Sustainable Operations Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainable Operations Paper - Essay Example Soon companies started realizing that profits and profitability are not the only factors of long term development but future of the people and the planet are also key elements for sustainable operations. Hence, these new objectives were classified as the triple bottom line (3BL) which included the three P’s of people, profit and planet. After all the recent developments and expansions, people have started to ask for more than mere salaries and profits. They now emphasize on factors like improved performance on environmental, health and safety issues. So now Wal-Mart has to make the decision of investing in such activities of environmental and health concerns and how do follow them in the most efficient and cost effective method. Wal-Mart, 2009. Media OnSugar [http://media.onsugar.com/files/ons4/2009/12/53/307/3075777/e343f2c5ac55a097_350px-Sustainable_development.svg.xlarge.jpg] â€Å"At Wal-Mart, we know that being an efficient and profitable business and being a good stewar d of the environment are goals that can work together. Our broad environmental goals at Wal-Mart are simple and straightforward: To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy; To create zero waste; To sell products that sustains people and the environment. Our efforts have been recognized through  numerous awards, which would not be possible without the support of our customers, associates and communities around the world.† (Wal-mart, 2012) Wal-Mart launched a global business strategy of sustainability to lessen the business’s burden on the global environment and hence become one of the leading supply-chain companies in the world. They aimed to be named as the most competitive and innovative company in the world. The emphasis was then on the fact that objective of profitability was going to be taken along with the implementation of development of the environment. (Wal-Mart, 2012) The management at Wal-Mart knew that they had to carry the program of improvement of env ironment along with business profitability to gain sustainable operations and growth in longer term. Wal-Mart hired a popular firm, Blu Skye for an overall analysis of the environmental impact and for consultation on issues related to sustainability in the globalized world. Wal-Mart collaborated with other companies as well which included; Conservation International (CI) and Environmental Defense (ED). ( Farfan, 2011) The team of Wal-Mart executives had identified 3 primary areas of environmental goals which mainly included; energy, waste and products. All these are divided into two sections; direct goals and indirect goals. Direct goals include increasing energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy and reducing waste in retail operations. All these were in immediate control of Wal-Mart and can be classified as primary factors. Indirect goals included basic operations and relationship with the suppliers. They focused more on sustainable operations and entire value chain of Wal-Mart. (Herrera, 2010) All the sustainable operations drive led by the management of Wal-Mart was highly confused as being more of philanthropist nature. After serious concerns and meeting, the idea was brought into the mind of many who were confused to clear all the misconceptions about the business handling being carried out. They stated that all the business activity carried out by Wal-Mart was not