Going Green in Today's Business Economy
Christina Blair
Professional Presence CS204
Kaplan University
Environmental issues are more pronounced in today’s business economy than they ever have been. Reducing waste, saving natural resources and becoming more efficient is a concern for many businesses and their consumers. But going green is costly; this makes it difficult for some businesses to adapt to these changes. These changes need to be evaluated for the long-term goals of an organization. Companies that will be the most successful in today’s global business economy, many people believe, are the ones that will profit by finding ways to merge these two topics into one business model. Businesses and organizations strive to improve efficiency and most people welcome efficiency in their lives as a way to make them more productive, save money, and live a better quality of life. So it makes perfect sense that efficiency in the manner in which we treat our environment would be a good thing for business by becoming more efficient, protecting our scarce natural resources and by improving public image.
Corporate citizenship or social responsibility has become a popular concept in the business world and today’s global economy. It argues that companies can pursue their long-term interests while contributing to the development of the society and environmental sustainability. Customers more and more expect companies to fulfill their social obligations. According to the 2010 Edelman Good purpose Global Study:
Eighty-seven percent of Americans believe that businesses need to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on those of business. Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) feel that it is no longer enough for corporations to simply donate money to good causes, they need to integrate them into their day-to-day business. The good purpose study also found that nearly...