What is the Price Point for Business Sustainability?

Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company
Aug 2, 2011 11:21 AM ET

Taiga Company blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Compa…

The surge in business eco awareness has not gone unnoticed by consumers.  With sustainability concepts and definitions subject to interpretation, the same business sustainability actions claimed as "green" are also subject to "greenwash" commentary. As consumers increasingly scrutinize business actions on climate change, they want to see transparent, more credible information on what companies are doing to reduce their environmental impact.   But there is a dilemma. If your business sets forth sustainable business strategies and targets and fails to meet them, will your organization be subject to negative commentary? The intersection of business sustainability and profitability is hotly debated among executives seeking to find the price point where sustainability makes sense. Where business sustainability aligns with the business objectives with the business.   Organizations just starting on the path of business sustainability find themselves at a crossroads characterized by a mindset that sustainability and business success are opposing ideas. While we argue in our professional consulting practice that isn't the case, for the early entrants to the conversation, having this precise conversation is THE critical factor. Why? In previous years, sustainable business strategies were not a conversation to be had. By engaging in the discussion, awareness is raised, issues are explored, and collaboration and stakeholder engagement is activated. Mindsets are recalibrated to include sustainability concepts not previously considered. Click here to read more about the price point for sustainability.   

Home to one third of the earth's trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company's vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the "oxygen for your business".