December 27, 2007

Book Review - Green to Gold

Green to Gold: How Smart Companies use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage
Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston
HD 30.225 .E88 2006

This is not a book admonishing companies to become increasingly environmental. Rather, it argues that companies can find success in voluntarily adopting environmental awareness and practices because these are inherently good business strategies. In part one, the authors explain how environmental issues affect business, both on the production side and on the sales and marketing front. They remind readers that it is consumers and other stakeholders who really drive the direction of businesses. Parts two and three offer strategies for increasing environmentally friendly practices in business operations. These include reducing environmental costs and risks, using environmental awareness to increase value, and lessening the environmental impact of products used and production methods. In part four, these strategies are formed into action plans. Particularly valuable here are "lessons learned" about how eco-strategies fail and suggestions on how to avoid these pitfalls.