A Study of Sustainability

Student Name: ANJUMAN JHUMA

Student ID: 21420275

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3

Literature Review............................................................................................................................4

An initiative of good practice......................................................................................................4

Justification for adopting a sustainability strategy......................................................................5

Benefits & effects of adopting the strategy.................................................................................6

Organizational review......................................................................................................................8

Sustainable initiative for Rio Tinto PLC.........................................................................................9

Recommendation of taking initiatives.........................................................................................9

Costs of implementation............................................................................................................10

Future forecast...............................................................................................................................11

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12

Reference list.................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
Nature is considered our mother. The way a mother takes care of her child, nature surrounds and
cares for us. Without the perfect level of air, water, soil & other elements of earth people won’t
be able to survive for even a day. But this regular consumption and not caring about nature as
she does to us leads us to a disastrous future. Lacking natural resources has made a huge
difference in the climate. Heat, storms, tsunamis, and greenhouse effects are increasing day by
day. According to the specialists, this rate of consumption will devastate the world into a place
where will be no water, no pure air, and no pure soil to grow crops or trees and thus mankind
along with other species will extinct. So, it’s the high time when each & everybody in this world
would take this personally and take initiative.

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Literature Review
An initiative of good practice
Apart from thinking about the sustainability of business and doing a profit, everyone should also
think about the sustainability of the environment by staying in one’s position each one is
acquiring. Now, environmental sustainability refers to the fact that shoes teach the procedures of
saving natural resources and making the alternative for daily usage by not harming nature. Many
decisions that are taken in future can affect a larger amount in the future (Thiele, 2016). So,
sustainability in the thinking process and focusing on the present decision talking is important.
This level of the standard sustainable environment depends on the social, economic and most
importantly environmental conditions. For example, the special focus that needs to maintain
sustainability in the UK will not be the same as for India. This difference will happen just
because of social, economic and environmental varieties. In that case, every company, or
organization should adopt some strategies that will help them to cope with this thought of
sustainability. Although, it has a huge connection with the business. Reserving & preserving
nature without vandalizing the resources means the present generation is keeping these resources
for the future generation. And if there is mankind, the business will survive. Some companies
have already started the job with great sincerity. For instance, Apple. Estée Lauder, Google, Ikea,
Unilever, etc.
Apple
Apple has reduced their rate of extraction of carbon. And also, they have started doing business
with companies that share the same core values as Apple. Besides these, Apple is using
aluminium instead of using other metals and resources that will harm nature (Christos Pitelis,
Keenan and Pryce, 2015).
Estée Lauder
This is a cosmetics company not making this world garbage by putting used waste in the
landfills. Also, Estée Lauder is recycling all materials and turning them into energy. Such an eco-
friendly cosmetics brand.
Google
Here, Google is at the top of the game. Google consumes almost 50% less energy than the others
and 91% of total waste is always been removed from the field. Google does some social and
historical welfare by contributing high-quality fisheries to the marine department of the country.

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Thus, Google has achieved the position of an advocate of the environment (Luca Berchicci,
2012).

Ikea
Ikea is a furniture company that has made a place in its consumers’ hearts. This furniture
company produces home appliances, kitchen appliances and other home accessories. They have
made their company based on the idea of reducing the consumption of energy and water. And
they follow this idea from the core.
Unilever
Unilever is one of the biggest brands 0of consumer goods. This company satisfy people with
various products under the surveillance of Unilever such as axe, dove, lux, etc. these individual
brands makes special plans for reducing the loss of environmental values. Unilever has made the
target of turning down the rate of waste within 2030 (Fisk, 2015).
So, these are some world-class brands that already have started to follow the rules of saving
nature. Otherwise, everything will be in a crisis of existence in no time.
Justification for adopting a sustainability strategy
According to a study, there is an island of plastic on the Pacific Ocean that is double 1.6 million
squires kilometres. These plastics don’t mix up with soil and nothing happens underwater
although floating for several years. So, these plastics are harmful to marine life and also humans.
Seafood bearing those microplastics is being consumed by humans and causing danger. Carbon
emission is now starting a dangerous position in the world (Martin and Verbeek, 2014). It's
causing the increase in temperature and because of it the sea level is growing and in near future,
the countries or areas that are on the low level of seas are going to be drowned. To reduce these
kinds of future hazards everyone should be cautious from now and apply sustainable strategies
soon. Some strategies already have been taken into action on the whole world and some of them
are:
 Food wastes are used as the fuel on Waitrose Delivery Vans
 Replacement and recycling of plastic bottles
 Planned gardens anywhere it can be built
 A green building planning
 An agricultural process using less energy

