PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER WORLD
PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER WORLD We recently reported on how cloud computing is creating jobs and boosting the United States and European economies. A new study identifies another key business trend saving money and leading in job creation: sustainability.
According to the latest MIT Sloan Management Review, which surveyed nearly 3,000 companies from 113 countries, 66 percent of businesses now include sustainability as a part of their permanent plans. That’s up ten percent from last year. Most of the companies also identified green practices as “necessary to be competitive” in the world economy.
“The purpose of the report was to get a high-level view of how organizations are thinking about sustainability, and what they are doing about it,” said David Kiron, an author of the study and executive editor of MIT Sloan Management Review, according to a statement. “The attention and investment we see indicate the here-to-stay nature of sustainability for organizations everywhere.”
The study found that sustainability is particularly beneficial to the manufacturing industry. “Resource-intensive” companies like product and automobile manufacturers, as well as energy companies, received the most benefits, like waste reduction and improved public perception, with the incorporation of sustainable practices.
Respondents to the study included companies like Starbucks and Kimberly-Clark, both of whom have made green steps to improve consumer relations.
“There isn’t a hard line for them between environmental and social issues,” Kiron said. “It’s all part of being socially responsible.”
Some companies involve the customer even more by providing green services. UPS, for instance, offers optional “carbon neutral” delivery for a small fee.
According to the study, sustainability has a larger effect if it’s actively a part of a company’s organizational structure, with roles like chief sustainability officers.
Sustainability can also help in hiring trained employees. “In terms of retention and recruitment, having sustainability present on your agenda really has some cachet,” Kiron said.
With the economic success of sustainability and cloud computing, some companies are looking for ways to combine the two innovations. Data furnaces, for instance, could support cloud computing while improving sustainability.
Does your company currently emphasize green practices? Discuss in the comments’ section below!
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