A Comprehensive Analysis of Corporate Environmental Sustainability Programs in the Manufacturing Sector and their Effectiveness at Obtaining Environmental Results
This analysis of corporate sustainability is the result of a semester-long research project at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). The report draws conclusions from a thorough literature review and a series of interviews with ten U.S. companies. Based on the literature review, a continuum from traditional to sustainable manufacturing represents the range of legitimate activities companies are currently undertaking. Within this general transition occurring in manufacturing, successful sustainability plans include seven key elements, each of which can be represented with continuums as companies integrate each element into business decisions at varying paces. These general and element-specific continuums were used to analyze the interviews with the ten companies, such as Seventh Generation, Goodyear, Aerojet, Honest Tea, and others. The interviews provide insight into the current state of sustainability in the manufacturing sector through the specific activities, management tools, and measurement techniques being undertaken by companies. Based on this research, the following conclusions were drawn in response to five original research questions:
- What are the successful factors of a corporate sustainability plan?
- What are the motivating factors for companies to implement sustainability programs in the manufacturing sector?
- How are companies measuring sustainability?
- Is there a range of legitimate sustainability programs?
- What is the role of government in helping companies achieve sustainable enterprise?