SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights August 13, 2013

Top Story of the Week

Serious question:  Would you pay a bit more for a [more] sustainable product?  One that is sourced and produced more responsibly?  Would price be a factor?  (Say, the answer may be "yes" for a $5.00 item but "no" for a $5,000 item.) New study results out of New York University (HQs in New York City, one of the nation's largest private universities) found that more than half of consumer asked said they would pay more -- if the product has benefits for society (good for the environment, fair to workers).
Researchers found that high net worth individuals seem to be among those to be counted on by "green" retailers, but the survey also found that half of those with incomes below $100,00 when asked - said "yes."  Premium?  About 17% -- good for manufacturers of nondurables (like household paper towels) and retailers.

From what we see with aggressive messaging from brand manufacturers about their sustainable policies, practices, products -- corporate sustainability leaders focused on retailer are skillfully tapping in to this market.  The details of the survey are in our top story this week.

A Majority of Consumers Willing to Spend More for Socially Responsible Products
(Thursday - August 08, 2013) Source: Millionaire - Sixty percent of consumers are willing to pay more for a product that is believed to have benefits for environmental or social concerns, according to a study by New York University’s Stern School of Business. The study went so...

Sustainability in Focus

Eliminating Barriers to Small Business Sustainability      
(Friday - August 09, 2013)
Source: Triple Pundit - Implementing sustainability practices in a smaller company is simple, right? No! According to the current findings of Sustainability4SMEs’ research - the largest SME-focused sustainability research effort to date in the United...

Teaching Sustainability in the 21st Century     
(Friday - August 09, 2013)
Source: Inside Higher ED - It's a commonplace in management of both people and projects that "you should be careful what you measure, because that's what's going to improve." I learned the truth of that statement in a succession of business settings, but...

5 Elements of Sustainable Transportation      
(Friday - August 09, 2013) Associated Profiles : Bloomberg New Energy Finance
- theenergycollective.com - Transport is responsible for around a seventh of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Of these emissions almost two thirds are the result of passenger travel while the rest is due to freight. So passenger...

You're talking to employees about sustainability wrong
(Wednesday - August 07, 2013)
Source: GreenBiz - Much has been written about the benefits of engaging employees on corporate social responsibility or sustainability efforts. Take GlobeScan board member Kellie McElhaney’s assertion in her book, “Just Good Business”: “Study after...
 

This is just a sample of some of the articles from this weeks SustainabilityHQ Highlights.  You can view the full Highlights by using the following links.  Sustainability | ESG, Highlights for the Week of August 13,2013