No longer buzzwords or empty promises, "sustainability" and "social responsibility" are fully enmeshed in business strategies. Despite its short history and somewhat slow start to gain momentum in some industries, smart business leaders realize that sustainability fits quite nicely with lean strategies. After all, the ultimate goal of both is to optimize resources and eliminate waste.
The proportion of managers who say they think that sustainability is a key to competitive success has risen from 55 percent in 2010 to 67 percent last year, according to an annual survey of 4,000 managers in 113 countries by the MIT Sloan Management Review and the Boston Consulting Group.
This year the ISM Sustainability and Social Responsibility Conference moves to California after several years on the East Coast of the U.S. If you’re trying to make the most of your limited resources then sustainability should be part of your strategy. Sustainability practices demand new ideas to reduce costs through lean processes and effective management of resources.
