Sustainability Strategies: When Does it Pay to be Green? (INSEAD Business Press)

The request on managers to base eco-investments on solid grounds has never been so vital. They need to know what they should do first, and why. Should they focus on generating carbon credits via eco-efficiencies? Enhance corporate reputation by joining Green Clubs? Subscribe to eco-label programs? Explore emerging cleantech markets? Within the overwhelming possibilities, many spend precious resources without sound criteria. By analyzing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs: “when does it pay to be green?” Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms, helping managers to prioritize eco-investments and transform them into sources of competitive advantage and new market spaces.Sustainability Strategies delves particularly deep into the troublesome global auto industry. By identifying the roots of economic and environmental problems of the sector, the book shows how to develop Sustainable Value Innovation: the creation of differential value for customers and contribution to society at both, reduced costs and environmental impacts. Contents......Page 11 List of Figures......Page 13 List of Acronyms......Page 14 Preface......Page 17 Acknowledgements......Page 23 PART I: FUNDAMENTALS......Page 29 1 When Does It Pay to Be Green?......Page 31 Greening as a Commitment......Page 33 Greening as a Core Competence......Page 37 The Frontiers of Corporate Environmentalism......Page 41 Methodological Challenges in When It Pays To Be Green......Page 45 Conclusion......Page 49 2 What Are Sustainability Strategies?......Page 51 What Sustainability Strategies are not......Page 52 Competitive Advantage: Positioning and Capabilities......Page 54 Competitive Environmental Strategies......Page 57 Beyond Competition: Sustainable Value Innovation......Page 64 The Sustainability Strategies Portfolio......Page 67 Conclusion......Page 68 PART II: COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENTALISM......Page 71 3 Eco-Efficiency......Page 73 From Resource Productivity to Eco-Efficiency......Page 74 Eco-Efficiency at the Firm: Lean Thinking......Page 76 Eco-Efficiency beyond Borders: Industrial Symbiosis......Page 79 Eco-Efficiency in the Skies: Carbon Credits......Page 83 When Eco-Efficiency Pays......Page 87 Conclusion......Page 91 4 Beyond Compliance Leadership......Page 93 Reputation and its Risks......Page 94 Green Clubs: Reputation Insurance?......Page 102 When Beyond Compliance Leadership Pays......Page 117 Conclusion......Page 122 5 Eco-Branding......Page 124 Product Certification Clubs: Eco-Labels......Page 125 From Eco-Labeling to Eco-Branding......Page 137 When Eco-Branding Pays......Page 141 Conclusion......Page 146 6 Environmental Cost Leadership......Page 149 Eco-Designing Products: Life Cycle Thinking......Page 150 Changing Products' Nature......Page 157 Redefining Products' Concept and Use......Page 162 When E-Cost Leadership Pays......Page 170 Conclusion......Page 175 PART III: BEYOND COMPETITION......Page 179 7 Sustainable Value Innovation......Page 181 The Call for SVI Strategies: The Troublesome Auto Industry......Page 182 The Dominant Strategic Logic: Greener Cars......Page 187 Sustainable Value Innovation in Mobility: Greener Systems......Page 199 When Sustainable Value Innovation Pays......Page 216 Conclusion......Page 220 8 Sustainability Strategies and Beyond......Page 221 When Does It Pay to Be Green, Really?......Page 222 Competitive Environmentalism......Page 225 Beyond Competition......Page 232 Conclusion......Page 235 Notes......Page 237 C......Page 266 E......Page 267 K......Page 268 R......Page 269 V......Page 270 Z......Page 271 By analysing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs:"when does it pay to be green" Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms.$bManagers have increasingly been requested to base eco-investments on solid grounds. They need to know what they should do first, and why. Should they focus on generating carbon credits via eco-efficiencies? Enhance corporate reputation by joining Green Clubs? Subscribe to eco-label programs? Explore emerging cleantech markets? Within the overwhelming possibilities, many do a bit of everything and spend precious resources without sound rationales. By analysing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs:"when does it pay to be green" Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms. Through the systematic use of analytical frameworks, Sustainability Strategies helps managers to prioritize eco-investments, and transform them into sources of competitive advantage and new market spaces By analysing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs:"when does it pay to be green" Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms.$bManagers have increasingly been requested to base eco-investments on solid grounds By analysing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs:"when does it pay to be green" Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms. Managers have increasingly been requested to base eco-investments on solid grounds. They need to know what they should do first, and why. Should they focus on generating carbon credits via eco-efficiencies? Enhance corporate reputation by joining Green Clubs? Subscribe to eco-label programs? Explore emerging cleantech markets? Within the overwhelming possibilities, many do a bit of everything and spend precious resources without sound rationales. By analysing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs:"when does it pay to be green" Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms. Through the systematic use of analytical frameworks, Sustainability Strategies helps managers to prioritize eco-investments, and transform them into sources of competitive advantage and new market spaces Managers have increasingly been requested to base eco-investments on solid grounds. They need to know what they should do first, and why. Should they focus on generating carbon credits via eco-efficiencies? Enhance corporate reputation by joining Green Clubs? Subscribe to eco-label programs? Explore emerging cleantech markets? Within the overwhelming possibilities, many do a bit of everything and spend precious resources without sound rationales. By analysing the rationales for sustainability strategies, this book addresses a timely question for managers, academics and MBAs: 'when does it pay to be green?' Based on solid theoretical foundations and empirical research, it clarifies the elements involved in the formation and evaluation of sustainability strategies in firms. Through the systematic use of analytical frameworks, Sustainability Strategies helps managers to prioritize eco-investments, and transform them into sources of competitive advantage and new market spaces "Very useful for managers and investors looking to prioritise environmental projects based on solid management principles."--Ethical Corporation Magazine