Developing sustainable business for better tomorrow

By: SAKSHI MALHOTRA (125)

Sustainabilitywhy more important now?

Some facts that cannot be ignored..

Cars amount to three quarters of all transportation emissions. At the current rate, the world will be driven on by more than a billion cars in 2030 and a billion more by 2050

Over 100 pesticides ingredients are suspected to cause birth defects, cancer, and gene mutations.

Each year plastic waste in water and coastal areas kills upto:

2,00,000 marine animals 1 million sea birds Countless fishes

Some facts that cannot be ignored..

Average temperatures have climbed 0.8 degree Celsius around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades.

Rampant deforestation currently causes 20% of the world’s global warming by prohibiting the reabsorption of CO2

Arctic ice cover – already dangerously thin – is vulnerable to further melting which could lead to drowning of vast coastal lands and islands.

but putting lot of pressure on natural resources

Consumption of products and services are increasing....

Consumers are more aware and concerned.....So are brands

Today’s consumers...

• Well connected with their friends and peers world wide

• More informed about sustainability issues and related risk factors

• Willing to contribute towards environment and society but are time constrained

• Looking for avenues to contribute their bit and feel satisfied

• And so they are preferring brands, which are active on sustainability platform

• In a study by the European union , 75% of respondents agreed that they would pay more for environmentally friendly product as compared to regular ones.

Brands are focusing on sustainability..

• H&M raised close to $ 2.5 million of donation by selling its apparel linked to causes like Haiti earthquake

• Indian apparel brand “Being Human” contributes a portion of its revenue to charitable trust. The brand has been built on this ‘social’ concept

• Brands like M&S and PUMA accepts the second hand clothes/shoes other than their own brands also to be resold, recycled, or reused by charities.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS PLAYING MAJOR ROLE..

Facebook’s network – 1 billion users Twitter – 500 million users More than 6 billion cell phone users

globally this year, with more than 1 billion people using smart phones to access Web applications such as twitter and facebook

Sustainable practices through social media

Exchange Educate Engage Enhance

Textile and apparel manufacturers putting efforts

Denim manufacturers concentrating on using less water

• LEVIS water<Less jeans consumes upto 96%less water without compromising on the fashion quotient

• 172 million litres of water saved so far using Water<less finishing

Killer claims that it took 80% less water to manufacture each ‘water saver pair’.

It used facebook page extensively to connect this idea with its customers.

Cone denim has gone beyond water saving..

A leading supplier of fabric to top denim apparel brands across the globe and a pioneer in development of organic cotton denim fabrics.Core denim’s commitment to global sustainability

Alternative Fuel: the recycled methane gas, a by product piped from a nearby landfil, is used to make stream to heat.

Recycling – green in, green out: both in the materials purchased and the reusable by products of manufacturing

Energy Conservation: identify, analyse, and implement responsible energy practices throughout its operations.

Indian companies following suit

Arvind mill is working with 1000+ villagers in the deprived region of Vidharbha for organic cotton farming and working for the development process at the village level in 16 districts of Gujarat

Quite a few companies are providing vocational training to the unemployed youth and absorbing them in their apparel manufacturing factories.

Fabindia promotes inclusive capitalism, through its unique COC model. Presently it links 80,000 craft based rural producers to modern urban markets.

Lesson needs to be learnt from other industries

Philips has set steep targets for itself

Obtained the highest status in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Achieved the highest scores in the Carbon Disclosure Project, both for Carbon Disclosure and for Carbon performance

Three key innovation areas:

“care, energy efficiency, and materials”

Sustainability platform is standing on three pillars

Three pillars of sustainability

Social• Respect for the

individual• Equal opportunity• Outreach programs• Human rights

Economic• Consistent

profitable growth• Risk management• Total share holder

return

Environmental • Compliance • Bio-diversity

management• Emissions to air• Water/chemical

usage and discharges

Sustainability way forward...

Natural materialRecycled contentOrganic contentLess chemicals

Reduce environmental

impactsEnergy efficiency

Costs savings

Logistics optimisation

Lower emissionsCosts savings

Eco designProduct

innovation

Recycling & reuse

BiodegradableWaste reduction

Developing a life cycle approach to sustainability..

Put sustainability at the core of your business. Our world would be better place to live in. And the companies would pioneer the cause without compromising on their top line and bottom line.

A win-win situation for one and all

Let’s build a business on ‘Sustainability’ platform for a better tomorrow..

Thank

you