How international businesses can become more environmentally friendly without sacrificing profitability

20/02/2018

international business environmentally friendly

international business environmentally friendlyAs sustainability, CSR (corporate social responsibility), the triple bottom line (people, planet and profit) and other related concepts become increasingly popular, more companies are considering improving their environmental and sustainability efforts.

While it’s not always easy to start something new, there are many ways businesses of all sizes can reduce their environmental impact and reap other benefits along the way.

To help you get started, we wanted to hear from the experts what misconceptions business might face about becoming greener, how businesses can plan out new ideas, and see what options are out there for businesses to use.

This month’s #TradeElite Twitter chat provided the answers to all of these and more, so keep reading to see what the experts had to say!

Moderator:

Marissa Rosen (@MarissaR1) – Owner of Climate Social LLC in St. Louis, MO.

Panelists:

Margaret Cullen (@CullenMargaret) – Trade Commissioner at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Miami, FL.

Lisa Ellram (@SupplyChainLisa) – Professor of Supply Chain Management at Miami University in Oxford, OH.

Yvonne Gruenthaler (@TCS_YvonneG) – Trade Commissioner at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Calgary, AB.

Irina Rosca (@sustain_SCM) – owner of SustainSCM in San Diego, CA.

Lora Rigutto Vigliatore, CITP|FIBP (@CITPLora) – Marketing Manager at CircuitMeter in Ajax, ON and International Marketing Professor at Durham College.

Q1. What are some of the biggest misconceptions that need to be overcome about making businesses more sustainable or environmentally friendly?

Q2. How can you assess your business’s current sustainability levels and environmental impact?

Q3. What type of planning should businesses do before implementing a new sustainability initiative?

Q4. What do you think are some practical steps small businesses can take to become more sustainable and/or environmentally friendly?

Q5. What other options are available to larger companies to reduce their environmental impact? What are some of the best initiatives you’ve seen lately?

Q6. What are some other business benefits to becoming more sustainable and environmentally friendly?

Q7. What are some examples of sustainability programs in practice that you’re learning from or would recommend to other business leaders?

Q8. Any other advice for those looking to implement new initiatives?

Read the rest of the chat and follow future discussions by following the #TradeElite hashtag. Stay tuned for the next #TradeElite chat in March, and if you haven’t yet, join us on Twitter at @FITTNews.

About the author

Author: Ewan Roy

I'm a Digital Marketing Specialist for the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT). My background is in writing and research, and I am passionate about communicating new ideas and telling stories that matter to you.

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