Sustainability. Energy efficiency. Green building. All buzz words that are now a part of our daily conversations. Yet do people really know what they mean? More importantly, why is business rallying around sustainability and being “green”?
From our point of view, the practice of sustainability focuses on providing the best outcomes for the human and natural environments, now and into the future. This concept, or practice, serves as the cornerstone for Business Roundtable’s S.E.E. Change (Social, Environment and the Economy) Initiative and represents how our member companies and other businesses can “do well by doing good.” Through S.E.E. Change, we’re focusing on high-priority environmental and social challenges, such as enhancing water conservation and quality, using energy more efficiently, increasing transportation mobility and helping eradicate disease and poverty.
To date, 31 Roundtable members are a part of the S.E.E. Change program. One of those companies, The McGraw-Hill Companies, is a great example of how organizations can pursue business strategies that combine traditional corporate goals with a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and social improvement.