Network for Business Sustainability - Latest Comments

Re: Are Luxury and CSR Compatible?

Steph Sharma — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:26:20 -0000

Thank you for your summary and keeping this part of an ongoing discussion as CSR evolves and grows. A couple of things specifically caught my attention and caused me to read the paper (Doing Poorly by Doing Good) as well as quickly research a couple of sites on the topic, for more information.
First off, I don't often consider iTunes as "open" but instead consider it one of the paths to a more "closed" world upon which Apple has embarked. However, when I read the definition in the paper I see the researchers are not using the technology-based definition but are using a more cultural-based definition and from that perspective agree that iTunes has brought the world's music to any/all who seek it!
Secondly, when I think of Lexus, I agree and do think about luxury and perfection, both defined by quality workmanship and salesmanship. However, I also think of Lexus as being on the leading edge and have known for many years of its hybrid focus and research for its high-end consumers who care about the earth. This is a growing market and is also challenging the political lines of sustainability.
Potentially, this research could go further in the future to include the effects of generations on perceptions of brand and social responsibility. That may be a filter that makes the link between these two more compatible.
My interest lies in how consumer spending (money) will drive innovation due to demand and the luxury group of consumers has money and influence to demand change, so hopefully we see a stronger link in the future!

http://www.treehugger.com/cars...
http://www.lexus.com/hybridliv...

Re: What Makes Your Consumers Go Green? It Depends on Who’s Around

Jpeloza — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:17:29 -0000

It's a working paper in a joint project between Simon Fraser University and Florida State University. Here's the formal cite: Green, Todd and John Peloza (2012), "Finding the Right Shade of Green: The Effect of Advertising Appeal Type on Environmentally Friendly Consumption," working paper, Simon Fraser University.

Re: What Makes Your Consumers Go Green? It Depends on Who’s Around

Mike — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:22:15 -0000

cite?

Re: Transforming Towards the Firm of the Future

Tim Stacey — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:34:31 -0000

An interesting article, but practically how do we accomplish this decentralised new ways of operating? Working from home is deemed as not productive by some, difficult to manage the remote work force by others and the lack of human interaction defined by many who do work from home as the one thing that would take them back to an office environment. With fuel prices trending upwards and train fair costs ever increasing (with no improvements in service), surely the days of the commuter are numbered? We must start to think how we can get to a place of work (as many of us actually can't work from home due to the space required away from detractions of the home) where we can interact with other people, even if those other people are not from the same business as us. Can we create offices where people go to work, sitting next to people from other businesses, where work can be done whilst gaining the valuable human interaction. Perhaps the next generation of the work place is a local office to your home where you can gain the office environment without the travel whilst retaining the productivity required? The reduction of lost hours of travel, emissions from fuels & the impact on carbon footprints, increased use of our town centres and associated regeneration of our high streets could even help to get us out of this financial stalemate!?

Re: Help Employees Help You: Five Research-based Ways to Boost Engagement

EarthShare — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:56:42 -0000

Great tips!

Re: Are Academic Scholars “Lost to the Academy”? A Call for More Public Intellectuals in the Climate Change Debate

Thomas Manaugh — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:27:35 -0000

Mr. Hamann:

I agree, more input from scientists on public forums would help. Another help would be more focus on solutions. Presently, scientists are focused on documenting evidence that global warming is happening and what its effects will be. Climate deniers might be in denial in part because there seems to be not much hope to stop global warming and its effects -- e.g., global sea level rise.

The west slope of Antarctica is ground zero for concern about significant, rapid sea level rise because of melting of the southern polar ice cap, where 80% of the Earth's glacier ice is stored. A very ambitious and action-oriented proposal is offered at http://dolphinblueinc.wordpres... for how melting of ice in Antarctica could be slowed. The proposed solution would be extraordinarily costly, but the costs would be smaller than the ultimate price of inaction. If every nation in the world would accept global warming as an existential threat, solutions could be implemented that are commensurate with the threat. A budget of $2 trillion per year (approximately what is spent on wars and military preparedness) would do the job. See http://www.dolphinblue.com/pg-... for an update on the feasibility of an ocean-based solution to global warming that uses proven technologies.

Re: Primer: Business Sustainability

Carl — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:30:00 -0000

Very nice overview and thanks for sharing....

Re: Why Companies – Not Governments – Will Solve the World’s Biggest Problems

Steven Moore — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:02:44 -0000

A blog that begins by quoting Milton Friedman's discredited ideas from 40 years
ago risks making us queasy in the 21st century, and Mr. Hart does not disappoint.

