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Professor Hector R RodriguezSchool of BusinessMount Ida College

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Global WarmingTrailer for “An Inconvenient Truth” (2:30 Video)

What’s Going on in the World?

Global Warming Part IIBjorn Lomborg “The Skeptic Environmentalist” (5:19 Video)

Society & BusinessMichael Hastings on Businesses’ Role (4:32 Video)

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What is this course is about?

Business, Society & Environment

Business

Society

Environment

Bearable Equitable

Viable

Sustainable

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What is Sustainable Development?

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. 1

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Are we Sustainable Today?

• Is it possible for the rate of human use of renewable resources to exceed the rate at which such resources are renewed or replenished?

• Is it possible for the rate of human use of non-renewable resources to exceed the rate at which renewable replacements for such resources are developed?

• Is it possible for the rate of waste emissions by humans to exceed the rate at which the environment can assimilate such wastes?

• Is it possible for the rate of human, social, constructed and economic needs to exceed the rate at which they are being created?

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To the extent that the answer to the questions on the previous slide can be yes,

we can say that when such rates are in conflict (i.e., the first rate exceeds the

second rate), the behaviors associated with them are unsustainable.

Are we Sustainable Today?

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SustainabilitySustainability is the subject of a social or management science that studies

the impacts of human activity on the quality and sufficiency of vital resources in the world, as required to ensure human well-being.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable development is development that meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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Available

Flows of

Beneficial

Goods and

Services

Appropriations

by Individuals

and Collectives

Resulting

Levels of

Individual and

Collective

Well-Being

Vital Resources and Well-Being

Natural Resources

Anthro Resources

Human Resources

Social Resources

Constructed Resources

Economic Resources

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Business Activities

What is Sustainability Management?

Sustainability Management refers to those structures and systems managers can put in place to influence the impacts of business activities on vital Resources.

Natural Resources

Anthro Resources

Human Resources

Social Resources

Constructed Resources

Economic Resources

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Course Objective

Study the impacts of business activity on the quality and sufficiency of vital resources in the world as required to ensure human well-

being and describe the structures and systems managers can put in place to

influence these impacts.

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• Sustainability• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)• Corporate Citizenship (CC)

• These terms mean different things to different people, sometimes they mean the same thing.

• For purposes of this course Sustainability encompasses business, society and the environment, while CSR / CC the more narrow societal aspects, without addressing environmental concerns.

A Word on Terminology

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• Name• Major• Expected graduation• Job you would like to have after graduating• Why are you taking this course?

Who Are You?

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Course Set Up? Let’s Review the Syllabus…

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Assessment of Student Learning Objectives

• Group Term Project – – We will form teams (3-4 students each) which will research and

present on one of the four cases included in the book. • Kimpton Hotels EarthCare Program• J&J and the Human Life International Shareholder Proposal• Nike’s Dispute with the University of Oregon• The transformation of Shell

– The presentation (in power point format) should be designed for a duration of approximately 20 minutes and 5-10 minutes for questions and answers.

– Group will also turn in a 2-3 page paper summarizing the main conclusions of the work.

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Assessment of Student Learning Objectives

• Individual Term Paper – Each student will develop and write

a 5-page personal position paper defining a sustainability initiative while outlining benefits and costs.

– In general, a paper may be grouped into four main sections, introduction, specific topics, the main body of the paper with 2-4 major points, and a summary and comments on the major points of your paper.

– Potential topics include: • Diversity, • Energy, • Foundations,• Geo-engineering, • Green building, • GRI Reporting, • ISO 26000, • Packaging, • Paper, • Philanthropy, • Recycling, • Renewable energy, • Social responsible investing, • Supply chain, • Taxes, • Transportation, • Water

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Assessment of Student Learning Objectives

• Mid-Term and Final – – Multiple choices, exercises, and question and answer

format; questions will address the “outcomes” as outlined in syllabus.

– Final examination will only cover material from the second half of the course.

– Students may bring a single 5” x 8” card with written notes on both sides of it.

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Grade Points

• The various graded activities have the point totals shown in the matrix below.

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Course Materials