Why should print shops consider sustainability during an economic downturn?
Laszlo: The conventional wisdom is that sustainability is a “nice to have” and not a “need to have” during tough economic times. But on the contrary, there may be no better time to reorient your strategies along these lines. As has been made very clear in the financial sector, companies risk complete annihilation today if their reputation and confidence evaporates. The sub-prime mess has illustrated the huge costs of not accounting for the risks of unsustainable business practices. The clients’ definition of where business value comes from is shifting rapidly. As always, you gain a competitive advantage by being able to create stakeholder value better than others, and health and social concerns are becoming increasingly important in the final buying decision. Can you realistically be green and profitable at the same time? Laszlo: Wal-Mart, GE, DuPont and Toyota are proof that large companies can be green and profitable at the same time. Fairmount Minerals, Green Mountain Coffee Roaster