"Individuals can donate their private wealth in any way they choose,
but corporate executives are paid to put the shareholders' capital to
productive (i.e. profitable) use."

This seems to ignore the extensive social subsidies all businesses enjoy – the
highway system, the telecommunications system, the educational system, the
social safety net, the health system, all paid for by society. Corporations do
not exist in a vacuum just for their shareholders. I would have thought that
the mantra of 'privatize the profits and socialize the costs' would
start to recede as many of us try to think like human beings and not cash
registers.

"It is true that corporations are not democratic institutions designed
to reflect the broad 'public interest.' But today's representative
governments have become all but incapable of addressing society's real
challenges."

Well, isn't this the problem? Corporations are not democratic institutions, yet
they own democratic institutions through their lobbying efforts and campaign
donations. Of course representative governments are hamstrung -
they face of corporate threats to move their jobs and capital (to say
nothing of their pollution) to more 'friendly' jurisdictions.

"National governments are self-interested by design, concerned first
and foremost with the security and well-being of their citizens. Tragically,
preoccupation with the 'national interest' makes government less and
less relevant in a world characterized by trans-boundary challenges such as
climate change, loss of biodiversity and international terrorism. It is not at
all clear today that the sum of 'national interests' equals the 'public interest' of the world."

This neglects to mention that trans-boundary corporations and the mindless
consumption many of them promote may be at the root of climate change, loss of
biodiversity, and international terrorism through the incessant promotion of
the 1% at the expense of the 99%. The Occupy movement is gradually teaching us
this.

"The profit motive can thus accelerate (not inhibit) the transformation
toward global sustainability."
Here I finally realized that Mr. Hart has set me up. This essay was a
tongue-in-cheek satire designed to parody certain kinds of thinking.

Sure, let's have more profit motive. Foxes unite to manage the henhouse!

Well done, Mr. Hart, you really got me going there.

Re: Business & Society Version 3.0: Attending to What Stakeholders Attend to

Mike Barnett — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:40:44 -0000

Thanks for your comment, David. I don't disagree with what you've said above, as near as I can tell. Indeed, the business case works through the concept of enlightened self-interest. Much as with advertising, lobbying, etc., the costs may be immediate, but the returns often are not, and so it may take a long-term view to justify the costs. If you do believe that the long-term gains exceed the immediate costs, then you would do it for self-interested reasons; no policing or regulation are required for you to do it. Yes. Exactly. But what I'm arguing about above (or at least providing the blunt outline of a deeper argument for) is the factors that might create, or fail to create, these benefits from doing good (or punishments from doing bad).

For a longer treatment of one aspect of the above argument, please feel free to take a look at one of the underlying full papers here:

http://ssrn.com/abstract=19556...

or here:

http://jom.sagepub.com/content...

Best,
Mike Barnett

Re: Business & Society Version 3.0: Attending to What Stakeholders Attend to

David — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:11:19 -0000

I'm not sure I buy your taxonomy for the business case or that Version 2 rests so predominantly on stakeholder policing. "Stakeholders" is such a broad term -- and they can play so many different roles. Clearly, consumers, despite what they tell pollsters, have a hard time linking their purchases to CSR values. That said, between stakeholder policing and regulation, there is also the real business business case, that is, managing resources, promoting healthy, skilled workforces, building relationships with local communities etc etc, have demonstrable returns in many cases. The business case implies intrinsic self-interest if provable -- you are more profitable by doing certain things. That doesn't require policing or regulation.

Yet the push for a business case is a double-edged sword. Companies are often asking for it when it comes to sustainability, CSR, and other soft values, but they will spend countless of millions without blinking at eye on lobbying and pr that often show no clear return for their investment. So I am of mixed minds on the value of a business case -- I think its important to (try to) demonstrate it (to gain an ear or an audience) but I'm not sure it is enough to change minds of business leaders who view social and ecological issues skeptically. I'll be interested in learning more about where stakeholder influence is strongest and most effective.

Re: How to Make the Business Case When Business is Down

Gareth Kane — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:16:41 -0000

I think integration of sustainability is a long term trend, not just a recent development. Customers want you to compete on Performance, Price AND Planet, to give it 3Ps. Only a small set of customers will compromise on the first and second to get the last.

Re: Environmental Policy Webinar January 12, 2012

Santiago — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:47:13 -0000

Very informative

Re: Are Academic Scholars “Lost to the Academy”? A Call for More Public Intellectuals in the Climate Change Debate

Ralph Hamann — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:36:34 -0000

Thank you, Andrew, for a fantastic article. It has particular pertinence also to us academics outside North America or Europe (in my case, South Africa) - the social and environmental problems here are often so immediate and stark that it is difficult to personally justify a professional focus on theory or "top" journals. That said, I wonder whether we might be overstating a dichotomy between theory and practical relevance. Perhaps we need to live up to the challenge to more explicitly link top-tier theory development, policy-relevance and public engagement.

