The ninth annual State of Green Business report continues the tradition of opening a window into how, and how much, companies are improving their environmental performance and how much their efforts are making a difference. It looks at both common measures (energy, waste and carbon) and some less-common ones (for example, company's low carbon investments over the past five years).
The report also discusses 10 top sustainable trends in circular economy, technology and supply chain, green infrastruture and mining practices, as well as carbon recycling and green jobs among others to highlight future green opportunities for businesses. Moreover, it provides a quantitative view of corporate performance, leadership, and market drivers.
The value of nature is increasingly visible as business demand for natural capital grows. This demand can cause environmental events and phenomena such as water scarcity, directly linked to lower profitability.
Improving environmental performance, tackling global warming and enhancing resource management are high on the list of global challenges that must be addressed urgently.
Nowadays, sustainable development has been introduced and integrated into production and operation management field through the concept of the green supply chain.
Over the past 20 years, two major challenges have dominated international debate on sustainable development: the imperative of environmental protection and the eradication of all dimensions of poverty. Economic growth lies at the heart of both these issues.