Sustainable Business

Coursera and edX: Game-Changers for Sustainable Business?

Andrea Learned | Posted 05.08.2012

Andrea Learned

What would happen if more people, not just the usual (privileged) suspects, had access to the theory, concepts and best practices that could help them become the sustainability change agents or leaders in their respective workplaces?

Revolutionizing Sustainable Product Design

Asheen Phansey | Posted 04.11.2012

Asheen Phansey

Just as quality assurance is no longer a differentiator but a must-have, environmental life cycle assessment will become the de facto standard -- if not the regulated standard -- for product design.

Sustainability's Neglected Frontier: The Young and the Entrepreneurial

Andrea Learned | Posted 04.11.2012

Andrea Learned

A week ago I spent a day with representatives of the Pacific Northwest's emerging generation of sustainability and socially-minded entrepreneurs, and it blew me away. And, I was not the only one impressed.

Sustainable Consumption Is a Myth

Gregory Unruh | Posted 12.28.2011

Gregory Unruh

The truth is that sustainable consumption is a myth. That's because nothing is ever really consumed. Nothing goes away.

A Teaching Moment About the Green Economy

Graciela Tiscareno-Sato | Posted 12.12.2011

Graciela Tiscareno-Sato

How about you? Are you bullish on our nation's green economy? Are you working in a green industry today? If not, are you working somewhere where new green jobs could be created if certain long-standing processes were questioned and new solutions created?

Sustainability Thought Leadership: Shift or Show?

Andrea Learned | Posted 11.13.2011

Andrea Learned

What if your thought leadership got you very little recognition today but contributed to an incredibly significant cultural shift that made a positive difference for generations to come?

Plain Sight Sustainability, Mass Consumer Influence

Andrea Learned | Posted 10.05.2011

Andrea Learned

I can't whip people over the head with a canvas grocery bag to get them to see why I'm so passionate. For any person to forward the sustainability movement, it's about seeing where sustainability already exists.

All Effective Management Must Be Sustainability Management

Steven Cohen | Posted 08.27.2011

Steven Cohen

In an increasingly crowded planet, the scale of production of everything has grown. In the old days, water, energy and waste were minor factors in an organization's cost equation. Those days are gone.

Business Unusual: Living Economies

Andrea Learned | Posted 08.21.2011

Andrea Learned

"Living Economies." Though the phrase is a mouthful, a lot more businesses, and businesspeople, should be seeing themselves as part of them. Perhaps...

Easing Sustainability "In-" and "Out-Group" Conflict

Andrea Learned | Posted 05.25.2011

Andrea Learned

What if a sustainability-minded person is in the in-group, and a less convinced citizen/consumer is in the out-group? It can seem that ne'er the twain shall meet. What could they possibly have in common?

In 2011, Sustainability Will Force the De-Gendering of Business Leadership

Andrea Learned | Posted 05.25.2011

Andrea Learned

As we move into 2011, I predict that diverse organizations will have a huge advantage. And mastering the context of sustainable business will be the greatest leadership benchmark.

The Reusable Starbucks Cup Experiment

Gregory Unruh | Posted 05.25.2011

Gregory Unruh

No Starbucks barista was willing to refill my returned paper cup. But, interestingly, they were more than happy to refill my returned plastic reusable cup. What's the difference?

Why the Green Economy is Unstoppable -- and 10 Ways it's Making Life Better

Andy Mannle | Posted 05.25.2011

Andy Mannle

It's clear from our inability to pass climate legislation that we're not going green because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the smart thing to do. Here are 10 major areas of life that are inevitably getting better by going green.

American Consumers Aren't Buying Climate Action

Corbin Hiar | Posted 05.25.2011

Corbin Hiar

Earlier this week at the Clinton Global Initiative, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres offered her assessment of what was preventing progress in the...

Eco-Conscious Behavior: The New Normal?

Andrea Learned | Posted 05.25.2011

Andrea Learned

There may still be a lot of people who think the concept of greening living is too different from their own way of life. But starting toward sustainability is not as big a leap as you'd think.

The Business Case Against Overseas Tax Havens

Chuck Collins | Posted 05.25.2011

Chuck Collins

In the U.S., thanks in part to overseas tax havens, we have one tax system for multinational companies and wealthy individuals -- and another for small businesses and ordinary taxpayers.

The Secret of the Female Systems Thinker: Why Your Business Needs Her

Andrea Learned | Posted 05.25.2011

Andrea Learned

Let's face it. Sustainable business development is a complex pursuit that can seem a tad touchy-feely in its woo-woo focus on people, planet and profit. What's going on? Could you use a little help about now?

Environmental Regulations: The New Frontier

Gregory Unruh | Posted 05.25.2011

Gregory Unruh

Cross-posted from Forbes.com Last week, on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, I found myself in an interesting discussion with business leaders in o...

Greening Your Business Is Not Enough

Terry Kellogg | Posted 05.25.2011

Terry Kellogg

As any business owner knows, donating 1% of revenues -- as opposed to profits -- is a high bar to meet. It's a way to inspire or even dare others in your field to join.

Gender and the Sweet Spot of Sustainable Business

Andrea Learned | Posted 11.17.2011

Andrea Learned

The time has come to equally value what men and women contribute, and encourage them to do so using their own unique styles.

Sustainability Holism Vs. Green Tokenism

Gregory Unruh | Posted 05.25.2011

Gregory Unruh

Can "green" and "non-green" brands coexist in the same portfolio? How much can the portfolio sustain? It looks like a lot. Toyota can sell the Prius and Tundra. Pepsi sells Sun Chips and 7-Up.

Sustainability Holism

Gregory Unruh | Posted 05.25.2011

Gregory Unruh

As more established companies head down the green path, they will find themselves subject to the demands of sustainability holism. Customers will say, "We like your new green product, but what about the other stuff you're selling?"

The Raja's Rules: Timeless Continuity Tips from the World's Oldest Family Business

Perry Garfinkel | Posted 05.25.2011

Perry Garfinkel

One cannot argue with 1,400 years of success. Meet the Mewars: the world's oldest family business, unbroken for 76 generations. And counting.

Visions of a dry future: Experts predict global water crisis is worse than anticipated; businesses face sweeping transformation

J. Carl Ganter | Posted 05.25.2011

J. Carl Ganter

Population growth, urban development, farm production, and climate change are increasing competition for fresh water and creating shortages so acute t...

Part II: Clarifying Corporate Responsibility

Gregory Unruh | Posted 05.25.2011

Gregory Unruh

In my previous post on CSR in a global economy, I provided some background on what's driving the CSR imperative and how accepting responsibilities bey...