Re: Five Sustainability Roadblocks to Overcome in 2012

Peloza — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:30:25 -0000

I especially like the point about financial performance being poor. This negative can be negated, particularly if managers remember that sustainability doesn't mean "charity." Projects can be initiated that are designed to add customer value to the offering. While these may require some investment, as with all product modification or introductions, they do not require that customers respond with goodwill or, more importantly, that managers rely on this goodwill to make the business case.

Re: CSR events

Jessica Kilcoyne — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:53:55 -0000

Sustainable Development: Possibility or Pipe Dream?

This FREE event will take place on the morning of November 3, 2011, Federation Hall, University of Waterloo.

The keynote speaker is The Hon. Elizabeth Thompson, UN Assistant Secretary General. Following Elizabeth’s presentation, there will be a panel discussion, and joining Elizabeth will be Dan Gagnier (Chair, International Institute for Sustainable Development), David McLaughlin (President and CEO, The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy) and Francis Westley (JW McConnell Chair in Social Innovation, University of Waterloo).

For more information and to register visit: http://www.env.uwaterloo.ca/seed-event-2011/.

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:41:37 -0000

oikos Global Case Writing Competition 2012

Oikos is looking for case submissions for it's 9th annual competition that aims to promote the development of new, high quality teaching cases in the two tracks of corporate sustainability and social entrepreneurship. Winning cases will be presented at the Academy of Management Conference 2012 to be held in Boston, August 3-7, 2012. Deadline for submissions is October 28, 2011. For more information.

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:40:10 -0000

2012 ASAC Conference

June 9-12, 2012; St. John's, Newfoundland

This three-day conference held by the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, centers around the theme "Exploring the New World of Work." If you are interested in participating please fill out this form. Deadline for paper submissions is February 8, 2012. For more information.

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:38:42 -0000

GRONEN Research Conference 2012 and Call for Papers

June 26-29, 2012; Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, France

The GRONEN Research Conference 2012 "Corporate Sustainability - Off to Pastures New or Back to the Roots?" will bring together a range of different formats for advancing the academic debate on corporate sustainability. Deadline for submissions is February 15, 2012. For more information.

Re: CSR events

Amelia Clarke — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:15:31 -0000

Administrative Science Association of Canada (ASAC) 2012 conference
Social Responsibility Division

This is an invitation to submit your original papers and case studies, or symposium proposals to the Social Responsibility Division of 2012 ASAC conference. It is being held in St. John’s Newfoundland from June 9th to 12th.

Best regards,
Amelia Clarke

Academic Reviewer for the Social Responsibility Division, ASAC 2012
Email – asac-sr (at) uwaterloo.ca
http://www.busi.mun.ca/asac201...

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:59:45 -0000

Call for Applicants (Professionals) - Kinross Knowledge Chair in Environmental Governance

The College of Social and Applied Human Sciences at the University of Guelph invites applications for the first Kinross Chair in Environmental Governance.

http://nbs.net/wp-content/uplo...

Re: 10 Things New Sustainability Managers Need to Know

NBS — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:08:32 -0000

A response posted on Twitter (thanks @jenniferwoofter) suggested an 11th question: How do I get my C-suite on board?

This is a key issue – one that might be THE most important factor in getting broad corporate support for sustainability. In fact, a study of 147 supervisors (http://nbs.net/knowledge/busin... suggests that managers who feel sustainability has support from the top feel better about their company, and are more likely to exhibit sustainability behaviours – regardless of their personal environmental beliefs.

Recent research on embedding sustainability on corporate culture suggests a few practices that may help (http://nbs.net/wp-content/uplo.... One (perhaps obvious) way is to assign responsibility to leaders. Make them accountable for sustainability performance. But, if you’re limited to grassroots mechanisms, ensure you’re adapting your sustainability message to fit the exec audience. Frame sustainability as a financial opportunity or put it in numbers. “Translate” it into everyday business language — particularly if you can hang it on one of your company’s priorities: focus on how it will benefit quality, innovation, reputation or employees. Another compelling strategy is to eliminate the guesswork. Pilot projects at the grassroots level; when they’ve yielded benefits on a micro-scale, take them up a notch and present them as a "win-win" opportunity for senior leadership to roll out.

