Mgmt 326 Research Paper

Hershey’s company originated with candy-manufacturer Milton Hershey’s decision in 1894 to produce sweet chocolate as a coating for his caramels. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the new enterprise was named the Hershey Chocolate Company. In 1900, the company began producing milk chocolate in bars, wafers and other shapes. With mass production, Hershey was able to lower the per-unit cost and make milk chocolate, once a luxury item for the wealthy, affordable to all.

Sustainability is a growing concern for many individuals and companies as resources are becoming increasingly limited, hazardous, and expensive. Over the last few years, more people have been informed about sustainable options, which have been easier to obtain and contribute to, as well as wanting to purchase more sustainable options from companies. Since the idea of sustainability is so broad, everyone can contribute in a way they feel is most beneficial. Whether individuals and companies are giving back for personal or self-regarding reasons, it is still helping give back to the environment and provide a more sustainable future.

This incorporates producing their own energy at our stores and offices, lessening GHG discharges and making their private trucks more proficient. Because of developing customer interest for earth mindful items, Walmart started a Sustainable Product Index program in mid-2009 with the objective of looking at its supply chains and making a file that will rank items on different measures of ecological effect. An introductory supplier evaluation has been finished and a Sustainability Index Consortium is presently at work constructing the devices and social event the information important to make a last item level sustainability file. Whenever complete, such a list will permit customers and makers to effectively pick from the items and production methods, separately, that outcome in less effects to the earth.

In 2014, Coco-Cola put a plan in action to introduce the idea to the world that they would become a part of the private partnership that would support more recycling of their products. The goal was to create curbside recycling, and education support as well on the benefits of doing that. Coco-Cola also replaced some of their signature formulae with ingredients from plants. Once again their company implanted the changes while working on creating a bottle made from plants. They are currently working on a product that can help with climate change. The bottle was a success and the first footprints towards becoming more conscious of their environment.

Walmart constantly initiates sustainability initiatives which postively affects the customer’s environmental behaviors, employees and its suppliers. It also promotes sustainablity to its employees by initiating ‘personal sustainability project’ (PSP) where employees are committed to responsible acts in front of their coworkers like from quitting smoking to replacing their lighting system at their house with energy saving bulbs. Because Walmart operates under very stringent environmentally focused practices they also enforce many laws to its suppliers to examine the carbon life cycle of their products and change the way they manufacture, package and transport the goods. This strategy saves Walmort extra costs which in turn reduce costs on the poducts they sell and which adversely can save customers money. This creates a win-win scenario for both Walmart and its

In other efforts to be environmentally conscience, PepsiCo has reduced the packaging weight of their products by more than three hundred fifty million pounds, which exceeded their goal by more than twenty percent. In addition, PepsiCo has recycled approximately ninety-one percent of the waste, allowing less than nine percent to be sent to landfills. In some of the company facilities around the world as little as one percent of waste is sent to the landfills. Recycling of packaging is another commitment of PepsiCo. This commitment is being accomplished by using materials that are compatible with readily accessible recycling systems. (Environmental Sustainability)

It was founded in 1894 by Milton S Hershey as a subsidiary to the Lancaster Caramel Company. Hershey’s products are sold in more than sixty countries across the world within the confectionary market. Its main competitor is Mars, Inc. (Mars) (MarketLine 2013)

Around the world and throughout this survey, we see encouraging examples of pioneering companies that have recognized the imperative of sustainability and created strategies and solutions to effectively respond to the issue. For a growing number, the concept of sustainability goes far beyond corporate social responsibility (CSR). It has become the strategic lens through which they view their businesses. For these organizations, sustainability offers an undeniable opportunity to gain competitive advantage, drive innovation and generate real bottom- line results. By treating sustainability as an investment rather than a cost, they have adjusted their business models to drive long-term change and make them more competitive in the

There is an increasing focus towards business sustainability in the present times. Companies are expected to operate in a manner that they do not harm the environment or impact stakeholders in negatively (Daft, 2008). Unethical and unsustainable practices are condemned with stakeholders particularly the consumers, governments and pressure groups openly pressurizing companies to change their practices and accept responsibility for their actions (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011). For multinational corporations, attaining sustainability within their supply chains is important. Even though supply chain sustainability is an emerging concept, large corporations are showing interest towards developing sustainable supply chain.

The global component of The Hershey Company’s supply chain is something that requires mention. The relationships that Hershey has developed in nations such as Africa are good not only for Hershey but also the countries themselves. It allows very poor nations to be able to offer steady employment and a future to many people. And since cocoa can only be grown within three degrees from the equator, the relationships developed are important for Hershey’s survival. Hershey is always looking to ensure the best relationships with companies that are as environmentally sound. It is hard to know how they have done it, but they have developed relationships that are good for the planet too. “Those kind of efforts have landed The Hershey Co. on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and North American index, as well as being recognized in 2013 at No. 98 by Corporate Responsibility Magazine in its annual list of the top 100 corporate citizens (Sadowski)”.

The concept of going green has been a growing trend in recent years across all types of industries. Some have argued that it’s simply a fad that can be attributed to the popularity of global awareness amongst celebrities, but in reality it is more than that. It is redefining the way the business world works. As more companies expand on an international level, more stress is put on the surrounding environment to accommodate those expansions. While the bottom-line still is the primary goal of companies, they must now react to the new values of their consumers, which include protecting the community that they are a part of. This results in companies like Patagonia, an outdoor clothing company based in Ventura, CA, Bamboo Sushi, a sushi restaurant in Portland, Oregon, and Ben and Jerry’s, the famous ice cream brand coming out of Vermont, focusing on different bottom-lines but similar socio-economic goals. These companies aren’t in the same industry, but those socio-economic goals like high levels of sustainability are being shared across lines. Patagonia, Bamboo Sushi, and Ben and Jerry’s are all Benefit Corporations. Emerging from the non-profit, B-Lab, Benefit Corporations (B Corporations) are corporations focused on “using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems” that our society is starting to face (What are B-Corps?, 2014).

Environmental sustainability for example is a growing concern and businesses have been identified as a top contributor to the problems of increasing pollution. It has been estimated that “Just 100 companies have been the source of more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988”3. Although businesses are largely responsible for this there are also many solutions that businesses can provide. For example, business can modify products and the packaging/manufacturing of these items to use fewer materials, thus creating less waste. A key example of this is Unilever’s “new product design that has cut the carbon footprint of an aerosol spray by 25% per can”4. By doing this, Unilever is helping to reduce the

Walmart has initiated its sustainability efforts aimed towards hundred percent renewable energy, zero waste and product sustainability. The company has successfully identified its pain points and already achieved success in achieving quick internal process improvements. The company also envisioned and established broader strategy to make sustainability a core of its operations and business model. In my role as the leader of the global sustainability effort, I will identify untapped potential of the sustainability initiative and

Presently, indications are that it will become even more critical to company strategy and operations in the coming years. The experiences of management of companies leading in the field of sustainability provide a number of insightful lessons for other managers embarking on a move towards sustainable practices:

This report shows data on consumer behaviour as primary research and secondary data from literature about sustainability, sustainable business practices and consumer behaviour towards sustainable produced goods. The terms sustainability and sustainable business practices will be examined in more detail. Data gathered from primary research