Sustainable Strategy Ideas & Advice

Symantec's Four Rules for Sustainable Business Success

Symantec, one of the world’s largest security software companies, signed the U.N. Global Compact in 2006 - a move that became a catalyst for the company's fledgling corporate responsibility program. Here are four key lessons learned, as told by Symantec's director of corporate responsibility. By Kathleen Gilligan

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When Small Green Ideas Net Big Returns

Thanks to economies of scale, green business innovations can pay unexpectedly large dividends for the environment and the bottom line. Here's the inside story on the simple ideas that helped three major corporations save big. By Pamela Mareghni

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Six Tried-and-True Strategies for Inspiring Environmental Change

Many workers view sustainable practices as one more thing to add to an already overburdened workload – proof positive that their managers aren't communicating on this issue as effectively as they could. John Marshall Roberts, director of communication at Evenson Design Group, takes a practical look at the art of inspired leadership.

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Transparency: The Mega-Force You Can't Totally Control

Of all of the big forces coming to bear on companies - things like globalization, technology, and rising commodity prices - one of most powerful and difficult to manage is transparency. How much is too much...or too little? By Andrew Winston

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Unleashing Your Inner Green Hero

There are green "intrapreneurs" everywhere in your company. Whether you tap into their creativity - and your own - is up to you. By Matt Heinz

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Nau: Ahead of Its Time?

The failure of Nau is a real tragedy. As part of my mourning process, I want to speculate “from the cheap seats” on why Nau failed and what we might all learn about sustainable business. By Phil Berry

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Employees: Your Most Important Stakeholders

Attracting the best people is only getting tougher and, increasingly, top talent demands that employers demonstrate a solid commitment to corporate responsibility. Simply put, people want to work for a company that shares their values. Here's how some forward-thinking companies are engaging employees in their sustainability efforts. By Andrew Winston

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How to Recession-Proof Your Green Strategy

With a recession looming, some market watchers say corporate responsibility initiatives are on the chopping block. But the smartest executives see business benefit and competitive advantage in sustainability even as their companies begin to feel the squeeze. Here's why - and how you can take steps to stay in the game. By Kathee Rebernak

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Products That Suddenly Get Heat for Environmental Impact - Is Yours Next?

Which products get the bad rap is not always logical or driven by real data - so how can you prepare? SLM expert-in-residence Andrew Winston has a few tips.

So Many Standards, So Little Time

Green-market change is a challenge for companies and investors alike, but each group is acting on its own timeline - and (given our rapidly changing climate) the clock is ticking. Easily verified, widely agreed-upon standards for sustainability are quickest path to lasting change. With all the different programs currently in the marketplace, how do you decide which standard to go with? Here’s how I came up with an answer – and how you can, too. By Mary Hunt

What Am I "Offsetting" Again?

What exactly is a carbon offset? In theory it's reduction in carbon emissions somewhere - through some action like planting a tree or paying for the spinning of a wind turbine - equal to your own emissions. Sounds easy, but the reality is very messy since the mechanisms for creating and buying emissions reductions and credits are incredibly varied. Here are four key questions to ask as you begin to think about your strategic choices in the (as-yet) mainly voluntary world of carbon offsets. By Andrew Winston

MBA's: Your Future (Green) Execs?

BusinessWeek seems to have taken on the self-appointed role as debunker of green business, which as I've written before is an odd switch from the beginning of 2007. The trend continues: Last week, the magazine took an unnecessarily harsh (but not necessarily surprising) perspective on a new survey about interest in green values at work. By Andrew Winston

The "Fourth Estate" in 2007: The Year the Media Went Wild for Green

Last year's barrage of green media coverage began in January with a BusinessWeek cover on the glory of the environmentally conscious corporation. Nine months later, the same publication opted for the "yeah, but..." angle with its "Little Green Lies" cover.

How to Create an Effective Sustainability Plan

As with any organizational initiative, successful implementation of sustainability relies on a coherent and thoughtful plan. Easier said than done! For your sustainability plan to work, it must have each of these five key components. By Marsha Willard

10 Ways to Empower Your Employees to Go Green

If you can't sell your green programs to your own employees, how will you ever sell your company as a sustainability leader? Frogfile Office Essentials, an online source for greener office products, offers these ten tips for getting green buy-in within your enterprise.

How to Put on a Green(er) Conference

Is it possible to bring hundreds of delegates together without leaving any environmental footprint? Not yet. But this article in Canada's Globe and Mail has some simple suggestions for taking an event from brown to green(er).