November 6, 2007

Compete On Green Or Fall Behind

Bookmark and Share Email this story Print this post Add your comments

In the quest to go green, the first step a business needs to take is to start measuring and tracking their environmental footprint, including how much energy and water it consumes, how much and what type of waste it produces, and how much of an impact its processes and products have on the environment.

“And that’s not easy,” said Andrew Winston, sustainability guru and co-author of Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage, in an interview with Elizabeth Striano, a consultant and writer on sustainability and environmental issues, and founder of A Green Footprint LLC.

Winston outlined the key steps a company needs to take to go green:

1) Eco-tracking -? developing tools to track your environmental footprint
2) Mindset -? thinking broadly about the value chain, both upstream and downstream
3) Redesigning -? rethinking what you do and how you do it
4) Re-imagining -? your products and processes; innovation is critical
5) Culture -? set ambitious targets; start small but think big

“Starting to measure – that is the critical first thing to do. You’ve got to get some hard data,” Winston said. Keeping metrics includes knowing exactly what is in the supply chain, both upstream and downstream. Upstream means knowing the footprint of suppliers; downstream refers to the impact of customers when they use a company’s products. It also includes thinking long-term about payoffs from investments in environmental initiatives, including intangibles like brand loyalty and customer commitment.

“It is hard work to go green,” Winston said. “But either you compete on this, or you fall behind.”

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this story.

 

Advertisers

Get EL Daily in your inbox, subscribe to free newsletter

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

  • 03/17/2010
  • 03/16/2010
  • 03/15/2010

Recent Jobs

Post a Job
Jobs powered by Simply Hired

Comments and Discussions

Jane Hummer on Will 2010 be the Year Home Efficiency Finally Takes Off?
"In my opinion, what we need now is a campaign to win over the “hearts..."

Tristan Tonks on Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi to Standardize Electric Car Recharging
"I agree with the sentiment of Jeffery Hall, Really! how long does..."

social networking design on Starbucks Sponsors Cup Design Contest to Reduce Waste
"They are actually making some good work by conducting Betacup design..."

M Anderson on Loblaw Launches Four Rooftop Solar Pilot Projects
"I am very disappointed in Loblaws for taking part in this scam to rape the ratepayers..."

Doug on U.S. Chamber Asks EPA to Reconsider Endangerment Finding
"Scientific cause and effect have long ago been proven to the satisfaction of the vast..."

Jeffery Hall on Environmental Groups, Window Makers Face Off in Energy-Efficiency Standard Debate
"What is wrong with us in this country nowadays? Sure..."

Noman F Qadir on Simple Steps To Reducing U.S. Emissions by a Billion Tons
"I think life style has to be changed- dreams to be curtailed. An average..."