The document discusses sustainability practices in business, specifically focusing on marketing. It outlines three key sustainable practices: corporate social responsibility, eco-efficiency, and green procurement. Corporate social responsibility involves community involvement and transparency efforts that improve a company's public image. Eco-efficiency aims to create high-quality products while improving environmental performance. Green procurement, or green buying, refers to purchasing environmentally-friendly products and services. While these practices are important, tensions can exist between sustainability and economic factors like cost and competitiveness. The document argues all businesses, including small businesses, should be involved in sustainability efforts to preserve the environment for future generations.

1. Sustainabilityinbusiness
Kyle Hahn
Sunday December13th
2015
PSI003_350
Jay Smith

2. SustainabilityInyourfield
Business-Marketing
Kyle Hahn
The fieldIam currentlystudyinginis businessandthe areaof concentrationismarketing.
Marketingisthe businessareathatuse the 4P’s of marketing(Product,Price,Promotion, and
Place) toidentifyandmeetthe customer’sneeds andcreate customersatisfactionof products
and services.
Sustainable Developmentismeetingthe obligationsof today’ssocietywhilekeepingthe long
termgoals{ Sustainable Development.(2014,July2)}. The three sustainable practicesIwill be
talkingaboutis:Corporate social responsibility,eco-efficiency,and Greenprocurement.
Corporate Social Responsibilityisahuge trendinbusinessandwill alwaysbe;thispractice is
reflectiveof the company’spublicimage whichcanbe done throughmanythingswhichinclude:
Communityinvolvement,transparency,andgreeninitiative.InMaclean’s2015 editionof the
top 50 sociallyresponsible CanadiancompaniesIntel ranked1st
inthe technologysector.Intel
has achievedthisbyprovidingpublicdocumentationof environmentimpactdataupdated
quarterlyof over10 manufacturingstationsworldwide aswell theydoenvironmental audit
reports.Anotherexample of corporate social responsibilityisTelus;theyuse animalsintheir
advertisementswhichrange fromPandastobunnies.{Smyth,J.(2015, June 8). Canada'stop 50
sociallyresponsible corporations:2015.} The whole pointof corporate social responsibilityisto
boostthe company’spublicitybygivingbacktocommunityaswell aspreservingthe
environmentforfuture generations.

3. Accordingto the worldbusinesscouncil forsustainable developmentEco-Efficiencyisdefinedas
creatinghighqualitycompetitiveproductswhileprogressivelymakingenvironmental
improvementstotheircompany.{WBCSD- WorldBusinessCouncil forSustainable
Development.(n.d.)}. Anexample of thisinthe businessworldisthe companyAirbuswhich
globallymanufacturesaircrafts andisalsoISO14100 environmental certificationwhichcoversits
sites,products,andservices.The CEOof Airbus Fabrice Bregierisquotedassaying“Ourvisionis
to be recognizedleaderineco-efficientsolutionsforsustainableaviation”{Eco-efficiency|
Airbus,aleadingaircraftmanufacturer.(n.d.). } Thisisvery goodto hearbecause we have to
combat climate change andreduce waste aswell be able toproduce competitiveproductswith
highregardsto environmentalism.
The third sustainable businesspractice thatIwill be talkingaboutisGreenprocurementwhichisalso
knownas greenbuying.Thispractice referstobuyingenvironmentallyfriendlyproductsandservicesas
well asregulationsforthe companyare put intocontract. Anexample of this isIKEA;inthisexample
IKEA put a code of conduct forits 2,000 suppliersthatfocusesonenvironmental impactaswell as
workingconditions.Thiscode alsoincludedsuppliermust-do’s(waste &emissionreduction,handlingof
hazardousmaterials,andrecycling) andif theybreachcode theywere toldtofix situationbutif they
failedtodoso theywouldbe terminatedfromthe company’ssupplierlist.Anotherexampleof thisthe
Japanese companyFijuistuwhichsellsITpartsglobally.The companyhasimplementedagreen
procurementpolicywhichstatestheymustselectmaterials,products,andservicesbasedontheirprice,
environmental impact,delivery,andquality.Theyalsostate manyenvironmental considerationswhen
purchasingwhichinclude:Ease of disassembly,resource conservation,energyconservation,and
recyclability{Sustainability Concepts:GreenProcurement.(n.d.).}. Greenprocurementisaverygood
practice to adopt butmay cost a little more if the properresearchisnotconducted.

