Environmental Accounting Discussion: Sustainability

1. You have just started working for a chemical manufacturing company. Your boss is aware that you took this course and is interested in implementing Environmental Accounting at the facility. Your boss would like you to explain (not list) at least three ways that environmental accounting can enhance business performance.

2. What barriers might hinder or even prevent a business from implementing a corporate sustainability program? Provide at least two examples (such as: finding ways to motivate employees to focus on sustainability issues while managing sustainability and financial outcomes simultaneously) and explain how you would work around each barrier.

3. Your boss read an article on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and wants to know how it could benefit the company. Explain the benefits along with the challenges of conducting an LCA.

4. Your boss heard about pollution prevention at a conference and believes implementing it will help with the company's image. Explain to your boss what pollution prevention is about. Then explain, besides public image, at least 4 other reasons why it should be considered.

5. How is corporate sustainability reporting valuable? Under which circumstances is it required? And, what additional value is added by independent verification?

6. Watch Ray Anderson's Ted Talk on the Business Logic of Sustainability and briefly comment about your reaction.

7. Watch the 2006 documentary Waste = Food that highlights the work several companies in how they are applying the Cradle to Cradle/Circular economy approach to preventing pollution, and then briefly comment.