As sustainability, CSR (corporate social responsibility), the triple bottom line (people, planet and profit) and other related concepts become increasingly popular, more companies are considering improving their environmental and sustainability efforts.
While it’s not always easy to start something new, there are many ways businesses of all sizes can reduce their environmental impact and reap other benefits along the way.
To help you get started, we wanted to hear from the experts what misconceptions business might face about becoming greener, how businesses can plan out new ideas, and see what options are out there for businesses to use.
This month’s #TradeElite Twitter chat provided the answers to all of these and more, so keep reading to see what the experts had to say!
Moderator:
Marissa Rosen (@MarissaR1) – Owner of Climate Social LLC in St. Louis, MO.
Panelists:
Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) – Trade Commissioner at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Miami, FL.
Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) – Professor of Supply Chain Management at Miami University in Oxford, OH.
Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) – Trade Commissioner at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Calgary, AB.
Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) – owner of SustainSCM in San Diego, CA.
Lora Rigutto Vigliatore, CITP|FIBP (@CITPLora) – Marketing Manager at CircuitMeter in Ajax, ON and International Marketing Professor at Durham College.
Q1. What are some of the biggest misconceptions that need to be overcome about making businesses more sustainable or environmentally friendly?
#tradeelite A1 That little progress is being made
— Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) February 15, 2018
A1. Being sustainability doesn’t have to be more costly– big misconception. You can look for ways to reduce waste that will reduce costs. Reducing waste is sustainable. The savings can be reinvesting in more sustainable materials, energy, etc– so it is a win-win. #TradeElite
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
Some of the biggest misconceptions about #business #sustainability programs is that they have no immediate #RO, they are costly & hard to quantify improvements & value #TradeElite
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
Sustainability can be defined as #People, #Planet, #Profit – encompassing much more than just the #environmental side of things! #TradeElite https://t.co/193gctOvXF
— Marissa Rosen (@MarissaR1) February 15, 2018
A1. That you have to make HUGE changes. Little changes can have HUGE impact. Simply thinking about your process. Being open to change. #tradeelite
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
A1: That it has to start in an unsustainable manner – the conventional way. Why not start in an environmentally friendly way to begin with? There’s a fear that the people we do business with may not buy in. #tradeelite
— Anuja Sawant Sarangdhar (@anujasaw) February 15, 2018
Q2. How can you assess your business’s current sustainability levels and environmental impact?
A2. If you are early in your journey— look for low hanging fruit and waste that you KNOW exists- start improving and you will discover more. use lean practices #TradeElite
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
A2. If this is a key #business initiative there are various platforms that can help with assessment of current state and planning for future state. Depending on the #INDUSTRY some assessments will vary; @BCorporation is a great resource #TradeElite
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A2 There are many platforms available at a low cost that will help organization track their sustainability initiatives. For example, Energy Information Systems (#EIS) will keep track, in #RealTime an organizations #carbonfootprint #GHGs
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A2 use of advanced algorithms can evaluate multiple scenarios (MEICO) for example
— Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) February 15, 2018
A2. #TradeElite #corporategovernance #Sustainability AS an SME where are the big energy centres in your usiness process ? or where are the process with the reatest environmental Footprint? are there solutions that can reduce mitigate these?
— Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) February 15, 2018
Q3. What type of planning should businesses do before implementing a new sustainability initiative?
A3. You should understand the cost and the benefit— and where possible, go for early successes to prove that you are implementing GOOD BUSINESS IDEAS! #tradeelite
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
A3- love this question! #business #leaders really need to understand how #sustainability fits into the long term #business #strategy. A #financial, #marketplace , #customer and #supplychain plan is needed to start, measure efforts and success along the way #TradeElite
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
A3 Brainstorm with all internal stakeholders. Get buy in first then plan. #tradeelite
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
A3. Start where you can! The biggest climate change adaptation challenge is that we are not making the necessary changes fast enough. Small choices have a way of adding up to big impacts. #TradeElite
— Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) February 15, 2018
Q4. What do you think are some practical steps small businesses can take to become more sustainable and/or environmentally friendly?
A4. some very basic things #SMBs can implement to become more sustainable involve #supplychain #collaboration, #transparency with downstream & upstream partners. Also just using better lights, offering incentives for #Carpool #TradeElite
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
A4. Look at your day-to-day operations– recycling, use reusable cups, turn off lights, look at your power provider and switch to renewable– change your mindset to questioning all waste. #TradeElite
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
A4. Finding some leaders in your industry. Talking to your local waste mgmt services. Figuring out what parts of your biz are wasteful & the easiest to change. Making it a company value / priority so your team is on board. #TradeElite
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
A4 Join a local organization with a focus on business sustainability. Great way to piggyback on other initiatives, educate themselves about available programs, network, and motivate internal and external stakeholders at the same time. #tradeelite
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A4
Some companies are reducing materials instead of thrucking them to landfills— Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A4 And think about the life cycle or life expectancy of what you buy– buy things that last longer so you don’t need to put them in the landfill. Sorry @IKEA
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
A4. A lot of companies (especially in Fashion) are looking at how they can reuse their own waste. Or focusing on a key issue – like water consumption. #TradeElite
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
Q5. What other options are available to larger companies to reduce their environmental impact? What are some of the best initiatives you’ve seen lately?
#TradeElite A5 #Walmart rules when it comes to using transportation efficiently. Reduce packaging- you reduce space, reduce waste, reduce landfill, reduce cost. #Amazon also big on this.
