Sustainable Business Cases

The concept of a sustainable and green economy has become the new buzz word in sustainability discourses, particularly in light of the Rio+20 Conference. Because of the current economic crisis and the perception that sustainability politics cannot be implemented efficiently, politicians have set their hopes on greening the economy. However, in everydays work it turns out that it isn´t that easy. What are good strategies, solutions, examples?

Articles

How to Bust the Biggest Myths about the Circular Economy

By Liz Goodwin

Tired of being told the circular economy is just a fancy term for recycling that will cause profits to slump? Here’s how to fight back. more[...]

Sharing Has Been Hijacked

By Lily Cole

The “sharing economy” is today’s buzzword for Silicon Valley’s most recent batch of billion-dollar companies. So ring the headlines: $51 billion valuation for Uber; Chinese ride-hailing business Didi Kuaidi raising $4.42 billion; AirBnB valuation $10+ billion. In the last three years, the world has embraced this idea of the sharing economy. Who would have thought that a 23-year-old part-time student tooling around in her Prius would disrupt the transportation industry? Or that renting out your spare bedroom with the Star Wars sheets could make you part of the largest hotel network in the world? more[...]

Specials

Disruptive Innovation

By Editorial Team

The idea of sustainability is based on the certitude that we have planetary boundaries. the wwF vividly illustrates this with “earth overshoot day.” It describes the day of the year on which human demands on natural resources exceed the capacity of the earth to reproduce these resources. Presently, earth overshoot day is at the beginning of august. From then onward, we are looting our resources. What does this mean for corporate sustainability? Business must fit into planetary boundaries. this probably will not work with traditional business models. that is why we need new, fresh ideas. we need change, even when it happens in a rough, disruptive way. and the earlier the better. when you talk about the Sustainable development Goals, you have to talk about sustainable innovation. the SGds are the agenda, innovation is the pathway. more[...]

Corporate Foresight

By Editorial Team

Business as usual is no longer an option! There is a growing realization among more and more politicians, businesses, and members of society that things cannot continue as they are. The number of challenges and issues that must be tackled and dealt with at a global level is enormous, viz.: human-induced climate change and the search for ways to develop a low-carbon economy; rapid population growth in developing and newly-industrialized countries; questions surrounding which fuels can be used in the energy mix to meet growing demand; and the distribution of food and raw materials. more[...]

Opinion

Making a sustainable business of sustainability

Hanne Jørgensen, Grundfos
Grundfos

Pump manufacturer Grundfos has faced up to its role in industrial energy overconsumption and the CO2 emissions that produces. The company’s response has been to rehabilitate its products from being energy offenders to a genuine part of the solution. In the spirit of the Global Compact, Grundfos has also taken an active role in advocating the role of business in promoting greater environmental responsibility and developing environmentally friendly technologies more[...]

The Author
Green Business Assessment - The link between environmental and company performance

Philip Thormark, ÅF AB
André Månsson, Lund University

Over the years the general attitude towards environmental management has shifted. From a reactive stance, in which accidents and release of pollutions were at the center stage, to a proactive one in which environmental performance is sometimes regarded as a vital factor for the success of the company. Better environmental performance may increase the competitive advantage of a company in numerous ways. more[...]

The Author
Green Economy – the Next Oxymoron?

Prof. Ulrich Brand, Vienna University

The concept of a green economy has become the new buzz word in sustainability discourses, particularly in light of the Rio+20 Conference. Because of the current economic crisis and the perception that sustainability politics cannot be implemented efficiently, politicians have set their hopes on greening the economy. However, there are major problems with the aims and strategies linked to this concept. Specifically, if political, economical, and cultural constraints are not consid ered, green economy strategies will not be successful in their goals to end environmental degradation and reducing poverty. more[...]

The Author