Sustainability

Summary and Review of Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto by Adam Werbach

By: Jessica Savoy

Read more: http://bookstove.com/non-fiction/summary-and-review-of-strategy-for-sustainability-a-business-manifesto-by-adam-werbach/#ixzz12ficPUCA

 

Executive Summary

Adam Werbach is an environmental activist who was elected as the youngest-ever national president of the Sierra Club in 1996 when he was just 23 years old. The Sierra Club is the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the United States.  In addition to “Strategy for Sustainability” Adam also wrote “Act Now, Apologize Later,” and has given countless speeches pertaining to environmentalism.

Werbach begins the book by describing his experience in New Orleans right before Katrina.  He was there as an expert consultant for wetland restoration in an attempt to get funding for a new levee system, with no success.  Through this catastrophe he learned two lessons.  The first lesson was that he realized that environmentalism would no longer suffice.  You cannot just focus on the environment; you must take into account our social, economical, and cultural sustainability as well as our ecological surroundings.  The second lesson was that the corporate sector has the incentives, operational know how, scalability, and capability to respond to the global challenges that we face today, challenges on all four fronts. When it came to delivering supplies after Katrina, Wal-Mart was able to get to those in need before the government.

What is sustainability?  This can be a difficult question to answer because the word has multiple meanings.  Werbach defines sustainability as thriving in perpetuity.  It drives a bottom-line strategy to save cost, a top-line strategy to reach new customer base, and a talent strategy to get, keep, and develop employees, customers, and your community.

There are four elements that make up true sustainability which include social, economic, environmental, and cultural.  Social elements such as poverty, violence, education, and human rights can be described as simply acting as if other people matter. Economic actions affect how people and business meet their economic needs such as securing food, water, shelter.  Environmental actions are conditions the affect the earth’s ecology such as climate change, preservation of natural resources, and the prevention of toxic waste.  Cultural elements are how communities cultivate traditions from generation to generation.  These four elements are what set the blue movement of sustainability apart from the green movement.  

People become engaged when activities connect to what matters in their lives and what makes them happy.  A survey of Wal-Mart associates revealed what mattered most and also incorporated the basic concepts behind sustainability.  They believe that the environment is in crisis.  They want to do something about it.  They want to learn more about it especially when they have the chance to learn something new that they can share.  On the other hand, if an expert talked above their head with facts and figures, they rebelled.  Still, they have not made sustainability their top priority.  Just as sustainability does not work for businesses unless it serves business needs first, sustainability does not engage individuals unless it first and foremost solves problems they experience in their lives.

 It is time to move past the green movement into blue as the color of the sustainability movement. Blue integrates all four aspects of sustainability social, economic, environmental, and culture – and puts people at the center of the conversation. After all, only a small part of the world is green; it is mostly blue.

Other Publications

 “Act Now, Apologize Later” was a compilation of essays about and stories about people trying to make a difference in the world.  The book received mixed reviews, but overall was said to be a good book that reached the upcoming younger generation.  It was written in 1997 while Werbach was president of the Sierra Club.

Werbach’s newest book entitled “Extinction/Adaptation” was released September 28, 2010.  The book set up much like a children’s novel that illustrates humanities extinctions and adaptations through words and pictures.  He begins the book with A for axolotl, which is a small salamander that is in danger of becoming extinct.  The book includes topics that are humorous and witty as well as topics that are on a more serious note.   

Test Your Business Etiquette

Grad View 

Social and business etiquette can be tricky, and making the right moves can make a big difference. Take this quiz and see how you fare in the following business situations. The answers are at the bottom of the page.

1.     Your boss, Ms. Alpha, enters the room when you're meeting with an important client, Mr. Beta. You rise and say "Ms. Alpha, I'd like you to meet Mr. Beta, our client from San Diego." Is this introduction correct?

2.     At a social function, you meet the CEO of an important Japanese corporation. After a brief chat, you give him your business card. Is this correct?

3.     You're entering a cab with an important client. You position yourself so the client is seated curbside. Is this correct?

4.     You're hosting a dinner at a restaurant. You've pre-ordered for everyone and indicated where they should sit. Are you correct?

