May 3, 2006—Since “green” thinking began sweeping through corporate culture in the 1990s, the larger, publicly-traded companies are more likely to continue devoting time and energy to adopting business practices that reduce waste, save energy and water, and consider their social impact, a study has found.
But smaller companies are less likely to adopt formal stewardship programs because of a lack of resources, according to an analysis of about 100 northeast companies conducted by East Coast engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) and released by the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC) and the Associated Industries of Massachusetts.
Only about a quarter of the approximate 100 companies surveyed have Environmental Management Systems and most do not regularly report performance to the public, according to the survey. Companies reporting improvements in environmental stewardship see them in their facilities, their measurement, monitoring and reporting, and in their production processes. Companies see the greatest future gain in their operating practices, education, and production processes, so greater efficiencies still seem possible.
Product improvement, resource consumption, and improved transportation practices lag in both progress made to date and perceived likelihood of potential improvements. Many companies surveyed have formal environmental policies, but only half of those surveyed have clear goals and specific performance measures.
For more information, visit the VHB Web site.
