Managing for Sustainability Flashcards

1
Q

Two components of action in business

A
  • An impact on profits

- An impact on the world

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2
Q

How is ethical capitalism accomplished?

A
  • Focusing on creating long-term economic and social value.
  • Acting as stewards of all constituencies, including customers, employees, suppliers, investors, government, and community.
  • Avoiding business practices that adversely affect the environment.
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3
Q

Sustainability

A

the ability of an organization to manage business so that it has
minimal negative impact on the environment, society, and the economy.

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4
Q

Value chain

A

the dynamic actions, exchanges, and relationships with all stakeholders involved in the transformation and delivery of raw materials that create value for stakeholders and society

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5
Q

Green business practices

A

environmentally friendly business practices, such as
conservation of water and energy or recycling, that contribute toward sustainability
initiatives

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6
Q

Business as Usual Philosophy

A

A philosophy that uses corporate social responsibility as a communications/public relations tool.

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7
Q

Make Business out of Problems Philosophy

A

A philosophy that attempts to transform business

operations according to sustainability principles.

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8
Q

What is the Triple Bottom Line (TBL)?

A

a comprehensive measure of performance that includes financial (PROFIT), environmental (PLANET), and social (PEOPLE) measures.

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9
Q

TBL: Social capital

A

results from businesses engaging the community to determine beneficial win-win solutions to common problems.

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10
Q

Measures of social capital include;

A
  • corporate reputation
  • employee growth
  • retention
  • satisfaction
  • turnover
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11
Q

TBL: Environmental Capital

A

is centered on protecting the environment and assessing environmental administration programs to understand every stage of product life cycles.

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12
Q

Measures of environmental capital include;

A
  • climate change
  • deforestation
  • marine and environment degradation
  • persistent environmental pollutants
  • energy/carbon/greenhouse
    emissions
  • loss of biological diversity
  • stratospheric ozone depletion
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13
Q

Renewable resources

A

resources that can be replaced at a rate equal to or faster than their rate of consumption.

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14
Q

Perpetual resources

A

resources that are continually replaced

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15
Q

Two things a sustainable business model strives to

A
  • Decrease/eliminate the environmental impact of harmful chemicals, materials, and waste generated from the production of goods and
    services.
  • Employ environmentally friendly inputs to production that can function at the same level or better than unfriendly inputs and at a lower cost
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16
Q

Ecological Footprint

A

the environmental impact of resource consumption in production as measured by the water and land capacity needed to replace those resources.

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17
Q

Carbon Footprint

A

the environmental impact of harmful chemical’s,
materials, and waste generated from the production of goods and
services as measured by greenhouse gasses

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18
Q

The Win-Win Mentality

A

today’s business world many companies/organizations are looking to become environmentally friendly

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19
Q

The Dissenting View

A

Some economists suggest that not a single analysis supports the notion that spending money on environmental problems will provide a full payback to the organization

20
Q

The Balanced View

A

In a balanced view businesses weigh the environmental benefits of an
action against the destruction of business value

21
Q

Why organizations have turned their attention to environmental issues

A
  • Legal Compliance
  • Cost Effectiveness
  • Competitive Advantage
  • Public Opinion
  • Long-term Thinking
22
Q

Legal Compliance

A

Internationally there are many laws that govern addressing concerns
with air, water, and noise pollution, hazardous wastes, marine life, nuclear safety, surface mining, and nature and wildlife conservation

23
Q

Cost Effectiveness

A

Environmental initiatives can be cost-effective by avoiding fines, cleanup, and even litigation

24
Q

Competitive Advantage

A

Companies gain a competitive advantage by turning their environmental concerns into opportunities and by producing
higher-quality products that meet consumer demand

25
Q

Public Opinion

A

Consumers have expectations of companies to offer environmentally
friendly alternatives to their current products and services.

