Why Do Business Decide to Go Green

When talking about sustainability numerous people associate it with just protecting the environment. Sustainability is far more than going green, but it is a principle that many companies have adopted and have worked persistently to improve over the last several years. Sustainability is defined as the ability to continue a behavior indeterminately, but it also includes improving human life overall. Sustainable development is broken down into three pillars: economic, social, and environmental (Harich & Bangerter, 2014). Economics is the study of how people use resources, which correlates to the goal of sustainable development by using resources to their full potential (Laszlo, C., & Zhexembayeva, N., 2011, p. 60). Economic sustainable development allows companies to give their customers what they want without overusing mutual resources. Social development combines the social world with the physical realm to provide a good quality of life (Benoit, 2010, p. 7). Social sustainability focuses on the well-being of people and their communities. Environmental development, the most recognizable, includes protecting the environment by reducing pollution, recycling, switching of electronic devices when not in use, etc. All three of these pillars make up what is known as sustainable development. In this paper, I researched a company and their involvement in sustainability and how it applies to the

assuage any guilt they might feel about consuming mass quantities of unnecessary, disposable goods by dutifully tossing these items into their recycling bins and hauling them out to the curb each week”. (Westervelt, Amy. "Can Recycling Be Bad for the Environment?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2015). So why is the reason that companies are starting to “Go Green”? Its clearly obvious that the change in America from an industrial country to a environmental country has taught big business how to market environmentalism in mass quantities of their product. The strategy of the consumption-environment mindset are increasing rapidly. If this trend of buying without thinking does not slow down, with problems like not shifting priority from consumption to being environmentally aware, things will certainly worsen. On the topic of green marketing, people often see that green marketing refers to the advertising of objects or products with environmental characteristics to them (Like the Nestle bottle, for example). Terms like “Environmentally Friendly”, “Refillable”, and “Recyclable”, are some of the things people associate with green marketing. In reality

The case study gives an agreeing personal analysis on the authenticity of Gabrielli’s assessment of the success of the green policies at Petrobras. The paper gives three reasons to support the agreement, which in accordance with Gabrielli’s assessment, are the Management and Excellence’s ranking, the future prospects of Petrobras, and the lack of tragic accidents for eight years.

Businesses who participate in environmentally friendly practices will become more profitable. There are difficulties and costs that a business will face and profit takes time but is proven to positively impact a business. “The reluctance to address the forces that are polluting the planet always comes down to money (Smith, “6 Reasons Nations Don't Go Green.”). Implementing environmentally friendly practices within a company “will win them customers, and increase profits” (McDonald, “Why Do (or Don’t) Companies Go Green?”). Many global companies today carry out environmental management tools to adapt to environmentally friendly practices, which helps gain customers, and in turn becomes more profitable. In this paper, I will go into further detail explaining why businesses should be more environmentally friendly, the benefits to be gained, costs that come with being environmentally friendly, and management ways that help a company become environmentally friendly.

Many firms are learning that being environmentally friendly and sustainable has numerous benefits. (O.C Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2015). This could enable them to increase goodwill from various stakeholders and also save money in the long term. This will mean that they are being more efficient and less wasteful of resources, which will enable them to be more competitive by satisfying stakeholders. The CEO of

The rise of green products and the want of consumers to become more environmentally friendly has been increasing. In 10 Green Marketing Milestones, the reading mentioned how the “rise of the Toyota Prius: It may not have saved the world, but at 1 million cumulative vehicle sales the Prius became the predominant fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle” (Neff 2). This is an example of how companies are actually wanting to go green in order to make more profit and rise above their competitors. Going off the Prius example, it was also mentioned how Hummer cars, which use an excess amount of fuel, sales have plummeted. This was because this model no longer appealed to the consumers and General Motor’s had to discontinue the model and even went bankrupt. This sale tactic works and is so successful because the consumer’s mindset have evolved to seek things that are better for the environment. Many would prefer Toyota over General Motor because of their company’s reputation with being green. Although this might not work for all companies, but for some, they have become more successful than their competitors by going green and so, convincing more and more to

LO1: Understand the principles supporting environmental sustainability in a business environment 1.1 Describe current legislation in relation to environmental sustainability in a business environment The UK’s economy relies on global trade and resources. Issues such as climate change and a growing world population mean there is more pressure on energy, natural resources and the wider environment. A more efficient use of resources such as water, energy and natural resources directly benefits businesses in the UK. Savings of up to £23 billion a year, reducing carbon emissions and more resilience to climate change and inflated prices of supplies are a few benefits that have been anticipated.

