Incorporating Sustainable Practices As Part Of Corporate Responsibility

Modern organizations in the public and private sectors have a responsibility to meet the challenges of incorporating sustainable practices. Sustainable practices include considerations about the long-term economic, environmental, and social values of the corporation.

There are multiple benefits for businesses that embrace a sustainable approach. These include a reduction in operating costs, effective resource management across the entire chain of supply, stability, and building customer loyalty. By removing potential threats and risks, businesses have better development opportunities.

For several years now, it has become common practice for the world’s largest companies to publish corporate social responsibility reports or CSR reports.

Through these they communicate their mission to all stakeholders, creating accountability and highlighting their achievements.

According to the Governance & Accountability Institute, of the largest 500 companies, 90% published sustainability reports in 2019, up from 86% the previous year. There was also an increase of 5% in the reporting of the smaller companies by market cap from 34% to 39%.

Small Businesses and Corporate Responsibility

Becoming an entrepreneur has many challenges, and one of the most significant is finding a suitable business idea. TRUiC (The Really Useful Information Company) has researched over 800 popular business ideas and presents them in several easy to research categories.

Besides offering industry categories like food, creative, green, online (see video), home, recession-proof, and side hustle business ideas, users can even explore ideas according to their personality types or star sign.

Several categories of franchise ideas are available, and there are complete guides to starting a nail salon or coffee shop business.

Whatever their new business idea, entrepreneurs cannot miss the chance to incorporate sustainable practices. Corporate responsibility is broken into these three categories:

Environmental responsibility

Due to climate change, companies understand the need to focus on reducing their carbon footprints. However, several other areas need attention including water usage and packaging waste.

These efforts not only have a beneficial effect on the environment but also on the financials of the companies enforcing environmental responsibility.

Environmental impact is sometimes easier to measure and calculate in some industries than in others. Problems and progress must often be tracked across several industries as industries move materials across the supply chain making their way to the retailer, and finally, to the consumer. Waste products include wastewater, carbon dioxide, and even land reclamation.

Social Responsibility

Sustainable businesses also require social responsibility that allows them to have the support of more than just their stakeholders but also their employees and the community.

Everyone has heard of certain fair-trade products like coffee or cacao. However, fair trade does not only concern farmers but also how companies treat their employees and communities.

Employment strategies companies focus on do depend on the type of business but include learning and development opportunities, various parenting benefits, flexible employment, etc.

Community involvement may include something as simple as sponsorships or fundraising offered by smaller businesses. Larger corporations often invest in projects to improve the community and offer scholarships.

Social efforts are often also on a global scale. Companies make sure that the finished product has no link to unfair labor or environmental practices at the stage where the materials used are grown or produced.

This means that during the supply chain there must be no hint of child labor, unhealthy working conditions, unfair wages, deforestation, and so on.

Economic Responsibility

Profits are essential for making a business sustainable, and these profits cannot be at any cost. Economic responsibility encompasses long-term economic growth without impacting the social and environmental aspects of communities.

It also ensures the ability to continue economic growth for future generations. Economic responsibility also entails the compliance, corporate governance, and risk management of the business.

Corporate governance is the most important pillar of a company’s economic responsibility. Its leaders and board of directors need to ensure they align the interests of the shareholders with those of the community, end-users, and the value chains.

Companies have a responsibility to avoid conflicts of interest, must use transparent business and accounting methods, and put important issues to vote. An important issue faced right now is how companies can continue growing as they reduce their carbon emissions.

Final Word

Environmental, social, and economic corporate responsibility is important for every business, no matter its place in the supply chain.

From suppliers to retailers, the commitment to sustainability is becoming a basic business practice among proactive companies, giving them a better reputation.