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A5 #Ikea also very good here on packaging reduction and shipping space waste reduction- and make sure packaging is recyclable!
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
A5. For large #organization #collaboration & #visibility are key! #Blockchain #datasharing are some of the most exciting #supplychain initiatives I am following #TradeElite @FITTNews #blockchaintechnology
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
A5 #BigDataAnalytics All sustainable initiatives need to start with measurement. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. MEASURE UNDERSTAND CONSERVE. #tradeelite
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A5
Wallmart – in 2015 Wallmart pledged to reduce global supplier sourced greenhouse gas emissions by 20 million metric tons— Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite A5
Apples is another example
They have stated tht they have been working for years to educate workers, improve contitions and make Apples supply chain a model for the industy— Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) February 15, 2018
A5. 100% agree on the leaders listed- @amazon has exciting #packaging collaborative programs with their suppliers like SIOC-ship in own container which helps them reduce the last mile packaging costs and eliminate #customer frustration #winwin #TradeElite @FITTNews
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
I like the #SIOC concept, but #Amazon still has huge strides to make on packaging, in my opinion. I look forward to seeing what #sustainability initiatives they roll out in the next couple years. #TradeElite #CSR https://t.co/ocy2qCoM8M
— Marissa Rosen (@MarissaR1) February 15, 2018
#TradeElite Industries are looking at sustainability. Toronto was host to a first Fashion sustainability conference last fall and now we are seeing sustainable fashion events happening all over the globe.
— Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) February 15, 2018
A5. @DHLUS is aggressively moving to reduce carbon pollution by moving to electric bikes in some areas & electric trucks. 50% change by 2020, 100% by 2025. Coming straight from the C-suite. #tradeelite
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
Recommend checking out @optoroinc to optimize management of returns, defects, etc. #tradeelite
— leoraudys (@LeoRaudys) February 15, 2018
a5 #tradeelite Came up also for small companies– but we see here transport is big opportunity. Even companies sharing capacity, And FLY LESS! Teleconference, work from home.
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
Blockchain would be really helpful to eliminate Original Bills of Lading, people are moving to telex, but it’s a bit pricier. However, Originals have to be shipped by courier around the world… *Shudders* #TradeElite https://t.co/Srq2Lk6qg0
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
A5: Transport is one of the largest GHG sources. We are seeing big companies procuring electric trucks for transportation of their products. #tradeelite
— Anuja Sawant Sarangdhar (@anujasaw) February 15, 2018
Q6. What are some other business benefits to becoming more sustainable and environmentally friendly?
A6. Seems cheesy, but knowing that you are being a leader and doing the very best possible version of your product can be individually rewarding. #TradeElite
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
A6 Employee moral and motivation. Great recruiting tool for employers especially those looking to recruit millennials. #tradeelite
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
Absolutely! Study: 82% of #Millennials look for opportunities to help their company become more sustainable! https://t.co/BoLUUijxBy @ELDaily @Deloitte #CSR #TradeElite https://t.co/YGVV0cnXnv
— Marissa Rosen (@MarissaR1) February 15, 2018
A6 There is also a strong #businesscase for #sustainability. As was mentioned before, reducing waste can increase your bottom line not to mention all of the added #benefits of being perceived in the market as a good corporate citizen #CSR #tradeelite
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
A6- just continuing to have a license to operate should be important enough. As #business puts more pressure on the #environment and #local #communities there is only so much any #system can #sustain without being replenished. #CustomerLoyalty is also key #TradeElite
— Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) February 15, 2018
A6 #TradeElite getting the younger generations on board! genX Gen0 motivation is not just the bottom line. for instance @MycoRemedy founded her company following the realisation that she could have more impact as a #Company than as a #NFP
— Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) February 15, 2018
A6 #tradeelite Growing evidence that more people are willing to pay more for sustainable products and companies. For example I only buy #MethodProducts cleaning because it is a #Cradle2Cradle #Bcorp and has fab, sustainable products! Loyalty!
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
A6: With younger generations increasingly focused on sustainability, making environmentally friendly business decisions may help attract investors, as well. #TradeElite https://t.co/t8y2M13JKM
— M1 Finance (@M1_Finance) February 15, 2018
Q7. What are some examples of sustainability programs in practice that you’re learning from or would recommend to other business leaders?
A7 #tradeelite #Walmart sustainability starting 2005– where they announced they would be more sustainable and it would save them money in the process. Cut waste! Walmart still finding more!
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
@attabotics is introducing robotics to the logistics industry driving efficiences and improving worker safety #TradeElite
— Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) February 15, 2018
A7 #ISO50001 is an ISO Energy Management standard that incorporates multiple sustainable initiatives under one standard. If more facilities adopted this standard, this would help governments around the globe achieve their #ClimateAction targets #tradeelite
— Professor Lora (@CitpLora) February 15, 2018
Q8. Any other advice for those looking to implement new initiatives?
A8. #tradeelite It’s been said— Find early wins that create #costsavings, get people on board, measure and publicize results– get permission to spend some/part of the savings on the next initiative…
— Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) February 15, 2018
Start! the more companies begin to think about their environmental footprint, the more they will identify that can be addressed. #TradeElite
— Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) February 15, 2018
A8 It is worth it and there are resources to help you! Don’t be conventional be forward thinking! #TradeElite
— audrey ross (@tresAudrey) February 15, 2018
Read the rest of the chat and follow future discussions by following the #TradeElite hashtag. Stay tuned for the next #TradeElite chat in March, and if you haven’t yet, join us on Twitter at @FITTNews.
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