What other strategies or tactics have you used to get your executives on board?
What other questions should be on the "Top Things" list?

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:53:54 -0000

Oikos Winter School: Students for Sustainable Economics and Management
November 6-12, 2011; Berlin, Germany

Around the world, sustainable entrepreneurs are decided to tackle the most pressing social and ecological challenges we are facing today. During a week of interactive workshops and cross-cultural debates with social entrepreneurs and experienced business leaders you will develop your sustainable project or scale up your start-up.

Apply with your idea, project or start-up as student or post-graduate by September, 15.

For more information, visit www.oikos-winterschool.org

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:24:21 -0000

Call for Papers for the 2011 ETH PhD Academy
Technical Change towards a Low-Carbon Society –The Role of Institutions and Actors
January 29 – February 3, 2012. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH); Zurich, Switzerland

Research of the participants should focus on – but is not limited to – the following topics:
- Public policies for fostering low-carbon technologies
- Corporate technology and innovation strategies related to climate change
- Technological innovation systems in the context of climate change
- The role of developing countries in developing and diffusing low-carbon technologies
- Socio-technical assessment and forecasting of low-carbon technologies

Applications should be sent to Tobias Schmidt (tobiasschmidt@ethz.ch) and include (i) a cover letter
explaining your motivation, (ii) a proposal abstract of max. 2 pages, and (iii) a CV. The deadline for
application is September 15, 2011. Notification of acceptance will be given by October 1, 2011. Deadline for full paper submission (10-15 pages) is December 15, 2011. For additional information, please see the previous academies’ programs on our website (http://www.sustec.ethz.ch/educ...
or contact Tobias Schmidt. We look forward to your application!

For more details & the application process please visit:
http://www.sustec.ethz.ch/educ...

Re: Embedding Sustainability in Organizational Culture

Rich Maltzman, PMP — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:09:06 -0000

Stephanie,

As I mentioned in an email to you - thanks for this tremendous contribution to the field of of sustainability.

At EarthPM, we're trying to make a difference by 'energizing' project managers and embedding sustainability thinking in the minds of these key folks who are at the 'connecting point' of ideas and operations.

With the help of this community and research (as well as tools!) we're more energized ourselves to do this work.

Thanks again!

Rich Maltzman, Co-Founder, EarthPM, LLC
Co-Author, "Green Project Management" (C) 2011 Taylor and Francis

Re: Opportunities for Researchers

Jessica Kilcoyne — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:03:06 -0000

Passion and Compassion for Sustainability
Dates: November 17-22, 2011
Deadline for Submission: August 30, 2011

The PhD Sustainability Academy is an annual event of the Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability (ARCS) hosted by The Richard Ivey School of Business at The University of Western Ontario (IVEY). The Network for Business Sustainability sponsors a Best Paper Award accompanied by a $500 cash prize.

The 2011 theme is Passion and Compassion for Sustainability. We will explore theorizing, researching and teaching sustainability with passion and compassion; new constructs and processes that can bring about positive change in business and society; new methods for studying sustainability in positively deviant organizations and/or under extreme adversity.We also welcome submissions on sustainability issues in strategy and policy, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics, environmental studies, and international business and international development. Different theoretical lenses, including management, economics, psychology, arts, philosophy, political studies, geography and sociology are encouraged, as are novel methodologies.

The PhD Sustainability Academy includes interactive paper development workshops with four guest faculty: Melissa Cardon, Lubin School of Business, Pace University, Jane Dutton, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

The deadline for submissions is August 30, 2011. All submissions need to include a cover-page with author details, a full manuscript submission (following the AMJ style guide for empirical studies and the AMR style guide for theoretical papers) and a separate two-page abstract (up to 1000 words, single-space 12 point font Times New Roman). Because participants are invited based on the relevance, timeliness and quality of the proposed research, the two-page abstract needs to include sufficient details to help the selection committee compare the potential contributions of the submissions. Please include a 150 word abstract, a 150 word bio, and a recent photo. Email your full submission to Oana Branzei, obranzei@ivey.uwo.ca.

Invitations will be sent out by September 30th, 2011. Participants are selected based on a double-blind selection process. Reviewers include ARCS founding members and PhD Sustainability Academy faculty and alumni. IVEY will sponsor all the local expenses. All the invited participants are responsible for their own travel. Michael Pratt, Carroll School of Management, Boston College, Chris Steyaert, University of St. Gallen Oana Branzei is the Ivey faculty host. Fire-side chats hosted by ARCS founders Tom Lyon and John Maxwell, practitioner-led panels and theme-specific site visits will help strengthen the relevance and impact of the research.