5.     A toast has been proposed in your honor. You say "thank you" and take a sip of your drink. Are you correct?

6.     You're in a restaurant and a thin soup is served in a cup with no handles. To eat it you should:

a.     pick it up and drink it

b.     use the spoon provided

c.     eat half of it with a spoon and drink the remainder

7.     You're at a dinner and champagne is served with the dessert. You simply can't drink champagne yet know the host will be offering a toast. Do you:

a.     tell the waiter "no champagne"

b.     turn over your glass

c.     ask the waiter to pour water into your champagne glass instead

d.     say nothing and allow the champagne to be poured

8.     You're at a table in a restaurant for a business dinner. Midway through the meal, you're called to the telephone. What do you do with your napkin?

a.     Take it with you

b.     Fold and place it to the left of your plate

c.     Loosely fold it and place it on the right side

d.     Leave it on your chair

9.     You're hosting a dinner party at a restaurant. Included are two other couples, and your most valuable client and his wife. You instruct the waiter to:

a.     serve your spouse first

b.     serve your client's spouse first

c.     serve you and your spouse last

10.  You're invited to a reception and the invitation states "7:00 to 9:00 PM." You should arrive:

a.     at 7:00 PM

b.     anytime between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM

c.     between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM

d.     go early and leave early

11.  You're greeting or saying good-bye to someone. When's the proper time to shake their hand?

a.     When you're introduced

b.     At their home

c.     At their office

d.     On the street

e.     When you say good-bye

12.  You're talking with a group of four people. Do you make eye contact with:

a.     just the person to whom you're speaking at the moment?

b.     each of the four, moving your eye contact from one to another?

c.     no one particular person (not looking directly into anyone's eyes)?

13.  The waiter's coming toward you to serve wine. You don't want any. You turn your glass upside down. Are you correct?

14.  When you greet a visitor in your office, do you:

a.     say nothing and let her sit where she wishes?

b.     tell her where to sit?

c.     say "Just sit anywhere"

15.  You're invited to dinner in a private home. When do you take your napkin from the table and place it on your lap?

a.     Open it immediately

b.     Wait for the host to take his napkin before taking yours?

c.     Wait for the oldest person at the table to take his?

d.     Wait for the acknowledged head of the table to take hers before taking yours?

16.  You're scheduled to meet a business associate for working lunch and you arrive a few minutes early to find a suitable table. 30 minutes later your associate still hasn't arrived. Do you:

a.     order your lunch and eat?

b.     continue waiting and fuming that your associate isn't there?

c.     tell the head waiter you're not staying and give him our card with instructions to present it to your associate to prove you were there?

d.     after 15 minutes call your associate?

17.  You've forgotten a lunch with a business associate. You feel terrible and know he's furious. Do you:

a.     write a letter of apology?

b.     send flowers?

c.     keep quiet and hope he forgets about it?

d.     call and set up another appointment?

 

Now lets see how you did...

1.     No. Introduce the more important person first. You should address your client and say "Mr. Beta, I'd like you to meet our Vice President of Development, Ms. Alpha." (Alternative answer?introduce the client as the more important person!)

2.     No. In Japan (unlike in the United States or the UK), business cards are taken as a serious reflection of their owner and are exchanged with great ceremony. Researching the importance of business cards in various cultures can help in avoiding embarrassing faux pas.

3.     Yes. When your client steps out of the car, (s)he will be on the curbside and therefore won't have to deal with getting out in traffic or sliding across the seat.

4.     Yes

5.     No. If you do, then you're toasting yourself.

6.     B. It's not a cup of coffee, for heaven's sake. And don't slurp, either.

7.     D. It's more polite not to call attention to the fact that you can't drink champagne.

8.     D. Leave it on your chair. Definitely don't put it on the table--what if you have crumbs on it?

9.     B and C. Sort of a trick question, but this is important.

10.  A, B, or C. It's terribly impolite to arrive early.

11.  A, B, C, D, and E. In other words, it's rarely improper to shake someone's hand. Make sure you have a firm (but not painful) handshake for both men and women.

