Executive Decision - March/April 2008 - (Page 43)

green at work I transforming for sustainability negative impacts. Consumers increasingly care about how businesses are taking care of the environment, and they are looking to Corporate America to lead by example. Equally, governments have a vested interest in protecting the environment, and regulators have a responsibility to protect consumers and communities. We believe business has no choice but to change. The question is—to what extent can things be changed so that the Douglas J. Lattner environment is impacted less, and yet Chairman & CEO rate as each store contributes incrementally less than its predecessor. Companies are actively evaluating strategies to slow, reduce or even neutralize the impact footprints in key areas—energy, water, waste, resource use. At the end of the tunnel, sustainability will present a win-win in terms of having a positive business impact and environmental benefits. Companies that begin to take a holistic approach now will likely gain more value than their peers, and continue to lead in their respective industry. Deloitte Consulting LLP corporations extract more value from With public scrutiny as intense as ever, business and industry must demonstrate accountability by driving value . Douglas J. Lattner is chairman and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP. This article contains general information only and is based on the experiences of Deloitte practitioners. Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering business, financial, investment or other professional advice or services. This information is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. XD dimensions—the contribution to enterprise value and the impact on the global footprint. It is certain that all companies want to increase the value of the enterprise, be it through expanding market share, introducing new and financially successful products or services or increasing the return to shareholders. Traditionally, however, increasing the value of an enterprise has meant increasing the global footprint—growth, expansion, new investment. Since the start of the industrial revolution, businesses have viewed an expanding footprint as a reflection of prosperity—a good thing. But with public scrutiny as intense as ever, business and industry must demonstrate accountability by driving value, while simultaneously reducing their activities—while simultaneously reducing the impact footprint? Wal-Mart, for example, recently completed an effort to replace incandescent with florescent lighting in 2, 700 stores. They also added skylights in an effort to maximize ambient sunlight during daylight hours. As a result, the company can justifiably claim that they reduced their impact footprint because they are consuming less energy. In addition to this, surveys of their customers revealed that they were happier with the new lighting, which led to longer store stays and more purchases— directly resulting in an increase in Wal-Mart’s profitability. While their impact footprint increases with the construction of each new store, it increases at a lower EXECUTIVE DECISION I March-April 2008 43

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Decision - March/April 2008

Executive Decision - March/April 2008 Contents Index of Advertisers Contributing Editors From the Editor's Desk Publisher's Note You Be the Judge - Unionization Thought Leader - Pitney Bowes Management - Flying High for Long-Term Results Strategies - Sovereign Wealth Funds Cover Story - In Whom Do We Trust? The Movement for Greater Accountability & Disclosure Finance/Legal - The New Boycott Model Green At Work - Transforming for Sustainability Technology - Embracing Risk Leadership - Executive Reputation Management The Global Village - China Moves to Curb Prices Economic Profile - California Gold Rush Transformations - I Can See Clearly Now, The Brain Is Gone Marketing - Effectively Using Market Research The Bottom Line - Brands: A Shrinking Advantage or Shifting Advantage? Pulse - Pandemic: Not If But When SPECIAL SECTION - Living On the Green: Luxury Golf Destinations

Executive Decision - March/April 2008

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