A few weeks ago, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released an excellent report that deep-dives into one of the big questions currently swirling around boardrooms of consumer companies: will consumers continue to care about green now that the economy is slumping?
Earlier this year, Infosys and Microsoft teamed up to produce a survey that looks at supply chain dynamics among high-tech manufacturing firms in Germany, Japan, and the United States. The new survey results reiterate trends that I have been seeing for awhile now: supply chains are becoming increasingly complex, and that, in turn, is making it more difficult for companies to discover –and then recover from –disruptions. Ultimately, the combination of increased complexity and decreased visibility hurts the bottom line.
On Monday, BusinessGreen published a wonderful one-page Q&A with Jonathan Adnams, executive chairman of Adnams brewery, in Southwold, UK. His family has been in the beer-brewing business since 1872, so when Adnams has something to say about sustainability, I’m all ears.
Think Eco-Logical recently released a report that takes a look at how IT professionals in the areas of internet and e-commerce view green initiatives at their companies. While it’s clear that environmental consciousness and business/cost considerations are combining to help set the strategic agenda for improvements in this sector, the report also shows that a lack of focus and deficient executive accountability remain key challenges.
The Financial Times ran a great story yesterday that outlines why sustainability is still “alive and kicking” –and in some cases, even thriving –despite the current economic crisis.
In “Managing in a Downturn: Why sustainability is still going strong,” authors Daniel Vermeer and Robert Clemen, who are both on staff at the Fuqua School of Business, predict that the economic downturn will produce more integrated, strategic and value-creating sustainability efforts in many companies. Traditional corporate responsibility and philanthropic initiatives may suffer, they concede. But core elements of the sustainability agenda are here to stay; many are likely to grow even stronger.
