The abilty to sustain oneself is sustainabilty. Waxing eloquently, WeSchool students displayed 16 inspiring ideas and case studies on what distguishes sustainabilty from being eco-friendly while also advocating sustainabilty by saving nature. How corporates could become resourceful to one another was the key takeway from the roundtable. Growing plants and gifting seeds is certianly an environment friendly intiative. However, such initatives loose steam with assorted small scale green initiatives. Among a clutter of talks, debates and ocassional initiatives, can companies become ecologically sustianable in reality? There are scores of products whose production impacts the global green cover. Is sustainabilty merely aspirational or is it a distant dream that seems unpractical and unreal. In view of this, PGDM Marketing students presented Sustainabilty and Marketing – Dream or Real, a roundtable conference #WeSchool #Sustainabilty to Marketing, CSR and leadership from top-of-the-line companies in FMCG, Advertising, Banking, Insurance, Financial and Business advisory.
The students brainstormed some business ideas and applied the design thinking concepts to transform a business proposition to value creation. They took a stock about how the current practises make an organisation, service or product eco-friendly or pollution centric.
The students also identified some of the unique eco-friendly initatives practised by renowned brands in service, lifestyle, FMCG and among business conglomerates, namely Emirates, IKEA, Coca-Cola and JUSCO – TATA project. They highlighted that awareness to protect nature is excellent. The scalabilty needs to improve. And that is possible if companies become nature friendly from the source – the roots. The production and business design models needs to absorb the element of eco-friendliness proactively and not as a compensatory measure for the harm done to nature.
Emirates practises sustainability in operations through Economy Class blankets on long-haul flights made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Each ecoTHREAD™ blanket is made from 28 bottles, which have been chipped, spun into yarn, and woven into the soft, warm and sustainable blankets. Using these blankets both prevents the plastic bottles ending up in landfill, and saves energy and emissions in the manufacturing process compared with using new plastic materials. (Source: https://www.emirates.com/english/about-us/environment/sustainability-operations.aspx)
Jamshedpur Utility and Services Company JUSCO - TATA , India’s only comprehensive urban infrastructure service provider, has used bitumen technology on waste plastic, ranging from polybags to biscuit packets, for constructing roads.
While there are extraordinary examples of companies showcasing their dedication to reducing carbon foot print on a large scale, more companies could join the league of eco conscious organisations.
On a concluding note, the students wrapped by asking the question ‘What would you like – tree covered in green leaves on a fertile land or a barren land with a dying tree?
The choice is yours.
On WE campus, learning by doing is one of the approaches to teach thereotical concepts through experience. WeSchool students are presented opportunities on and off campus thus mentoring students to face real time business challenges and learn through feedback by corporate leadership across businesses.
Photo Courtesy: WeSchool
