Corporate Sustainability Management in relation to Belgium Breweries - Assignment Example

Corporate Sustainability management Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: Introduction It is important for any organisation to develop effective sustainability strategies so that the organisation will be able to manage the issues affecting the global business. The sustainability includes the god citizenship and effective management of resources which do not exploit the environment, but leading to competitive advantage of an organisation. This assignment therefore discusses the various concepts of corporate sustainability management in relation to Belgium breweries. Question 1. Ethics is the use of moral ways of undertaking activities, whether personal or organisational. Business ethics implies that an individual upholding his moral standards in any given environment a business is operating and also in its decision making (Bichard & Cooper 2008). The above case representing new Belgium breweries has highlighted ethical issues concerning Production Company in the company. The common goal in this company is a set of corporate values that make sustainability the highest priority. The company has environmental ethics that sounds so friendly (Bichard & Cooper 2008). The company uses a hundred per cent carbon free wind source of power in addition to it applies the use of combined solar PV co-generation, metering and control initiatives and above all it has employed the use of a natural draft cooling system which utilizes outside air when temperatures are below forty degrees. The organisation has also engaged in activities that are to converse natural gas use by using brew kettle that is designed to maximize the heated water surface area also the kettle minimizes evaporation it also captures it hence reducing wastage (Newmark 2012). The organisation has also reduced its water usage in the production process also the availability of water plant in the organisation has enabled it to treat in the bio-digester before being realised to the streams hence cubing water pollution and also the recycling of its inputs and the reduction of carbon emission from the plants. The other ethical issues that arises here is the responsible drinking and promotion of beer culture without interfering with sales where the organisation encourages it as its one of its core value where each employee in the organisation has to uphold it. In addition, the organisation also looks out for the employees goals and work toward having the employees’ goals as the employees work towards achieving the organisation goals (Archie & Ann 2012). Q2. Sustainability implies Business working towards meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It implies making life bearable for the coming lives, both human and non-human (Williams 2008). Commitment to environmental sustainability has been faced with various barriers in achieving it. The cost of having environmental sustainability is high initially, for organisations that are aware of the benefits of having environmental sustainability example, green energy, waste treatment plant will indicate clearly that the initial cost of setting up such assets is so expensive that some organisation can’t afford and the same time having the organisation run sustainability hence such organisation will evade investing in environmental sustainability (Stead 2004). Some firms do not have a mechanism that is able to accurately give the sweet benefits of environmental management, sustainability here implies the organisation is just green, the actual cost of employing environmental sustainability ways and the profits that will be derived when it is achieved and for how long (William 2008). Example, the benefits that maybe are achieved when recycling water used in any given production and how to go about it. The global climate changes experienced make it hard for firms to plan and implement projects concerning sustainability. Since the changes do not go hand in hand with the organisation long term strategies hence organisations end up missing financial opportunities to improve financial performance by implementing improved environmental process and product lines (William 2008). Q3. Are you more likely to purchase a product from a company with a 33.20cx commitment to sustainability? Yes, as long as I know, am making life bearable for my future generation, I won’t have a second mind of purchasing it. For instance, I always research on companies that are producing the products and how they are friendly to the environment, if I get they are eco-friendly, those company products are always my priority (Crane & Moon 2008). The benefits I personally feel I derive from such companies; I always believe the products are safe for use, from the manufacturing marketing like advertising till to the product reaches the customer, they always tailored to meet the sustainability bar (Crane & Moon 2008). Like such products when marketed say, advertised the images, the language used is friendly. Secondly, when such organisations are committed to sustainability, they will always ensure that I have a safe place to live thus the environment, example an organisation that cubs the noisy during production, the emission of carbon thus preventing acidic rains. For instance an organisation that treats its water waste before disposing to the rivers it will imply the river is safe to be used activities like irrigation (Visser 2007).  