Business Sustainability Strategies
Describe (or summarize) three dimensions of sustainability (i.e., triple bottom line) based on your understanding (Include examples)
Business sustainability also defined as managing the triple bottom line refers to the process through which business entities apply in managing their financial, social and environmental obligations, risks and opportunities with the three impacts better referred to as profits, people and planet respectively (BCG 1). The three pillars or dimensions of sustainability include economic, social and environmental aspects such that the economic pillar makes the business equitable, the social pillar make the business activities bearable while the environment pillar makes the business venture viable thereby creating a level of sustainability. The economic aspect ensures that business continues to thrive under the available resources in a manner that it maximizes its profits. On the other hand, the environmental aspects ensures that the business has a reliable physical location to operate from as well as the supply of resources is sufficient hence the replenishing, protection and conservation of the environment is key to the health of the business (Gittell, Magnusson & Merenda 17 ) . For example most corporations today are involved in corporate social responsibilities in appreciation of the surroundings that are around their business. Importantly, the social aspect consists of the human factor; these are the human resources within the organization who world to attain the goals and objectives of the entities hence ensuring high revenue generation at low costs hence proper treatment of these resources ensures that the business runs at full capacity. Generally, business sustainability ensures business preservation (Gittell et al 12).
What is the general layout of your company’s current supply chain(s)? How many tiers are in your company’s supply chain(s)? What social concerns or environmental issues might exist within or between the tiers? How do these complexities in your supply chain complicate sustainability?
The current supply chain layout within my current company which is an Apple Juicing Firm has a complex supply network that consists of both upstream and downstream activities that involve inbound, internal and outbound logistics. The inbound logistics involve delivery of apples from the apple farm to the Juicing plant after which the juice is moved to the Bottling plant which sources external inputs from the bottle manufacturing plant as well as the label printer maker after which the bottled juice is taken into the storage and distribution centre. The movement of the product starts from the National Distribution Centre down to the Regional Distribution Centre then to the wholesale and retail vending points for sale to consumers who consume it. Social concerns experienced within the supply network is particularly in the labour intensive activities of both on-loading and off-loading inputs and outputs while the environmental concerns include the emission of gases especially due to the type of fuels used by the processing plant and motor vehicles transporting raw material into and products out of the business. These complexities within the supply chain complicate efforts to adopt a green economy as well as involve heavy levies charged by governmental agencies involved in environment preservation (Lubin & Esty 25).
Does the industry in which you are operating have room for a differentiated business? If you must pursue a cost leadership strategy, how can you incorporate sustainability ideas into your business operations?
The fruit processing industry has room for a differentiated business. In following the cost leadership strategy, pricing, branding and packaging strategies ensures financial or economic sustainability. The company may attain sustainability if the packaging material is easy to recycle for example use of plastics is sustainable to the environment since they can be easily be recycled for business use. Moreover, continued training of the human resources within the firm ensures that they attain personal development as well as remaining highly motivated and productive this ensures social sustainability.
Discuss your strategic plan, or at least a general strategic framework that can serve as a roadmap to accomplishing your vision, mission, and objectives in regard to the pursuit of sustainability.
Our apple juicing company has the vision of being a leading global fruit processing company. Therefore, the mission of the company is involves producing quality products such that to grow a large customer base which will generate sustainable financial resources needed to invest into our expansion plan. Moreover, the company intends to continually reward the human resources through market relative salary packages to ensure that commitment is attained and developed through rigorous training. In addition, the company intends to “go-green” in a bid to use renewable energy sources in its production to ensure and enhance environmental sustainability.
The continued expansion of our firm and amassing of the market share within the fruit processing industry comes as a benefit accrued from the adaptation of sustainability strategies that ensure that the company has a competitive strategy evident in its differentiation of products and packaging as well as its friendly pricing plans that endears the consumer to our brand that boasts of quality. Moreover, the supply chain strategy ensures that the distribution of the products meets the end consumer fulfilling time, form and place utilities amicably. In addition, the supply chain strategy ensures that the flow of inputs is constant and that relatively fair prices are maintained all through the process ensuring huge revenue collection.
Works Cited
Boston Consulting Group (BCG). “Sustainability Nears a Tipping Point.” MIT Sloan Management Review. 2012. Retrieved on January 26, from http://publicservice.com/msstore/Productdetails.aspx?CPC=53380
Lubin, David and Esty, Daniel. “The Big Idea: The Sustainability Imperative” Harvard Business Review. 2010. Print.
Gittell, Ross., Magnusson, Matt., Merenda, Michael. “The Sustainable Business Case Book” Saylor Foundation. 2012. Print.
