The State of Green Business 2009 report was released at greenbiz.com in early February and results were mixed with good news and bad.
One area that is seeing good news includes the continuation and survival of green commitments and initiatives in a slowing economy especially in areas such as reducing energy use, greening supply chains and IT is racing to create green energy standards.
Reducing Energy Use
A 2008 survey of 100 companies showed that 47 percent of companies plan to increase their investments in 2009 while only 6 percent planned to invest less than last year.
Consumer goods manufacturers and retailers appear to be the leaders for initiatives in 2009. Executives in most sectors are all planning to increase investments.
The report said that 46 percent of the companies surveyed said that environmental, health and safety budgets will remain the same as in 2008.
The number one initiative (“nearly 4 in 10”) was reducing energy use through efficiency and second on the list was keeping the green movement moving.
Andrew Winston, environmental strategist and co-author of Green to Gold (John Wily & Sons, 2006, 2009) feels that even in a slow economy companies who have been committed will stay so.
Winston said, “Companies investing in green and environmental practices are still going to invest because they see it as a source of value.”
He continued, “Some industries like auto, GM, Ford and Chrysler are still talking green in the most dire of situations.”
Greening the Supply Chain
Another sector that will see growth in 2009 is the greening of the supply chain. Wal-Mart has been a leader in pressuring its suppliers to reduce packaging and waste and lower their fossil fuel use.
According to research from Green to Gold, other major companies such as Pepsi, P&G, HP, Nestle and Unilever are part of a Supply Chain Leadership Coalition and are asking their suppliers to reduce their carbon footprints.
Greening of IT
The State of Green Business found that certain information technology sectors are using enough energy at their data centers to run a small city. IT companies are in some cases using more energy than steel mills or auto factories.
Information technology companies in 2009 will experience “a race to the top” to create energy use or reduce standards.
Computer makers are also committed in 2009 to making more energy efficient machines and components.
Green Creates Economic Relief
In some cases, the green initiative is in a good position to spur economic growth with companies spending money on waste and energy reduction, building or rebuilding greener, researching and building alternative energy sources, and finding and designing sustainable business and production practices.
With companies making firm commitments to the areas discussed above, 2009 promises to be another green year on the environmental front even with a blue economic picture.
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