The Business Guide to Sustainability

by Hitchcock, Darcy E.; Willard, Marsha L.

• ISBN13: 9781844073207
• ISBN10: 1844073203
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

"This easy-to-use manual has been written by top business consultants specifically to help managers, business owners, organizational leaders and aspiring environmental managers/sustainability coordinators to improve their organization's environmental, social and economic performance."--BOOK JACKET.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables	xi
Acknowledgements	xiii
Abbreviations	xv
Introduction	xix
How this book is structured	xx
How to get the most out of this book	xx
How to use the self-assessments	xxi
Disclaimer to the sustainability experts	xxiv
Part 1 -- Foundation Concepts
Sustainability as a Strategic Issue	3	(20)
Benefits of pursuing sustainability	3	(2)
Threats if you don't pursue sustainability	5	(2)
Risks in pursuing sustainability	7	(1)
What is sustainability?	8	(3)
Why is sustainability a strategic issue?	11	(5)
Factors that define sustainability	16	(2)
How do you know whether your organization is sustainable?	18	(2)
Conclusion	20	(3)
Change Agent/Sustainability Coordinator: How to Keep a Sustainability Effort on Track	23	(14)
What you should know about sustainability	23	(3)
Strategies you can use	26	(5)
Change agents with no formal authority	26	(1)
Begin within your span of control	26	(1)
Sow seeds	26	(1)
Discussion groups	27	(1)
Green teams	27	(1)
Sustainability coordinators with formal authority	28	(1)
Steering committees	28	(1)
Task forces and project teams	28	(1)
Individuals	29	(1)
Award programmes and certification systems	29	(1)
Sustainability management systems	29	(1)
Conclusion	30	(1)
Score the sustainability coordinator	31	(6)
Part 2 -- Sustainability by Industry Sector
Sustainability in Services and General Office Practices	37	(16)
What you should know about sustainability	37	(3)
Strategies you can use	40	(8)
Clean up your own operations	40	(1)
Facilities	40	(1)
Technology	41	(1)
Paper products	42	(1)
Break room	43	(1)
Take responsibility for your ripples	44	(2)
Evaluate strategic threats	46	(1)
Explore emerging opportunities	46	(2)
Conclusion	48	(1)
Score services and office practices	48	(5)
Sustainability in Manufacturing and Product Design	53	(26)
What you should know about sustainability	53	(3)
Strategies you can use	56	(18)
Product design	57	(1)
Design for environment	57	(2)
Life cycle assessment and life cycle costing	59	(2)
Grey lists, black lists and supply chain management	61	(1)
Green chemistry	62	(1)
Converting products to services	63	(1)
Biomimicry	64	(1)
Operations	65	(1)
Energy and greenhouse gases	65	(2)
Collaborate with the supply chain	67	(1)
Product certification	68	(2)
Zero waste	70	(1)
Extended producer responsibility, product stewardship and product take-back	71	(3)
Conclusion	74	(1)
Score Manufacturing	74	(5)
Sustainability in Government Agencies	79	(40)
What you should know about sustainability	79	(4)
Strategies you can use	83	(28)
Spend tax revenue wisely, maximizing the benefit to society	83	(1)
Conserving energy	83	(1)
Take advantage of wasted resources	84	(1)
Streamline red tape	85	(1)
Employ green building practices	85	(1)
Find new funding sources	86	(1)
See the municipality as a whole system	86	(1)
Provide infrastructure and security	87	(1)
Ensure security	87	(1)
Design efficient, vibrant urban spaces	88	(1)
Design effective public transportation	89	(1)
Protect the commons	90	(2)
Engineer market-based incentives	92	(2)
Reclaim public goods and charge the full cost	94	(1)
Create preserves	94	(1)
Adopt the precautionary principle	95	(1)
Implement regulations	96	(1)
Create a level playing field	96	(1)
Privatize the resource within the right boundaries	96	(1)
Get the numbers right	97	(1)
Eliminate perverse subsidies	98	(2)
Protect and help people who need it	100	(1)
Perform triage	101	(1)
Combat hunger	101	(1)
Provide housing	102	(1)
Guide us toward a better future	102	(1)
Model and encourage new behaviour	103	(1)
Use purchasing as a way to drive markets	103	(1)
Develop social capital	104	(1)
Provide incentives and grants for needed research	105	(1)
Create audacious goals and policies	106	(1)
Sponsor award programmes	107	(1)
Make information visible	107	(1)
Integrate sustainability into education	108	(1)
Equalize opportunities	109	(2)
Use public pension funds as a signal to business	111	(1)
Conclusion	111	(1)
Score Government	111	(8)
Part 3 -- Sustainability by Organizational Function
Senior Management: How to Lead the Sustainability Effort	119	(22)