12.  B. Make eye contact with all of the individuals you're talking with.

13.  No. Again, don't call attention to your dislike of your host's chosen beverage.

14.  B. Indicating where your guest should sit will make her feel more comfortable.

15.  B, C, or D. Just don't grab it first unless you're playing one of these roles.

16.  A. You've waited 30 minutes. Expect an apology later, though.

17.  D. Call and set up another appointment. And don't forget to apologize for your error. Imagine how you'd feel if it was you!

http://www.gradview.com/articles/careers/etiquette.html

Wines & Vines

California Wines With Momentum

Trinchero's Ménage à Trois on top; Diageo's Snap Dragon hottest new brand

by Jim Gordon

San Rafael, Calif. -- The Ménage à Trois wine brand from California made by Trinchero Family Estates landed the No. 1 spot on the Information Resources Inc. 2009 Momentum Report released today. Ménage à Trois, a brand of red, white, rosé and Chardonnay wines in the $8-$10.99 price segment, rose to the top of the IRI Top 30 Momentum Brands, based on a combination of its dollar and volume sales, sales growth, market share and other criteria, as calculated by IRI from data collected at U.S. food and drug stores for the year ending Jan. 3, 2010.

Two California brands in the less expensive $5-$7.99 segment were in the top three: E. & J. Gallo took the No. 2 spot with its Barefoot brand, and Constellation Wines U.S. landed at No. 3 with Rex Goliath. In fact, 27 of the Top 30 Momentum brands were Californian. The only other top 30 finishers were Washington's Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, winning the 8th and 14th places with its Chateau Ste. Michelle and Red Diamond brands, and Chile's Concha y Toro Frontera brand from Banfi Vintners in the No. 30 spot.

 

IRI, the U.S. market research leader for the beverage alcohol category, calculated the Momentum leaders by taking the 98 brands with more than 100,000 cases of U.S. retail sales in 2009, compiling their performance in 10 categories, awarding points from 98 for most down to 1 for least, then totaling the points to give overall rankings.
Value as a driver
Clearly, value was an important issue driving consumers' behavior. In 2009 IRI saw an increase in the purchase of value brands. The segment with the largest increase was $3-$4.99. This segment went from a presence of only three brands of 30 in 2008 to seven in 2009.

But value means different things to different people, as the presence of several higher priced wines in the Top 30 attested.

"My opinion is that people buy wine at different price-points for different occasions," said James Nunes, managing director of marketing for Trinchero. "It boils down to: Consumers put a lot of ego into the wine they are going to serve to people. If you pour Ménage à Trois for 10 people, the majority are going to say they like it. If they like to drink it they will recommend it, and that's how this is selling."

The wine's imaginative name suggests a love triangle. The packaging is upscale but playful, and the quality of the wine is high for a California appellation. Nunes said Trinchero has done little traditional marketing other than merchandising, and has instead emphasized social media and other online marketing.

 The Wine Group had by far the most hot brands in the IRI Top 30 Momentum list, with seven, compared to five by nearest competitor E. & J. Gallo. After those two, however, the competition was much closer. Companies with two brands each were Constellation, DFV Wines (Delicato), Diageo, Ste. Michelle and Trinchero.

Proving that smaller, independent wineries also showed momentum in 2009 were Bogle Vineyards (No. 12), C. K. Mondavi (15), Francis Coppola (17), and Rodney Strong (27).

What happened to the idea that a wine had to be easy to pronounce to sell well? "I think it proves that the name has to be memorable, not some usual thing like canyon, ridge or crest," Nunes said. Ménage à Trois has grown by 60% or more annually for four years, he said.

The strong performance of Ménage à Trois at a relatively high price-point may give hope to winemakers and grapegrowers who have watched extreme value wines take much of the volume growth in sales the past two years. Further encouragement came from the 10 other brands in the Top 30 that were priced in the same segment as Ménage à Trois or higher, up to $14.99.

When you consider that the U.S. market for wine consists of about one third imports, it's interesting that only one imported brand made the Top 30. No Australian, French or Italian brands qualified. The lone import was from Chile. The previous year's top 30 had two imports.

The IRI rankings capture how well certain brands continue to perform at retail during a time of generally slower wine sales, when on-premise sales have dipped dramatically.

 

Top 10 new brands
In the same report, IRI also announced the 2009 Top 10 New Table Wine Brands. A Diageo brand from California, Snap Dragon, topped that list with $1.18 million in sales over 42 weeks. Snap Dragon markets Riesling, Chardonnay, red table wine and Cabernet Sauvignon between $8-$10.99.

A hot new Fosters brand from Argentina, Colores del Sol, took the No. 2 spot with $886,000 in sales over 52 weeks ending Jan. 30, 2010, while Bodega Belgrano Head Snapper was No. 3 with $775,000 in sales over just 37 weeks.

