The Business Case for Sustainability

The subject of sustainability is no longer an option for business to ignore. For those that embrace sustainability within their overall business strategy, the benefits are numerous. However, for others, some reluctance persists in the belief that the costs associated with sustainability will outweigh the benefits.

How Empauer approaches the business case

Sustainability and commercial performance are not opposing forces. Empauer translates environmental data into the language of cost, risk and opportunity, so investment decisions stand on evidence, not assumption.

The true cost of food loss and waste includes the value of inputs, labour, energy, water, packaging, logistics and lost product, not just what it costs to throw away.

Evidence from real operations.

Almond hulls destined for animal feed generated close to 2% of total plant income, but even with this income offset, the material costs and proportional business expenses incurred a substantial true cost of waste.

Olam could compare capital expenditure scenarios including plant sorters and stick removers, and review return on investment with detailed visibility into costs attributed to waste.

Read the Olam Orchards Australia case study: empauer.com/case-studies/olam

Recommended reading

The following articles are recommended as an introduction to the topic:

• The Comprehensive Business Case for Sustainability, Harvard Business Review hbr.org/2016/10/the-comprehensive-business-case-for-sustainability

• Why Sustainability Is Now the Key Driver of Innovation, Harvard Business Review hbr.org/2009/09/why-sustainability-is-now-the-key-driver-of-innovation

• Innovating for a Sustainable World