Background

The progression of sustainability can be divided into three distinct stages. The first stage is managing business reputation and green marketing—portraying the image of being green (even if the company is not actually operating sustainably). The second stage, focuses on sustainability reporting and transparency, essentially recording and gathering information about the company and its operations. The third stage, which comes naturally after data gathering, is taking actions by way of engagement with employees, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders.

A 2011 McKinsey & Company study, The Business of Sustainability indicates that we are currently entering the third stage of sustainability.

Source: The Business of Sustainability. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/energy_resources_materials/the_business_of_sustainability_mckinsey_global_survey_results

Assignment

As a CEO of a global company that is now approaching the third stage of sustainability, what two initiatives would you implement to ensure that your sustainability program is evolving?

For each program provide the following information:

1.        Why it is important that you implement this program (how will it help make the company sustainable?)?

2.        What environmental and social issues will the program address?

3.        What challenges do you see in implementing this program (costs, resources, support)? 

4.        Which stakeholders would you engage? For what purpose?

You will be presenting this to the Board of Directors, so make sure that your paper is persuasive and that all of your claims and assertions are backed by credible sources such as journal articles, company publications (such as those of competitors), newspaper articles, course books and other publications, non-profit and consulting company studies, and so on.

Additional Resources

Chapters 18, 20, and 21 in Green to Gold provide insight into employee and stakeholder engagement, as well as what steps a company should take to begin taking action and executing their sustainability programs.

Additional Directions

• Length should be 4–6 pages, excluding cover page and reference page.

• Viewpoint and purpose should be clearly established and sustained

• Assignment should follow the conventions of Standard American English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.).

• Writing should be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful.

• Your work should display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics.

• Appropriate citation style should be followed.

  I need the big assignment by the 4^nd of April.

   

  Topic 1: Reflects and the Sustainability Profession

  Now that you have completed this course, reflect on the outcomes as well as your professional goals for the course. This is not intended to be a mere recap of the course. The emphasis here is what you have personally learned and how it will affect your professional goals. Discussing what you have learned during the term will not only help you better process the information, but will help you enhance each other’s learning experience.

  Please reflect on the previous units and post a response that addresses the following question:

  If you were to become a sustainability professional, what specific job/position would you pursue? Why? Look at online job listings and try to find this position or something similar in your area. What website did you use? What is your plan for getting that position? For example, are there listed qualifications that you do not meet, and if yes, how would you go about obtaining those qualifications? Lastly, explain how this position would help the company’s (or another company if it is a consulting position) social, environmental, and economic performance?