Sustainability in Business – What it Means, and Why it is Important.

Sustainability. What is sustainability in business? It is the ability for your company to be carbon neutral a fancy word for being “green.”  It is not only trendy to be green, but it is important in the business world because large companies and the government want to conduct business with companies that are sustainable.  The session I sat in on was led by  Tim Centers’ Collins Center for Public Policy, and the panelist were: Christopher Gillman with Progress Energy, Nancy Palmer with UPS, Heather Porter with Renewable Choice Energy, Joe Tankersley with Unique Visions, and John Wakefield with  EcoAsset Solutions.

Shaym spoke about how the focus of the government is to reduce its carbon footprint, so it is looking to business with companies that are carbon neutral (or close to carbon neutral.)  UPS mentioned that they are transitioning their fleet to use alternative fuel, and spoke on how they’ve helped their clients learn how to be carbon neutral. To learn more about their carbon neutral program for their clients, go to www.responsibility.ups.com.  The panelist mentioned that a business owner with a brick and mortar location should have ‘green’ services that will draw people that are green to them.  For example, install electric car charging stations.  That way if a driver of an electric car is driving through town, and they see your charging station, they might stop in and look at your shop while they are charging their cars.

-Alexis Daly, Sales Manager at 317 Virtual Services, LLC.