26
Q

Long-Term Thinking

A

A company’s long-term thinking about environmental issues helps management to understand the extend of their responsibility and
accountability for environmental impact on future generations

27
Q

Systems thinking

A

a way of thinking that involves how the parts of a

business system interact or influence one another

28
Q

Strategic Integration

A

A business that views environmental concerns as a potential source of
competitive advantage through systems thinking

29
Q

Implementation

A

Companies can implement a green strategy through a life-cycle assessment (LCA) that access the environmental aspects and
potential impacts associated with a process or service

30
Q

Implementation: Strategy

A
  • Cut back on environmentally unsafe
    businesses.
  • Carry out research and development (R&D) on
    environmentally safe activities.
  • Develop and expand environmental cleanup
    services.
  • Invest in green businesses.
  • Compensate for environmentally risky projects.
  • Make your company accountable to others.
  • Make every new product environmentally better
    than the last.
31
Q

Implementation: Public Affairs

A
  • Attempt to gain environmental legitimacy and credibility.
  • Try to avoid losses caused by insensitivity to environmental issues.
  • Collaborate with environmentalists.
32
Q

Implementation: Legal

A
  • Avoid confrontation with pollutions control agencies.
  • Comply with environmental regulations early.
  • Take advantage of innovative compliance programs.
  • Select reputable subcontractors for waste disposal
33
Q

Implementation: Operations

A
  • Promote new manufacturing technologies
  • Practice reverse logistics.
  • Encourage technological advances that reduce
    pollution from products and manufacturing
    processes.
  • Develop new product formulations.
  • Eliminate manufacturing wastes.
  • Find alternative uses for wastes.
  • Insist that your suppliers have strong
    environmental performance.
  • Assemble products with the environment in
    mind
34
Q

Implementation: Marketing

A
  • Cast products in an environment-friendly light.
  • Avoid attacks by environmentalist for unsubstantiated or
    inappropriate claims.
  • Differentiate your product via environmental services.
  • Take advantage of the Internet
35
Q

Implementation: Accounting

A
  • Collect useful and meaningful data.
  • Make divisions, managers or employees pay
    for pollution or violations.
  • Demonstrate that antipollution programs pay
    off.
  • Use an advanced waste accounting system.
  • Adopt full-cost accounting.
  • Show the overall impact of the pollution
    reduction program.
36
Q

Implementation: Finance

A
  • Gain the respect of the socially responsible investment community.
  • Recognize true liability.
  • Fund and then assist green companies.
  • Recognize financial opportunities
37
Q

Air Quality

A
  • Reduce waste
  • Purchase energy-efficient, low-emission equipment
  • Use less-toxic cleaning and maintenance products
  • Make use of clean and efficient energy
  • Choose ozone-friendly products
  • Use clean and fuel-efficient transportation
38
Q

Building Construction & Renovations

A
  • Replace older HVAC systems
  • Install wastewater recycling systems
  • Install rainwater catchment systems
  • Generate on-site renewable energy
  • Install reflective and green roofs
39
Q

Energy

A
  • Increase insulation, especially around windows
  • Install programmable thermostats
  • Turn off office equipment when not in use
  • Buy Energy Star compliant equipment
  • Install compact fluorescent light bulbs
  • Buy energy from renewable energy sources
40
Q

Paper

A
  • Encourage double-sided copying and printing
  • Recycle used paper
  • Purchase paper with the highest percentage of recycled post consumer content available and chlorine-free (PCF) bleaching process
41
Q

Purchasing

A
  • Buy products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or are made
    with renewable energy
  • Purchase products that reduce the use of toxins
  • Buy products that contain post consumer recycled content
  • Purchase products that reduce air and water pollution and waste
  • Buy products that serve several functions
42
Q

Transportation & Accommodation

A
  • Buy or use clean, fuel-efficient vehicles
  • Encourage employees to walk to work
  • Make facilities bicycle friendly by adding bike racks and shower
    facilities
  • Encourage employee carpooling
  • Consider charging parking fees
  • Pay employees’ public transportation costs
  • Purchase offsets to account for carbon emissions from travel
43
Q

Waste Management

A
  • Conduct a waste audit
  • Recycle to the greatest extent possible
  • Dispose of batteries, electronics, and hazardous waste properly
  • Compost organic waste
  • Donate unused or leftover food to local food bank
44
Q

Water Quality

A
  • Minimize urban runoff
  • Reduce use of pesticides and maintenance products
  • Use less-toxic cleaning and maintenance products
  • Purchase Energy Star washers and dryers
  • Use low-phosphate detergents
45
Q

Water Use

A
  • Perform a water audit
  • Install water meters
  • Install low-light fixtures
  • Water landscaping overnight or in the evening
  • Utilize native and drought-tolerant plant species