The Unforeseen “Leaders” in Corporate Sustainability?
I personally found the most recent class on CSR and sustainability extremely fascinating, and I was shocked to discover, having read an article on corporate responsibility, that traditionally “dirty” companies have the potential to demonstrate impressive advances in regards to sustainability.
The article highlights the fact that the biggest commonality in the leaders of sustainability is their business innovation. Within these businesses, sustainability criteria is implemented and applied to the whole company, keeping details such as the supply chains and the whole lifecycle of the product itself in mind. According to the article and to our recent class on sustainability, this new approach to corporate responsibility is revolutionizing the way we are doing business.
A sustainability diagram demonstrating that in order to be considered “sustainable”, a company must take into account social, environmental and economic effects and aspects.
Surprisingly, industries such as mining and petroleum (although they are not exactly “models” of sustainability) are demonstrating large advances when it comes to being sustainable and corporately responsible. For example, mining companies have recently developed a closer relationship with the community, thus innovating community engagement practices and proving themselves as worthy of keeping their social licence to operate.
While I personally find these advances in sustainability mediocre and questionable compared to those of smaller, “greener” companies, I found it interesting to learn ways in which larger “dirty” companies are making sustainable efforts.
Sources:
http://www.sustainability.umd.edu/content/about/what_is_sustainability.php
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/corporate-sustainability-risky-sectors