4. There istensionsbetweenenvironmental sustainabilityandeconomicsisverynotable in
business.Some of these include:cost,andcompetiveness.
The cost of greenproductsare generally costmore thanregularproductsalthoughthe exchange
seemsverygoodintheorymostpeople are reluctanttopay more fortheirproducts. Alsothey
believethatthe bottomline of the advertisingdone forthistype of productisverymisleading.
Price isa verybigdriverinpurchasingdecisionsbecause the customerwill only buythe product
if theybelievethe returnoninvestmentisgoodenoughthattheyfeel the needforthisproduct.
{Dolliver,M.(2010, October10). ConsumersDon'tWarm to Eco-FriendlyProducts}
In termsof competivenessthe shifttowardsgreeninitiativeshasmade the businessworldvery
competitive.If companiesare notadoptinggreenpracticestheyare beingleftbehindandwill
make lessmoney;Thisismainlydue tointhisday and age people maymore attentionto
companiesandtheirprocessesandthiscanaffecttheirbuyingdecisions.Anexample of thisisif
a companyis more eco-efficienttheycancut more coststherefore makingtheirproductfor
cheaperandmaximizingprofitswhereasthe companythatisnot eco-efficientisgoingtohave
highercosttherefore theywillmake minimal profits. Thiscanaffectbuyingbecause the most
competitivecompaniesstrive tomake averyhighqualityproductat a low price whereasaless
competitivecompanyusuallymake alowerqualityforahigherprice whichcan potentially drive
customersaway.
The nextstepthat I can see to helpbusinessesstayprosperousistomake renewableandother
greeninitiativesmore affordableandinclude small businessesinthe greenrevolution.Itis
importantforall sizesof businesstobe involvedinpreservingourplanet. Since small businesses

5. (With1-99 employees) accountedfor98.2% of Canada’semploymentin2012 therefore getting
these businessesinvolvedin the green revolutionishuge inordertomaintainsustainability
In conclusionsustainabilityisahuge part of everydaybusiness andit’sabigpart of our everyday
lives.We are nowin a stage where the environmentmustbe preservedbyanymeanspossible;
since thishashappenedbusinesseshave beendoingtheirpartthrough:corporate social
responsibility,eco-efficiency,andgreenprocurement(greenbuying).Asaresultof thistrendit
has made for veryhealthycompetitioninall sectorsof businessaswell notonlydotheyreap
benefitsbutsodoescommunitiestheyworkinandfinallythe one thattakesthe biggest
benefitsisfuture generationsthathave aplanettolive on.
References
SustainabilityinBusiness-Marketing

6. Dolliver, M. (2010, October 10). Consumers Don't Warm to Eco-Friendly
Products. Retrieved December 12, 2015, from
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/consumers-dont-
warm-eco-friendly-products-107875
Eco-efficiency | Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 12, 2015, from http://www.airbus.com/company/eco-
efficiency/
SME Research & Statistics. (2013, October 9). Retrieved December 12,
2015, from https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/eng/02804.html
Smyth, J. (2015, June 8). Canada's top 50 socially responsible
corporations: 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from
http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/canadas-top-50-most-
socially-responsible-companies/
Sustainability Concepts: Green Procurement. (n.d.). Retrieved December
12, 2015, from http://www.gdrc.org/sustdev/concepts/14-gproc.html
Sustainable Business Practices. (2003). Retrieved December 13, 2015,
from
http://www.sustainablescale.org/AttractiveSolutions/SustainableBusines
sPractices.aspx
Sustainable Development. (2014, July 2). Retrieved December 12, 2015,
from http://www.ec.gc.ca/dd-sd/
WBCSD - World Business Council for Sustainable Development. (n.d.).
Retrieved December 12, 2015, from
http://www.wbcsd.org/pages/EDocument/EDocumentDetails.aspx?ID=1
3593