Sustainability is Good for Business at HP, Samsung, WM, Coca-Cola, J&J, Tim Hortons, Nissan, Starwood, Unilever, Starbucks

Sustainable business practices have emerged as a crucial factor in the creation of long-term shareholder value in a globally competitive environment. Sustainability-related trends are having a significant impact on the top and bottom lines of companies. According to McKinsey, the key reasons companies want to embrace sustainability are to increase efficiency and reduce costs, improve their corporate image and meet their own business goals.

While some companies continue to hold on to the narrow view of seeing sustainability as a threat, some others see an opportunity. For example, Paige Francis, VP of global marketing for Starwood Hotels, the first LEED-certified hotel chain, says that consumers are increasingly choosing brands that share their sense of purpose. According to Francis, growth momentum of eco-conscious business is remarkable, and sustainability is no longer optional.

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Vikas is a staff writer for the Sustainable Development news and editorial section on Justmeans. He is an MBA with 20 years of managerial and entrepreneurial experience and global travel. He is the author of "The Power of Money" (Scholars, 2003), a book that presents a revolutionary monetary economic theory on poverty alleviation in the developing world. Vikas is also the official writer for an international social project for developing nations "Decisions for Life" run in collaboration between the ILO, the University of Amsterdam and the Indian Institute of Management.