As we have seen an increase in awareness around sustainability and climate change, with the help of Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth documentary in 2006, we see organizations moving towards mitigating the effects of climate change in various ways (Al Gore, n.d). As this corporate social responsibility has become more prevalent, organizations are now pushing their green agenda by publishing sustainability reports, doing mass marketing and implementing sustainable business practices to portray the image that they too are working towards protecting the earth’s natural environment all the while focusing on their underlying goal of selling their products and

Environmentalists are keen to highlight links between waste management in businesses, global climate change and weather. Business' who manufacture, distribute and/or use products have been attributing to global warming, all processes expel greenhouse gasses which have major repercussions on the planet.

McManus, B. (2009). Vital to Business Survival: Assessing the Impact of Environmental Pressures. GreenBiz, 1-4.

When making an analysis on why more companies are going green and to what are the benefits, the first argument that comes to mind are the government requirements that are now being required. Corporations are made to pass certain certifications to ensure that they are being environmentally responsible. A key industry that has been hit hard by such requirements is the automotive industry. The government in an effort to reduce the exhaust and evaporative gases that automobiles emit, have handed down regulations that must be implemented within a certain time frame. One program that the government came out with is called Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards Program. This program gave new standards for vehicles that are manufactured

Greening is the act of saving energy and creating products that is eco-friendlier. Businesses that owns air dryers in their public restrooms, using reusable bags when shopping, buying cars and trucks that are fuel efficient or hybrids, and having solar panels built on the roof of a house to use energy given directly from the sun are just four examples of greening. Three businesses that are going green are: Wal-Mart, Starbucks, and Bank of America. Wal-Mart is putting its plan to power each and every one its stores using 100% renewable energy sources in the works; one of the many examples of Starbucks going green is now they sell customers a semi-permanent cup which only costs $1 and it lasts for about a month, instead of them giving away

Over the past few decades, sustainable business practices have become more prevalent and required in corporations. Australian organisations are required to be responsible for being sustainable socially, economically and environmentally, here we focus on the environmental factors. Australia’s government is constantly coming up

One positive implication capitalism has to the natural environment is industrial ecology, a system of chain production and consumption, serving to the lowest environmental impacts in a most environmentally sustainable economy as the main goal of operation (Richards & Pearson, 1998). The Companies in a like to operate in such way because of four major reasons. The most important factor is known as the corporate well-being, for it is determined by higher profits and growth provided by innovations in an industry. Profits are increased from recognizing the production ineffiency costs that comes from wasted inputs and energy losses; this allowing cost savings to increase and ineffiency to decrease. compliance with cleaner technology alternatives such as ones that produce less waste and less energy will provide long term savings which are both beneficial to the environment and the business at hand. A real world example freight company changes their salvaged driving equipment to hybrid vehicles. Money is temporarily lost, but the gasoline and maintenances cost savings will compensate in a long run period of time.

One may be that profits will be reduced, if latest ‘green’ methods of production or waste disposals are always being purchased. Without high profits businesses will be less able to expand and produce higher amount and quality of goods. In many countries, legal protection of the environment is weak and inspection systems are inadequate. There will, as a result, be less risk of legal action and heavy fines against business activity in these countries. Furthermore, in developing countries it is argued that economic development is more important that protecting the environment. Businesses can achieve more 'good' by producing cheaply in these countries that if they were forced to always adopt the 'greenest' production strategy.