Is Your Organization Making Progress with Sustainability?
Where are your organization’s sustainability efforts heading in 2017? Is advancing these efforts a part of your mission statement? Perhaps you have been progressing along the road to organizational sustainability for some time now and are looking for new projects to continue your development?
Ohio-based Biostripe® is a paint-striping and sealant manufacturer dedicated to producing products from renewable raw materials. Harnessing the power of soybeans, Biostripe® replaces much of the petroleum in most pavement marking paints used on parking lots and roads with soybean oil. In doing so, Biostripe® paint and BioSealcoat® offer a low odor, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) alternative that minimizes the emission of harmful gasses during the application and drying process. Delivering alkyd performance in a waterborne system, Biostripe® can also help organizations save on labor costs compared to regular waterborne paints.
Global Sustainable Development
For decades, sustainability has been a topic of concern for governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations and the global population at large. Recognizing the need to curb our use of natural resources if we expect future generations to survive, many nations are emphasizing the importance of conservation.
In fact, adapting behaviors and technology to meet the needs of the current population without compromising those of future generations was the goal of the United Nations’ 1987 sustainability mandate. To foster more responsible resource management, governments and multi-national companies have announced goals to reduce waste, conserve water and energy and reduce humankind’s collective carbon footprint.
Progress on Many Fronts
The key to increasing sustainability’s momentum in the business world is to advance efforts without hindering profitability. Companies are finding that adapting to more sustainable processes can:
- Save on operating expenses by reducing energy and water usage while lowering emissions.
- Save on products costs when considering long-term life cycle analysis of utilizing bio-based and sustainable products in facilities operations.
- Increase sales and market share among consumers who choose to purchase from eco-friendly companies and products.
Most innovations in this area are coming from private companies working in conjunction with universities. Nearly every university or college is experimenting with an ambitious program, often funded by the business community focused on developing practical sustainable solutions with widespread applicability.
Tracking Sustainability Among Global Corporations
The world’s growing population combined with some countries’ reluctance (or inability) to facilitate substantially has hampered potential progress. However, global corporations have made some giant strides toward sustainability in the private sector
So, What Has This Emphasis on Sustainability Accomplished?
Ceres, a top-rated environmental organization, produces an annual scorecard summarizing the progress companies are making toward effective environmental stewardship. The survey grades in four separate categories:
- Governance and sustainability
- Stakeholder engagement
- Disclosure
- Performance
Each category has specific areas of focus that Ceres rates according to this scale: Setting the Pace (1), Making Progress (2), Getting on Track (3) and Starting Out (4). By placing a metric on progress, Ceres feels it can better capture successes and establish priorities for future development. The final annual score is determined by the average of all the ratings in each category.
Calling All Sustainability Professionals: Biostripe® Wants to Know About Your Sustainability Programs
As a company committed to improving our own impact on the environment, Biostripe® seeks to understand how other companies, universities and other organizations are working to meet their own sustainability goals. Sharing information and best practices is an important part of achieving success.
We ask that you take a moment to answer our survey so we have a better understanding of which issues are important to your organization and what barriers may be impeding your success. Complete our one-minute survey at: http://www.biostripe.com/sustainability-trends-for-2017-survey