SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

PRACTICES
ASSIGNMENT .

TASK 1

SCENARIO :
You are working for Bargainum, a competitor of Primark. After reading the above
case study, your manager asked you to investigate the feasibility of doing something
similar or better.

INSTRUCTIONS :
Prepare a presentation to brief the director about the importance of sustainability:
1. Investigate the current global sustainability agenda and issues (e.g. fair trade,
poverty, environment, etc.) by providing examples
2. Review the impact of the current issues on businesses (e.g. effect on consumers,
effects on profitability, etc.)
3. Analyse the reasons for UK organisation to adopt sustainable practices (e.g. brand
recognition, legislation, etc.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  .

Preserving and protecting our planet is a key challenge

to meet the needs of current and future generations. The
2030 Agenda was set up by the United Nations with the
aim of achieving this goal.
Adopted on 25 September 2015 by the heads of state
and government of 193 member countries, this
programme aims to fight poverty, improve the living
conditions of people around the world and protect our
planet from possible disasters.
As a major consumer of natural resources, companies
are also concerned by these sustainable development
goals and are increasingly adopting policies in this
direction.
TABLE OF CONTENTS :

INTRODUCTION.

I- INVESTIGATION OF THE CURRENT GLOBAL

SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA AND ISSUES .

1- THE BACKGROUND OF THE AGENDA.

2- THE CURRENT GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY

AGENDA .

II- THE IMPACT OF THE CURRENT ISSUES ON

BUSINESSES.

1- ISSUES FOUND IN DEVELOPING SDG’S .

2- SOME COMPANY’S THAT HAVE ADOPTED

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEDY IN
THEIR POLICY .

III- THE REASONS WHY UK ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO

ADOPT SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.

1- INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN UK.

2- BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES FOR

UK COMPANY’S .

CONCLUSION.
 INTRODUCTION

The world in which we live continues to evolve in many

areas at record speed. Many new tools and technologies
are developed every year around the world to improve
the living and working conditions of men. However, this
exponential evolution is not without consequences.
Indeed, the world today faces innumerable
environmental and economic problems which threaten
the survival of the human species. It is to find solutions to
these problems and prevent disasters in the world that
the United Nations has put in place the 2030 Agenda
and defined sustainable development goals.
In our work we will in the first task investigate the
agenda, review the impact of the current issues on
businesses and analyse the reasons for UK
organizations to adopt sustainable practices. And then,
in the second task, determine what being a sustainable
business oraganisation means and explain the strategic
and operations changes that are been required to
become a sustainable business organisation.
 (155 Words.)

I- INVESTIGATION OF THE CURRENT GLOBAL

SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA AND ISSUES .

1- THE BACKGROUND OF THE AGENDA.

Before the Industrial Revolution that began in 1770

following Watt's invention of the steam engine in 1969,
the world was almost still. There was virtually no
technical progress and the standard of living of the
population was relatively stable throughout the world.
But with the technological advance and scientific
progress that followed this revolution, the world has
radically changed. The population has increased
enormously because of the revolution and the way of life
is no longer the same. The machines resulting from this
period have actively participated in the destruction of the
environment by the pollution of air, water and soil. The
post-industrial economy, on the other hand, has created
inequalities between peoples and thus fostered the
spread of poverty. All these problems have pushed the
united nations to react to avoid the world the irreparable.
It is therefore that the agenda has been put in place to
meet the needs of present generations while preserving
those of future generations.

(160 Words.)
 2- THE CURRENT GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
AGENDA .

The 2030 Agenda adopted in 2015 is the result of

numerous international meetings and conferences that
have made the environment a major issue. Notably, that
of Stockholm in 1972, which is the result of an
international awareness and which is the first world
conference on the dangers that the destruction of the
environment could represent for the world. Following this
conference, a series of principles for good environmental
management was adopted, including the Stockholm
Declaration, the Environmental Action Plan and several
other resolutions. Following the Stockholm Conference,
another event that played an important role in the
process of creating this agenda was the Bruntland report
written in 1987, which was the first report to use the term
"sustainable development" and give it a definition.
According to the Brutland’s rapport, sustainable
development is : «a mode of development that meets the
needs of present generations without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs. »

Finally, on 25 September 2015, the 2030 Agenda was

adopted by the Heads of State and Government of 197
countries. 17 sustainable development goals were
highlighted and broken down into 169 targets Achieving
a better and more sustainable future for allTo achieve a
better and more sustainable future for all..
Some of these 17 goals are: eradication of poverty,
eradication of hunger, good health and well-being for all,
and gender equality, to name a few.
(232 Words.)

