Corporate Environmental Responsibility
Nov 01, 2014
Corporate Environmental Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
The term "corporate social responsibility" came into common use in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s after many multinational corporations formed the term stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organization's activities have an impact.
Corporate Social ResponsibilityActivities contribute to business performance
Engage with stakeholders; internal and external
Incorporate values to make it a part of an articulated belief system
Cause-related Marketing Cause-related Partnerships Voluntary Monitoring; Environmental Charters
Important to and even expected by the public Easily monitored worldwide
Corporate Environmental ResponsibilityDo corporation have a social responsibility to
protect the environment beyond legal requirements?
Can they do so on a sustainable basis?
Should firms sacrifice profits for positive environmental impacts?
Conflict between intent and practice
Corporate Environmental ResponsibilityFrom a purely scientific standpoint,
companies have to begin being sustainable
Most pollution is directly tied to corporate enterprises
Climate Change initiatives mean increased governmental regulation; reactive vs. proactive
Corporate Environmental ResponsibilityOpportunities to save money directly by
reducing energy use or waste;Many leading companies are demanding
partners also conduct themselves in a socially-conscious manner; and,
Potential government intervention of more costly and less flexible regulation if business does not self-regulate.
Environmental, Social, and Governance
ESG companies tend to share the following attributes:
Are leaders in their industries Are better managed and are more forward-
thinking Are better at anticipating and mitigating risk Meet positive standards of corporate responsibility Are focused on the long term success of the
company
www.esgmanagers.com/sustainable_investing/what_is_esg
Challenges for Small Businesses
• Do small businesses have to make trade-offs/ concessions?
• Is this model sustainable?
• Must increase the customers’ willingness to pay or reduce costs; increase revenues vs. decreasing cost of inputs
InitiativesLead by example by reducing energy use and
GHG emissions throughout our operations, and encouraging our vendors and business partners to do the same
Foster transparency and provide complete, accurate, and timely environmental impact reports
Promote environmental standards, such as ISO 14001, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and GHG Protocol
Encourage dialogue about environmental issues among our customers, analysts, and non-government organizations (NGOs)
GoalsReduce energy and water consumption 20%
by 2020. Green our supply chain; procurement of
materials, office supplies, and equipment.Educate and inspire associates and
customers to conserve and preserve.Address environmental challenges through
conservation initiatives, charitable giving, and volunteerism.
Action ItemsRoute Scheduling- longer lead times to make
routes more efficient (FTLs); timing to maximize portion of the day when less GHG emitted
Reconditioned Drums and recycled fiber drums
Recycling totes and metal framesProcuring office supplies with post-consumer
recycled contentRenewable Energy Credits/ Carbon Offsets
Quick & Easy Tips to Save EnergyActivate the power-save function on your computer ;
turning off your monitor when you walk away for 20 minutes and your computer when you leave your desk for more than two hours; turn off your lights
Cut related energy bills by 30 percent by purchasing ENERGY STAR products when shopping for office equipment and other products
Seal off unused areas and reduce or eliminate heating and cooling in these spaces.; storage rooms, warehouses, and unoccupied areas
Renewable Energy CreditsNC GreenPower 501 (c) (3);
ncgreenpower.org