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 Solar glass
As for the justification for using the sustainability strategies in the business and other applied
fields it is appropriate to say that, nature has unlimited power to heal itself. But when it is the
case of a human being who will take care of nature in the way that human wants so it is better to
start it now. Otherwise, it will be too late to do something and leave a better world for the next
generation.
Benefits & effects of adopting the strategy
As for the benefits of the implementation of the strategies, the welfare of nature is not the only
mission but also brings a better version of any business organization. Some benefits will help an
organization to improve its position on the world platform & politics and do something good for
nature. Now the benefits are:
 Reducing the total cost of business
Going green can save consumption of energy and thus less expensive. Using eco-friendly
technology increases productivity by spending a lot more energy. For example, recent
technology of AC of duel converter. That AC uses lesser electricity to conduct (Ottman,
2014). Again, the solar panel can be considered. By using the sun, people can make
electricity or energy.
 Improves the reputation of a business
In this world, there is a value of reputation. A company which has a good reputation,
consumers will seek its product and services. With this attention, the company can increase
the selling price buy yet the consumers will buy it because of the reputation. So, having some
green on the mind and also on the organization is not that bad.
 A sharp tool for competitive advantage
Having some sustainability ideas and implementing that can work as a competitive advantage
against the other competitors in the business world. This again is related to reputation. Green
projects leaders to the fame of a company and that can be used as an advantage in marketing.
 Increase in the bottom line
All these positive things will work on earning more. Innovative ideas, a better version of the
company improving credentials, increased reputation, etc. are going to increase the earnings
and thus the company will g=increase the bottom line and strengthen its base of the company.

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Another thing is the challenges that the companies will face while implementing sustainable
strategies. The effects of not applying the strategies to the business won’t be any good for
mankind. So, the effects or the challenges are given below:
 Lack of natural resources
 Unattached individual (Diesendorf, 2014)
 Unable to obtain the success
 Lack of focus
 Vandalized plan

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Organizational review
Rio Tinto is an Anglo-Australian multinational mining company which has started its journey in
1873 in Spain. This mining company was established in Rio Tinto, Spain when a bunch of
investors purchased a mining complex from the Government of Spain. After that, it has become
one of the second highest revenue-earning mining corporations and has acquired one of the
leading positions through many mergers and acquisitions (Mcintosh and Thomas, 2014). It has
shared its headquarters with London which is known as the Rio Tinto PLC. and the headquarter
which is in Spain is called Rio Tinto Global. This company extracts aluminium, iron ore, copper,
uranium and the most fascinating thing diamonds.

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Sustainable initiative for Rio Tinto PLC
Recommendation of taking initiatives
Among all of the sustainability strategies, the green building initiative for Rio Tinto PLC will be
the one recommendation for the adaptation of the Rio Tinto in Spain or London. Green building
also known as the green initiative or sustainable building refers to the structural and applied
process that includes an environmental supportive system and positive on going green. Green
building brings the idea of consuming less energy and also emitting pollution and other harmful
factors extracted from the company. Statements are supporting green building that helps to
describe them more accurately and implement them can be of so much beneficiary to the human
life and the world. Those benefits are:
Carbon reduction
Every business organization emits CO2 on an alarming basis. It damages the ozone layer of our
atmosphere. And that increases the UV with other harmful elements that were destroyed by the
ozone layer previously (Roosa and Jhaveri, 2018). So, the green buildings of Rio Tinto can help
on increasing the environmental supportive structure and carbon reduction process.
Planning of Siting and structure design
Planning of siting and structure design has to be the accordance with the availability of healthy
and sustainable resources. The siting and structure of the establishment should be of green
designs.
Regulating Energy
Energy efficiency comes from the total management of the establishment. Reducing leakage of
the air from the building envelope, windows with better performance and walls with a better
insulation theory are some options that help an organization regulate the energy safely and
efficiently.
Regulating Water
Regulating water properly is the key point of sustainable green building planning. There are
areas where people struggle for getting some pure drinkable water supply. And some people are
just wasting water and that is not fair (Alberta. Alberta Environment, 2016). So, managing water
inside the establishment of Rio Tinto to distribute equal benefits to everyone has to be the motto.
Managing Materials

