustainable strategic management” refers to strategic management policies and processes that seek competitive advantages consistent with a core value of environmental sustainability.This book has been specifically written as a text to augment traditional graduate and undergraduate management courses on strategic management. It fills the need for a strategy text that gives full attention to sustainability and environmental protection. The authors have structured the book to follow the usual order of topics in any standard management text. Sustainable Strategic Management also features an on-going, chapter-by-chapter case study (Eastman Chemical Company) that exemplifies many of the principles of environmentally sound management practices.From creating organizational visions, to formulating goals and strategies, to strategy implementation and evaluation, this book provides readers with new ways of thinking about their organization’s role in the greater society and ecosystem. From the Authors’ Preface:Ours is the first book to integrate sustainability into strategic management. It covers the full gamut of strategic management concepts and processes that would be expected in any quality strategic management book, and it does so in a way that thoroughly weaves sustainability into each and every one of them. Students using this book understand such things as: why reducing materials and energy intensity is an effective functionallevel strategy, why socially differentiated products command premium prices, and why a business ecosystem pursuing a vision of social and ecological responsibility can dominate its market. Further, because the book is relatively short, reasonably priced, and very thorough in its coverage of strategic management concepts and ideas, it can be used either as a stand-alone text for graduate and undergraduate strategic management courses, as a supplement to another book, or as one of a group of short texts.

Download or read book A Guide to Sustainable Corporate Responsibility written by Caroline D. Ditlev-Simonsen and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book discusses the challenges and opportunities faced by companies in an age that increasingly values sustainability and demands corporate responsibility. Beginning with the historical development of corporate responsibility, this book moves from academic theory to practical application. It points to ways in which companies can successfully manage their transition to a more responsible, sustainable way of doing business, common mistakes to avoid and how the UN Sustainable Development Goals are integral to any sustainability transformation. Practical cases illustrate key points. Drawing on thirty years of sustainability research and extensive corporate experience, the author provides tools such as a Step-by-Step strategic guide on integrating sustainability in collaboration with stakeholders including employees, customers, suppliers and investors. The book is particularly relevant for SMEs and companies operating in emerging markets. From a broader perspective, the value of externalities, full cost pricing, alternative economic theories and circular economy are also addressed.

Download or read book Sustainable Development Goals and Integrated Reporting written by Cristiano Busco and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-11-15 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our planet faces massive economic, social, and environmental challenges. To deal with these challenges, the United Nations has promoted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to define global priorities and aspirations for 2030, and Governments worldwide have already agreed on these goals. In order to approach them practically, private and public organizations have to contribute to make SDGs happen by identifying and executing sustainable strategies as key drivers of their visions and business models. Building on the emerging concept of Integrated Thinking (IT), this book explores how modern organizations can leverage a long-term integrated strategy to reconcile financial stability with social and environmental sustainability and create enduring value for all stakeholders. By focusing on the value-creating role of business organizations in delivering on the promise of sustainable and inclusive development, the book enriches the debate on Integrated Thinking and Integrated Reporting (IR), with particular emphasis on the value creation process. This book offers an opportunity to discuss the way in which business organisations can rethink their management processes, accounting tools and reporting solutions, as they strive for both competitiveness and growth while contributing to the achievement of the SDGs, and long-term value creation more broadly. Based on the analysis of different case studies, the book explores how organizations are approaching these challenges and how they are connecting SDGs, to business models and strategies. Analysing the impact of SDGs on materiality, connectivity, and stakeholder engagement, this book provides an insight into how Integrated Thinking, Management and Reporting is currently practiced and in which way these managerial innovations can contribute to SDGs.

Download or read book Corporate Sustainability written by Ann Brockett and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invaluable guidance for complete integration of sustainability into reporting and performance management systems Global businesses are under close scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and their diverse stakeholders to focus on sustainability and accept responsibility for their multiple bottom line performance. Business Sustainability and Accountability examines business sustainability and accountability reporting and their integration into strategy, governance, risk assessment, performance management and the reporting process. This book also highlights how people, business and resources collaborate in a business sustainability and accountability model. Looks at business sustainability and accountability reporting and assurance and their incorporation into the reporting process Focuses on how the business sustainability and accountability model are impacted by the collaboration of people, business, and resources Presents laws, rules, regulations, standards and best practices relevant to business sustainability performance, reporting and assurance Organizations worldwide recognize the importance of all five EGSEE dimensions of sustainability performance and accountability reporting. However, how to actually assess sustainability risk, implement sustainability reporting, and obtain sustainability assurance remain a major challenge and best practices are evolving. Straightforward and comprehensive Business Sustainability and Accountability hits on all of the hottest topics around sustainability including multiple bottom line (EGSEE) performance and reporting, related financial and non-financial key performance indicators (KPIs), business social responsibility and environmental reporting.