A sustainable company implies, it is able to sustain its employees also its production for over a long time frame, so the end products are always superior since the expertise have experience of improving it over a long period of time (Visser 2007). I always and will always purchase products from such companies so as to increase their market share to have more sells, hence profits, since they are really protecting the environment for the future use of our generation thus they are creating room for such my future people. Lastly, having such organisation that are committed to sustainability , it acts as a role model to the current people living on how to also be sustainable in their small ways like recycling of materials, reuse of products and how to handle components that are not biodegradable. If everyone will be committed to sustainability in his or her small way it will always promise a better tomorrow (Esty & Winston 2006). Q4. In evaluating the environmental effects of can verses bottles, there are many things one should put in consideration, thus from the supply of the raw materials, processing of the raw materials to finished products, the number of times the products can be recycled and the distance that is covered in the distribution of both (Epstein 2008). The best storage container is the one that end up in the recycle bin. Both cans and bottle end up in the recycle bin. In addition, both aluminium and the bottles are recycled infinite times, hence posing a more advantage to both. The other advantage that both pose when they undergo recycling is that they minimize effects of mining in their original occurrence, thus mining of the can which its major raw material is aluminium, the chemical applied are so dangerous to the environment, also the glass making process material used destroy the environment. They both create employment opportunities to the people, despite being mined from other places and there is a significant reduction in the amount of energy used to melt both the can and the bottle (Henriques 2004). The advantage that can pose over bottle include ease of transportation since they are lighter and its packing can accommodate more hence less fuel is applied, thus it becomes ecofriendly when they are transported bottles on the other hand (Henriques 2004). Beer that is canned is protected from the exposure of light, thus maintaining its taste and tastes fresher. Glass poses lowest greenhouse gas benefit per ton of all common recyclables. A ton of glass that is recycled it reduce greenhouse gasses by 0.07 metric tons of carbon equivalent. A ton of aluminium is recycled it reduce greenhouse gasses by 3.44 metric tons. Recycling a ton of aluminium has more greenhouse gas benefit than recycling a ton of glass (Khare 2005). The advantage of bottle also is the mining of silica which is easy and readily available while mining of raw materials of cans which is that mining of bauxite which is used to make can have more environmental impact. In conclusion, both cans and bottles have their pros and cons whereby at the end of the day, they both pose almost equal merits and demerits; hence the application of either of them is more same to the other (Henriques 2004). But the application of can pose more advantageous than of bottles, as long as recycling is more emphasized and applied it will imply more returns even if it means foregoing the distinctive aspects of its bottles and the potential loss of craft beer status in customers’ perceptions Q5. The company is able to sustain its core values and beliefs even scientifically its known when a person has clear life goals he or she is able to live much longer unlike the person who has not set the life goals. The new Belgium brewing company has a clear goal and also has been in existences for quite a period of time, it’s been there for over two decades now, it show all throughout it has maintain its core values and beliefs despite the major changes that have occurred since the twenty first century (McElroy 2012). One can attribute its sustainment to the whole organisation involvement in decision making thus the stakeholders are involved, hence decision making is a collective bargain rather than one individual thing. Secondly, the organisational involvement in having a sustainable production while also having a suitable environment it has reduced its production costs by a high percentage, so the organisation major returns are profits not debts (Kotler & Kevin 2009). The organisation upholds employees, goals in hand with organisational goals, is one best way for employees motivation, hence the organisation is able to sustain its employees, thus sustaining its expertise hence sustaining its quality production (Epstein 2008). The company embraces change since one of the core values is innovation, which always comes with a lot of changes, with innovation, it implies better ways of production, better ways of marketing and better ways of having competitive advantage, hence it will always lead as it uphold its core values and beliefs since they are the major driving factors (McElroy 2012). Conclusion This report has discussed the main concepts of corporate sustainability management. The ethical issues in this case study include the inability to follow the laid procedures and guidelines leading to ethical issues. Companies are contemplating on applying the corporate social sustainability management to ensure competitive advantage. The customers tend to buy the products from companies which practice sustainability practices to preserve the environment. Therefore, environmental sustainability is an important aspect in the success of any organization, thus it should be practised by all organisations. 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