Notably for a recession year, seven of the 2009 Top 10 New Table Wine Brands were priced at $8 and above. 

IRI, founded in 1979 and based in Chicago, is the world’s leading provider of enterprise market information and services. The company focuses on the consumer packaged goods, retail and healthcare industries. Ninety-five percent of the Fortune Global 500 in consumer packaged goods and retail use IRI, including several of the Top 30 wine brand owners.

info@winesandvines.com

*SUPER* Mario Bros.

How to Get Your New Business Name Right

Part 1: The Six Essential Elements of a Business Name

From Susan A. Friedmann

Selecting a name for your new business is not easy. A business name does more than identify your company. It tells customers who you are, what you do, and more than a little about how you do it. Your business name differentiates you from your peers, peaks customer interest, and invites further investigation - if you do it right.

An Effective Business Name:

1. Tells who you are.

Your business name should reflect your identity. This is an essential aspect of branding. You’ll be promoting your new business name, getting it in front of as many eyes as possible as often as possible. How do you want the public to think of you?  For some, that means integrating your personal name into the name of your business. This is very common in some professions: legal, medical, and accounting leap to mind.  Others prefer a more descriptive business name. One successful small baker runs her business under the name “The Cookie Lady” because that’s how her first customers identified her. It’s doubtful that most of the customers even know her first name (Pat) but everybody in her market knows “The Cookie Lady”.

2. Tells what you do.

It’s incredible how many business names give little, if any indication of what type of work the organization actually does. Take the following examples:

·         Smith and Sons

·         Hulbert Brothers

·         Only One

Can you tell me what any of these companies does? Of course you can’t. They’re relying on customers already knowing who they are (a tricky proposition for new businesses!) or by having their business name found in ‘context’, such as a yellow pages or on-line business directory.

3. Tells how you do it.

Words are powerful. By carefully selecting what words you use in your business name, you can convey a great deal about your company’s image. Consider the names of three different massage and bodywork centers:

·         Champlain Valley Therapeutic Massage

·         Clouds Above Massage

·         Speedy Spa

All three companies are providing the same service: massage therapy. Yet the first appears to favor a more medical approach, the second, a dreamy, luxury approach, and the third focuses on fast service

What are the other things an effective business name has to do?

4. Differentiates you from your peers.

Your business name is the first opportunity to tell customers how you differ from the competition. This can be done by emphasizing what makes you unique, pinpointing what aspect of your products and services can’t be found anywhere else - or that you do better than anyone else.  Consider the massage therapy example we looked at in business name essential number three. Each organization clearly has a different focus and approach to its customer base. They’re attracting different types of clients, who are seeking fundamentally different approaches. All of which is conveyed in less than five words.

5. Peaks customer interest.

Creating customer interest is an art and a science. Think carefully about your target audience. What qualities of your services are of the greatest import to your customers? What kind of words are likely to appeal to them?  Emphasize the important qualities in your new business name. For example, busy homeowners are drawn to the inherent promise of speed offered by “Bob’s Instant Plumbing” while a reader in search of a good mystery will gravitate toward “Crime Pays Books”.  Word choice is also important. Two yarn shops can both specialize in specialty fibers, but the one that labels itself “All Hemp All the Time” will draw in a decidedly different crowd than the one named “Natural Beauty: Organic Yarns”.

6. Invites further investigation.

Customers are funny creatures. What one group finds to be funny and engaging turns another group off. You want your business name to be inviting and approachable - as those qualities are perceived by your target audience.  The best example of this may be seen in the individual investor segment of the financial services industry. Charles Schwab has spent years cultivating a classic, formal image - but now that the consumer base is changing from ‘old people with money’ to ‘everyone with a 401K’, Charles Schwab has launched the “Talk to Chuck” campaign in an effort to be more approachable.

Make sure your new business name doesn’t intimidate customers away! Some industries are more formal than others, but adopt pretension at your peril.  After following a series of simple step-by-step instructions to match my corporate identity with my service offering, I came up with the quintessential business name: The Trade Show Coach. This name instantly tells customers what I do – assist companies with trade shows – and a little of the manner in which I do it – coach, rather than dictate, direct, guide, or organize.  See the difference? So did the buying public, some of who quickly became my best customers. The same thing can happen for you -if you pick the right business name.