Going
Greener: Company Perspectives
Hilton
LightStay program results: In 2010, GreenBiz.com reported, reductions of
- 6.6% in energy use
- 7.8% of carbon output
- 19% in waste output
- 3.8% in water use
Microsoft’s
supply chain pilot project: Thanks at least in part to a shareholder proxy action (an issue brought to a
vote at the annual shareholders’ meeting), according to GreenBiz.com, Microsoft, beginning in 2013, “will
ask a dozen of its suppliers to file Global Reporting Initiative-compliant
sustainability reports – far from an earthshaking move, but one that could
signal the leading edge of a looming trend.”
Sustainable
packaging should be normal: According to EnvironmentalLeader.com, Estee Lauder is placing importance on
sustainable packaging materials. The company said, “The cosmetics giant now uses
the Sustainable Packaging Alliance’s Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool
(PIQET) and L’Oreal’s own sustainable packaging scorecard to grade the
sustainability of its product packaging and review actions to reduce its
environmental impact.”
Sustainability
offers a lens for corporations: After a survey by the Two Tomorrows sustainability agency that rated the top 10
hotel chains a 19 on a scale of 100, a green consultant dispensed advice in an op-ed:
“Sustainability
has evolved into a much deeper practice than many business leaders initially
believed was possible. It is a tool and philosophy that can be applied
strategically to every department, from the new hotel design team and franchise
relations to the sales, marketing, and food services groups.
“By
using the lens of sustainability, it is possible to uncover new data points to
track and reveal previously unseen metrics about current key indicators.
“Rather
than having Operations or HR staff trying to implement sustainability goals for
other departments, hotels need corporate sustainability officers that operate
out of their own unique department and are empowered to assess and coach all
other departments within the organization.”
Sustainability
at the 2012 Olympics: The 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London; a recent video covers Coca-Cola’s efforts on sustainability.