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Reducing the usage of raw materials from nature and beginning the process of recycling is a
crying need in recent times. Cutting trees without plantations is not a proper way of balancing
the environment. If there is no initiative of tree plantation then there should be no cutting
thoughts also. Every ntur5al resources are like tree cuttings.
Increase in Indoor environmental quality
Developing a healthy lifestyle by increasing greens and no smoking zones, and making people
adopt those habits through seminars and other concern programs is important to make beautiful
breathable weather in an indoor environment.
Waste reduction
Waste reduction in green building planning is another option which can be considered while
making the plan work. The main problem of many countries' pollution and disastrous weather is
not managing the waste properly (Singapore Productivity And Standards Board. Planning And
Corporate Development Division, 2021). That invades the air and water and makes people and
other species sick. So, managing water is important.
Reduction in the electricity consumption
By using windmills or solar panels people can convert speed and solar energy to electricity. But
these energy or natural elements are not endless. So, reduction of the usage of energy like
electricity can make the future more secure.
Costs of implementation
Implementation of the Green building project is easier when a building is about to be established.
Making something in a larger amount reduces the fixed cost per unit. So, if someone plans the
green building idea at the starting, then it is easier to implement. But when it is the case of
managing the idea on an already built establishment then the cost raises for many reasons. This
cost is dependent on the squire foot size of an establishment. And as for the clear view, there are
separate calculations based on different premises. green buildings cost around 2.5-7% extra costs
than the regular buildings on a general basis. Customized designs may cost more than the stated
percentage. According to a study, there is a specific range that shows 0.7-7% or an average of
$4/squire feet and ROI (Return on Investment) stays usually between $50-$65/squire feet
(Montoya, 2013). So, the Rio Tinto Global and PLC should adopt that green building theme and
calculate the size of the building this ‘GoGreen’ idea can be implemented.

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Future forecast
Using alternative energy for mining aluminium, iron, diamonds, etc. can be very useful for the
Rio Tinto organization. It is not possible to just stop the consumption of natural resources. So,
the better way is to consume at a lesser rate. And making alternatives to those consumed energy.
It is amazing news that half of the total power of the UK has turned into low-carbon emitting
plants. The companies that already have adopted the windmill or solar panel system can now
relax with their power consumption and fewer bills at the end of the month or year. Even greater
amount on ROI (Jones, 2019). There is a hopeful scenario that business personnel also
understand the advantages of turning green. As they can make the betterment the nature and also,
they can gain a huge percentage on an overhead rate. There should have several targets regarding
renewable resources here. Reduction of using paper can be another supportive step here. Rio
Tinto can boycott paper-related works from the company and can make the whole company
technology-based. And those technologies will be made of smart technologies that consumers
lesser power than the old ones. This single step can reduce the rate of cutting trees. As trees are
the raw materials for paper mills. And the course of action can reduce the cutting of the
greeneries and also take initiatives to make more plantations of trees (Bernd Hamm et al., 2018).
Now, for the record, there is a term called ‘Butterfly Effect’. This term means that just a little bit
of change can cause a massive difference on a tong term base. So, if a business company invests
some goodwill in this present day, then it can grow bigger and give a beautiful return in future by
gifting a healthy life.

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Conclusion
The people who have enough foresight to see the disastrous future coming for the world can
clearly understand the position in which everyone is standing now. To prevent this destiny and
change it, everyone should take a step ahead. Green is not harmful. On the contrary, green saves
a life. Pollution is affecting the lungs and creating many incurable diseases. Trees can reduce this
pollution by soaking inside them. So, maybe it’s not too late for the government and higher
authorities of every country to join hands and make some changes for the sake of a better and
sustainable business & future.

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Reference list
Alberta. Alberta Environment (2016). Water for life : Alberta’s strategy for sustainability.
Edmonton: Alberta Environment.

Bernd Hamm, Muttagi, P.K., Universität Trier. Zentrum Für Europäische Studien and Most
(Program : Unesco (2018). Sustainable development and the future of cities. London:
Intermediate Technology Publications.

Christos Pitelis, Keenan, J. and Pryce, V. (2015). Green business, green values, and
sustainability. New York: Routledge.

Diesendorf, M. (2014). Sustainable energy solutions for climate change. London: Routledge,
Taylor & Francis Group.

Fisk, P. (2015). People, planet, profit : how to embrace sustainability for innovation and
business growth. London ; Philadelphia: Kogan Page.

Jones, G. (2019). PROFITS AND SUSTAINABILITY : a history of green entrepreneurship. S.L.:

Oxford Univ Press.

Luca Berchicci (2012). Innovating for sustainability : green entrepreneurship in personal

mobility. London: Routledge.

Martin, P. and Verbeek, M. (2014). Sustainability strategy. Sydney: Federation Press.

Mcintosh, M. and Thomas, R. (2014). Rio Tinto. London Routledge.

Montoya, M. (2013). Green building fundamentals : a practical guide to understanding and

applying fundamental sustainable construction practices and the LEED green building rating
system. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Ottman, J.A. (2014). The new rules of green marketing : strategies, tools, and inspiration for
sustainable branding. Sheffield England: Greenleaf ; San Francisco, Calif.

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Roosa, S.A. and Jhaveri, A.G. (2018). Carbon reduction : policies, strategies, and technologies.
Lilburn, Ga.: Fairmont Press ; [Boca Raton, Fla.

Singapore Productivity And Standards Board. Planning And Corporate Development Division
(2021). Waste reduction. Singapore: Raffles.

Thiele, L.P. (2016). Sustainability. Cambridge, Uk ; Malden, Ma: Polity Press.

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