In the current economic climate organisations worldwide are facing new performance challenges. Public demand for more sustainable products and services is increasing and new policy standards such as carbon taxation are becoming the norm.
Profitability however, need not be sacrificed for the sake of environmental sustainability. Indeed, the path to becoming more sustainable as a business can help to identify real cost drivers.
The merging of environmental and economic concerns is the future for business. Sustainability is the journey.
At BUAN, our aim is to guide decision-makers in Ireland on this journey.
Making the Business Case for Sustainability
Competitiveness
Businesses are responding in new and innovative ways to the challenge of sustainability. Designers at the US carpet-tile giant Interface, a leader in the pursuit of zero emissions by 2020, looked to nature as a model to innovate their product range. Using biomimicry, a design method that imitates nature, they looked at how adhesives from the natural world work. As a result they developed a substance which imitates glue.They reduced their impact on the environment while reducing their costs at the same time
Reputation and Brand
Sustainability is now close to us all. The fluctuating price of fossil fuels, global warming and resource constraints have encouraged the public to sit up and take notice of the effects of unsustainable practices. People are now asking which corporations are taking their Corporate Social Responsibilities seriously.
Shifting Markets
Customer Demand for products and services. Toyota sold 200,000 plus units of their hybrid vehicles in 2006, up from 91 units the previous year; General Electric's CEO has pledged €10bn in CleanTech R&D; and Walmart is driving changes through their supply chain (Note: 2008 figures)
The increase in the number of ethical and socially responsible businesses indicate a market shift driven by consumer sentiment
Staff turnover levels from recent industry figures in the US indicate a 3-times lower turnover in those companies leading the sustainability challenge
What We Do
