In America, the U.S. Green Building Council has launched the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating program. This rating program encourages big companies to build their offices such that it can cut down energy usage. Genzyme Corporation’s 12-story headquarters in Massachusetts used 42% less energy and 34% less water than standard buildings of comparable size.
Also, Apple has refined their product design and manufacturing process to produce products that are more energy efficient thereby saving energy as you use the product.
Also, Apple has refined their product design and manufacturing process to produce products that are more energy efficient thereby saving energy as you use the product.
Business Sustainability
From Green Earth campaigns to the recent 10% Energy Challenge to reduce household electricity usage, Singapore has done quite an impressive job in educating the population. However, I feel that such activities focus a lot inculcating individual responsibility of being environmentally healthy. There has not much emphasis on how to apply such habits on a business level. Looking at factories in Beijing, the China government had to halt many smoke bellowing factories from operation just to clear up the air for the Beijing Olympics. If the designers of their factories were more green savvy, this incident would not be necessary. In Singapore’s context, we have regulations in place for companies to be more environmental friendly, however I feel is not known wide enough among the NUS population.
According to the NUS Graduate Employment report 2001, almost 95% of NUS students go on to take up high paying jobs ($30 000 to $40 000 annual income). Their positions can exert certain kind executive influence over their departments (more research and data has to be acquired for this statement to be substantiated). The point is that, if the graduates have sufficient knowledge on this area, they can implement ideas or techniques on sustainability onto processes in the company. Hence, to start educating the undergraduates before they graduate would be a good time frame for them to understand this role.
This leads me to my research topic,
"Do NUS students have adequate knowledge about environmentally techniques for sustaining business."
This leads me to my research topic,
"Do NUS students have adequate knowledge about environmentally techniques for sustaining business."
My objective of the survey is to determine how much of the population in NUS knows about environmentally friendly ideas and techniques for sustaining business. Following which, it is crucial in determining the attitude of students towards this issue. Determining how concerned they are about sustainability in business would allow the relevant bodies to design tailored campaign. The 150-200participants would be undergraduates from any of the 4 major universities in Singapore namely NUS, NTU, SMU and SIM.
This report is targeted at the NUSSU Students Against Violation of the Earth (SAVE) and the Campus Sustainability Committee. (CSC) Hopefully through this report, they will bring in focus the idea of educating NUS students about business sustainability.
6 comments:
This is a very important topic with an interesting and highly relevant focus. You explain the context well. My only criticism is that I would have liked to have seen the main research question stated directly. (Of course, it is clearly implied.)
Thanks for your effort, Thomas!
Hey thomas, that's a really clear and concise post!
I'll be commenting on your post from another point of view which you may want to consider. =)
It seems like the objective of your research report is to allow students from local universities to gain more insights on how to create a green environment, with the focus on business context. However, though it is true that there are many fresh graduates entering the business sector every year, most of them may not have the authority to initiate campaigns for a greener Singapore. Moreover, business to many people is to make money, and if resources are required to keep pollutants out from industries, I think there will be a trade-off. And also, it boils down to how each and everyone of us define environmental-friendly. We may be very pro-environment, but still unwilling to contribute that amount of time and money to save the Earth. This too applies to the business sectors. Hence, I think it is vital to instill that kind of burning passion to save the Earth in people, cos with that passion, the battle is half-won.
Thanks Huiling for your comment, I have some answers to your queries.
Actually, the objective is for the graduates to learn the techniques and implement onto the process of the company. For example, they might review some old manufacturing process and streamline it to become more efficient. At the same time, it will save the company money as well.
Next, I understand that we have to light the passion to save Earth. That step however takes a longer time and more effort. ?My focus is to increase the awareness among the students so that they know that at least there are such examples listed in my backgroud.
Hi thomas,
I think that this research topic is very relevant. With the uprising of the issue of sustainability, it is necessary to create awareness in NUS students regarding this issue.
Furthermore, the participants required for the survey is readily available, which makes it easy for us to obtain the data needed for analysis. Thus I think this topic is one which is highly feasible.
Hi,
I strongly agree this is a very interesting topic which I hope to find out more about this especially this report comprises techniques and examples which we could mimic to implement in future companies. If I were you, I would also include challenges and benefits of these implemented sustainable measures, such as finding out whether there will be a trade-off when they keep pollutants out of industries. I have read some examples that by implementing sustainable measures, not only it reduce pollutants, it also reduce cost of operation in the long run.
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