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The Future of Business

The Future of Business.

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The Future of Business

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  1. The Future of Business “This new industrial revolution will be driven by full integration of environmental concern into our economic life. Hence, it will involve the reshaping of our entire industrial system in which efficiency in the use of materials and energy and in recycling and disposing of waste will be the key to success in both environmental and economic terms.” …Maurice Strong, former Secretary General UN Conference On Environment and Development; Beyond Rio: A New Role for Canada, Nov. 10, 1992

  2. The New Business Efficiency • “Efficiency is one of the hallmarks of the well-run business, and the gratuitous exploitation of natural resources is wildly inefficient.” Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce, 1993 • “A strong economy depends upon a healthy environment… Businesses that want to increase their competitive edge and survive into the next century, using natural resources must play by the earth’s rules” Amy Townsend, Greening Your Company.. Inside and Out, 1997

  3. From Take-Make-Waste to Zero Waste • 1995– just 4% of companies responding to a survey took environmental considerations seriously in their business decisions • 1998 – Nearly 90% of businesses polled by Industry Week were seriously considering the environment in their business decisions • 2004– Environmentally proactive companies show a 4% higher rate of return on investment, a 9% higher sales growth and nearly 17% higher operating income growth than other companies in their class From: Sustainable Development International Corp. Website, June 2005

  4. Understanding the Green Business Movement • Going green is one step on the road to sustainable development • For business, sustainable development means “adopting business strategies and activities that meet the needs of an enterprise and its stakeholders today, while protecting, enhancing and sustaining the human and natural resources that will be needed in the future” • It highlights business’s dependence on human and natural resources and emphasizes the necessity of avoiding irreparable damage to these resources Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development

  5. Reasons Why Businesses Go Green • Economic benefit – Reduction in raw material use • Public perception – Negative response to the use of pesticides • Regulatory compliance – Mandatory paper recycling • Competitive advantage – Environmental Tourism • Ecological values – Personal commitment of a key leader to environmental issues

  6. More Reasons Why Businesses Go Green • Stakeholder pressure • Management initiative • Critical events – Loss of regular markets, sudden increases in energy costs • Ethical concerns – Concern over the source of raw materials • Education and increased awareness of environmental issues

  7. Green Business is Good Business • Green Business Goals • Minimizing waste • Maximizing resource benefits • Conserving input materials • Reducing energy costs • Reducing negative environmental impacts • Operating in an environmentally efficient way

  8. How can Going Green help your business? First Some Basic Business Facts: • The revenue must exceed the expenditures • Businesses are always looking for ways to increase the difference between the two • Conservation of input materials reduces costs • Maximizing output for each resource unit used increases revenue

  9. So, Going Green will help increase profits? • Minimizing waste is always a good business practice • Maximizing the quantity of saleable commodities produced per resource unit will increase revenue • Minimizing energy usage will help reduce overhead costs

  10. Going Green opens new opportunities • New markets • New products and services • New approaches to operations • Access to special funding • Innovative practices • Reduced overhead • Increased competitive advantage • Access to capital • Reduced Liability and Risk

  11. How other companies have benefited • Reduced energy costs • Reduced dumping fees • Reduced licensing fees • Higher productivity per unit of input • Healthier, safer work environment • More attractive business premises – increased on site customer traffic • Greater value attached to each product sold

  12. Sustainable Business Practices in Action • Reducing Waste– Happy Harry • Reducing energy usage– The Leonard Miller Center • Recovering resources –Canadian Maritime Engineering • Developing By-Product Synergy– Florida Power and Light • Creating more with less – St. Lawrence Corporation

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