II- THE IMPACT OF THE CURRENT ISSUES ON

BUSINESSES.

As we have said before, sustainable development

challenges are an active threat to the world and its entire
population. The business world is no exception. Indeed,
all issues found in developing SDGs have direct and
indirect effect on businesses.
(39 Words.)

1- ISSUES FOUND IN DEVELOPING SDG’S.

Major sustainable development issues highlighted by
the United Nations such as: inequality, poverty, water,
global heat, climate change, access to care and health
for all, pollution, exploitation of human and natural
resources and human conflicts significantly affect
companies. In order to eradicate these problems,
companies at the instigation of states must adopt
sustainable development techniques not only to
preserve society, environment and economy but also to
improve their performance to be more profitable. Some
well-known companies have already started.

(79 Words.)
 2-Some companies that have adopted
sustainable development strategy in their
policy.

Companies such as l’Oreal, Apple, Orange and

Schneider electric have adopted sustainable
development in their policies. This allows them to
distinguish themselves from the competition and to
attract the attention of potential customers who are
increasingly sensitive to sustainable development.
(40 Words.)

III- THE REASONS WHY UK ORGANIZATIONS

HAVE TO ADOPT SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.

1- INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN UK.

The current business and economic models that has

created this world started from UK with the industrial
revolution. This industrial revolution allowed the
modernization of several countries in the world with
inventions such as the steam engine in 1769 or the
railway in 1827 that radically changed the course of
humanity.
The historical dimension and the evolution of its
economy over the years makes the United Kingdom one
of the main economic players in the world. They also
have many business interests all over the glob.
All these characteristics make the United Kingdom and
its companies an example of success and development
to follow for other countries. It is therefore important that
organisations in the UK adopt sustainable development
practices to drive behavioural change towards
sustainability issues around the world.
(130 Words.)
2- BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE
PRACTICES FOR UK COMPANYS .

Like any other company in the world that decides to

adopt sustainable development practices in its
operations, UK companies will enjoy many benefits at all
levels if they make this choice.
First, since sustainable development is itself by definition
a concept aimed at perpetuating human societies by
safeguarding people, the economy and the environment,
it allows companies to properly, efficiently and equitably
manage the resources they use in their daily operations.
With a correct management of these resources which
can be among others water, soil or energy, the UK
companys will be able to save money by reducing their
current expenses.
Secondly, the adoption of sustainable development by
UK companies will allow them to differentiate themselves
from the competition. Indeed, by adopting sustainable
development practices, UK companies will benefit from
full transparency in their activities and will be able to
build a relationship with customers based on mutual
trust. Therefore, the quality of the products offered, their
foolproof mode of production and their unwavering level
of safety will propel the brand image of the company in
an attractive and positive way.
Adopting these practices will also allow them to reduce
their risks. Indeed, consumers and public authorities are
increasingly sensitive to ethical and ecological issues.
Companies must therefore take this into account in their
overall strategy to avoid facing complications in their
evolution.
They also contribute to the motivation of the staff.
Indeed, it is known to all that the long-term success of a
company inevitably depends on the performance of
employees. Having a dissatisfied or unmotivated staff is
therefore a serious problem for the evolution of a
company. Sustainable development now appears to be a
good means of motivation for employees, especially
since more and more of them expect their employers to
take positions on ethical and environmental issues.

In addition to all these benefits that companies in the

United Kingdom could enjoy with the adoption of the
sustainable development practices mentioned above,
other benefits for the whole country such as more
sophisticated recycling practices, slowing down in
climate change, less practicle pollution, less smog or
reduction in deforestation may also result.

(353 Words.)
 CONCLUSION

We are coming to the end of our presentation and it is

worth remembering that the world today faces many
sustainable development problems that endanger the
future of our planet and its inhabitants. These problems
include global warming, extreme poverty and social
inequalities. The United Nations has therefore decided to
set up an agenda for 2030 with the main objective of
saving our planet from a irreversible disaster and thus
improve the living conditions of human beings
everywhere. The business world has also been affected
by the problems of sustainable development and more
and more companies around the world under the
impetus of the governments of their different states have
decided to adopt sustainable development in their
strategy. This is the case of Primark, our main competitor
actively involved in the sustainability process through the
HER Project. It would therefore be wise for our company
Bargeinum to also do it not only for the safeguarding of
our beautiful planet but also for the profit of our
company.

(167 Words.)
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