What you should know about sustainability	119	(3)
Strategies you can use	122	(16)
Assess threats, opportunities and constraints	123	(1)
Strategic planning	124	(1)
Scenario planning	124	(1)
Stakeholder management	125	(1)
Backcasting	125	(1)
Choose terms and frameworks	126	(1)
Alternative terms	127	(1)
Frameworks	128	(1)
Devise an implementation strategy and enlist support	129	(1)
Pick the best entry point	130	(1)
Set up the best structure	131	(1)
Demonstrate support	132	(1)
Align business systems	133	(1)
Provide for transparency and stakeholder involvement	134	(1)
Sustainability reports	135	(1)
Partner NGOs	135	(2)
Stakeholder engagement activities	137	(1)
Stakeholder audits	137	(1)
Conclusion	137	(1)
Score Senior management	138	(3)
Facilities: How to Save Energy and Water, Improve Productivity and Reduce Waste	141	(14)
What you should know about sustainability	141	(1)
Strategies you can use	142	(9)
Construct/remodel a high-performance building	142	(1)
Daylighting	143	(1)
Site selection	144	(1)
Material selection	145	(1)
Mechanical systems	145	(1)
Construction waste	146	(1)
Operate the building efficiently	147	(1)
Commissioning	147	(1)
Energy management	147	(1)
Manage waste	148	(1)
Provide green cleaning and landscaping services	149	(1)
Manage transportation issues	150	(1)
Conclusion	151	(1)
Score Facilities	151	(4)
Human Resources: How to Support the Change Process and Bolster Employee Commitment	155	(14)
What you should know about sustainability	156	(1)
Strategies you can use	157	(8)
Introduce the concept to top executives	157	(2)
Consult on the implementation	159	(1)
Align human resource systems	160	(4)
Model appropriate behaviours	164	(1)
Measure the benefits	164	(1)
Score Human resources	165	(4)
Purchasing: How to Determine What to Buy and How to Work with Suppliers	169	(20)
What you should know about sustainability	169	(2)
Strategies you can use	171	(15)
Purchasing practices	171	(1)
Adopt sustainable or environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) policies	171	(1)
Embed EPP or sustainable choices into online systems	172	(1)
Embed sustainability language into RFPs and contracts	172	(1)
Use service contracts to align the interests of your vendors with your own	173	(1)
Implement a supply chain environmental management system	174	(2)
Buy green power	176	(1)
Create incentives and checklists for making more sustainable choices	176	(1)
Work with disadvantaged businesses and people as an economic development strategy	177	(1)
Life cycle assessment and life cycle costing	178	(1)
Purchasing projects	179	(1)
Conduct a waste or purchasing audit	179	(2)
Create a reliable market for a targeted product	181	(1)
Research sustainable alternatives for a specific function or product	182	(3)
Partner an NGO	185	(1)
Conclusion	185	(1)
Score Purchasing	186	(3)
Environmental Affairs: How to Support the Move Beyond Compliance and Eco-efficiencies to Sustainability	189	(10)
What you should know about sustainability	189	(2)
Strategies you can use	191	(4)
Environmental management systems	191	(1)
Chemical management systems	192	(1)
Chemical substitution	193	(1)
Green chemistry	194	(1)
Conclusion	195	(1)
Score Environmental affairs	195	(4)
Marketing/Public Relations: Whether and How to Promote Your Sustainability Efforts	199	(14)
What you should know about sustainability	201	(5)
Strategies you can use	206	(5)
Community-based social marketing	206	(1)
Cause-related marketing	207	(1)
Labelling, certification and standards	208	(1)
Stakeholder involvement	208	(1)
Sustainability reporting	209	(1)
Market transformation	209	(1)
Conclusion	210	(1)
Score Marketing and public relations	211	(2)
Accounting and Finance: How to Account for Environmental and Social Impacts	213	(18)
What you should know about sustainability	213	(5)
Strategies you can use	218	(11)
Develop a metrics framework and report on results	218	(1)
The Natural Step	219	(1)
Triple bottom line/Three Es	219	(1)
Sustainability or environmental management system	220	(1)
Organization's vision or values	221	(2)
Determine what is `better'	223	(1)
Activity-based costing (ABC)	223	(1)
Life cycle costing (LCC)	224	(1)
Life cycle assessment (LCA)	224	(2)
Decision tools to balance trade-offs	226	(1)
Brainstorm how to add more value	226	(1)
Weighted criteria charts	227	(1)
Compare a sustainability rating with cost	227	(2)
Conclusion	229	(1)
Score Finance and accounting	229	(2)
Appendix A -- Sustainability frameworks and tools	231	(6)
Appendix B -- Certification schemes	237	(2)
Notes	239	(6)
Index	245