Download or read book Integrating Environmental Sustainability Into Airport Contracts written by Zoe Haseman and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Synthesis 42: Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Airport Contracts provides examples of how airports might help drive environmental sustainability performance improvements at their facilities by integrating environmental sustainability concepts into contracts with contractors, suppliers, and vendors" --

Download or read book Practical Sustainability Strategies written by George P. Nassos and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The guide to sustainable strategies and tools to improve competitive business advantage, updated with practical case studies and supporting teaching material The revised and updated second edition of Practical Sustainability Strategies is filled with proven strategies and tools for organizations to integrate sustainability into their business models. Drawing on the authors’ research and years of hands-on experience, the book defines strategies that organizations can put in place to develop, extend, or maintain competitive advantage without harming the environment. Additionally, the authors provide tools for measuring and reporting progress and present illustrative case studies that clearly demonstrate the importance of implementing sustainability. Since the first edition was published in 2013, new strategies, measurements, and certifications have been developed. The book, which is used by several business schools around the globe, has been updated to include these new and effective strategies, including circular economy, the sharing economy, adaptation, resiliency, and strategies to fight climate change. This new edition also highlights the UN Sustainable Development Goals that have been adopted worldwide. This updated second edition: Covers new strategies, measuring systems, GRI, STARS and B-Lab certifications Offers teaching slides and questions for use in the classroom Explores the principles and importance of sustainability Examines more than 10 different sustainability strategies Presents the economic justification for sustainability with illustrative examples Written for sustainability managers, ESG professionals, engineers, process designers, policy makers, CEOs, business schools, and others, the second edition of Practical Sustainability Strategies offers an updated guide to the most recent strategies and tools that can be put into place to improve competitive advantage, while also providing a positive impact to the community and workplace.

Download or read book Integrating Sustainability in the Strategic Stage of an Innovation Process written by Kristel Dewulf and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book chapter explores the uptake of environmental sustainability in the front end of an innovation process, and the outcome of this stage: the design brief. The study is based on a content analysis of 80 design briefs from Belgian enterprises, a focus group with representatives from 14 Belgian companies and an in-depth interview with two Belgian chief executives. The results show an overview of the most and least used environmental sustainability strategies in the design brief and demonstrate a remarkable difference in uptake between large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises. Findings show that companies often deal with sustainability on a hidden and decomposed level. Furthermore, a generic model for the design brief process is presented with the different entry points for sustainability. Crucial factors for integrating environmental sustainability in the design brief are discussed in the last section. The paper concludes with a recommendation to integrate ecodesign targets in the design brief and discussing them with the decision makers in all the stages of the design briefing process. With no environmental commitment in the design brief towards the final product, no time, budgets, and staff will be allocated on this subject during the operational stage.

Download or read book Strategy and Sustainability written by Mike Rosenberg and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-30 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Business and environmental sustainability are not natural bedfellows. Business is about making money; sustainability is about protecting the planet. Business is measured in months and quarters; sustainability often requires significant short term costs to secure a sometimes uncertain long-term benefit. To some activists, all executives are exploitative, selfish “1 percenters”. To some executives, all activists are irresponsible, unyielding extremists. And yet engaging with the issue isn’t optional – all businesses must have a strategy to deal with sustainability and, like any strategy, this involves making choices. Strategy and Sustainability encourages its readers to filter out the noise and make those choices in a hard-nosed and clear-eyed way. Rosenberg’s nuanced and fact-based point of view recognizes the complexity of the issues at hand and the strategic choices businesses must make. He blends the work of some of the leading academic thinkers in the field with practical examples from a variety of business sectors and geographies and offers a framework with which Senior Management might engage with the topic, not (just) to save the planet but to fulfil their short, medium, and long-term responsibilities to shareholders and other stakeholders.“/p>