HR Professional - February/March 2008 - (Page 31)

In today’s rapidly changing environment, it pays to be flexible and responsive to public concerns. “Yes, there are labels, like Energy Star, which can have a good effect on product sales,” says Winston. “But the logic of going green is far more powerful. Companies are saving billions in eco-efficiency initiatives, reducing risk to their businesses, driving revenues with new products, building brand value, improving employee morale, and much more. Wal-Mart recently had a big meeting with its suppliers (which includes a who’s who of large companies) and told them that this wasn’t a fad, and that they wanted greener products from them—the incentive is getting shelf space in your biggest sales channel, and staying competitive. The stakes couldn’t be higher.” Companies like Wal-Mart are demonstrating their facility for tapping into the zeitgeist, which in the case of sustainability, is truly global in its scope, appeal and application. Provincialism as it applies even to regional businesses is a thing of the past. be smaller, making investment payoffs unattractive. And most don’t have dedicated environmental staff. So smaller firms—printers, dry cleaners, retailers, small-parts manufacturers, and all the rest— haven’t been as much a part of this conversation. It’s a problem we need to address.” But don’t discount the efforts of small companies entirely, says Winston. “Small companies are certainly getting in on the act, for all the same reasons. They are saving money and finding new markets. Often they’re more nimble and innovative,” he says. Merchants of Green, a Toronto importer of green Arabica coffees, has a three-pronged mantra: Fresh Coffee, Fair Trade, Green Business. “Our plan was to start fresh and build some ideals into the company from the beginning,” says Merchant of Green cofounder Derik Zavislake. “I would not say that implementing sustainability was all problematic, it was simply new and in some ways that made it relatively easy to connect to likeminded groups with the same interests. The hard part was trying to convince the money markets that sustainability is the future,” says Zavislake. “ The change [today] is that most consumers and business are acknowledging a shade of green. However, there is still a long way to go to connect sustainability ‘‘ HOW GREEN ARE YOU? 2.0 • Subsidize public transit or provide incentives to employees who carpool • Make all company cars energyefficient vehicles • Use Energy Star appliances and office equipment • Retrofit your office buildings with energy saving measures such as rainwater collection or solar lighting • Redesign your lighting systems to use 1.0 watts per square foot or less and put your lights on timers • Make your conferences and events zero waste • Use renewable energy providers • Instead of staff parties, organize enviro-events such as garbage clean up or tree-planting days • Be carbon neutral by purchasing carbon offsets for your organization’s CO 2 emissions ’’ No small impact Smaller companies haven’t quite come to terms with this new normal, reports Makower, author and co-author of more than a dozen books including Beyond the Bottom Line: Putting Social Responsibility to Work for Your Business and the World. “They have a tougher time,” says Makower. “Their impacts are small, so the benefits of changes— saving energy, for example—can with quality and profitability. This will occur when price and cost are better understood.” Zavislake concedes that the cost of building a sustainable program from the ground up is high. “Operating in a sustainable way simply demands more upfront resources—time and money.” AND GREENHOUSE GASES EMITTED OVER THE LIFE CYCLE OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE. THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE RELEASED INTO THE AIR WITH THE USE OF RENEWABLE w w w.H RThought L eader. c om F e b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 0 8 31 http://www.HRThoughtLeader.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - February/March 2008

HR Professional - February/March 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Boards By the Numbers Did You Know Sustainability Education News: E-Recycling Communications News: HR Study FYI Ethics World Watch News: Legislation Legal Compensation Focus Strategy The Colour of Money Sustainable Skills From Brown to Green HR Trends: From Winners to Also-Rans Branding Human Capital HR 101 Interview with David Suzuki Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - February/March 2008

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