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Reply to JERU 2

West Paw Design makes environmentally-friendly dog toys, beds, and mats that are filled with the fiber found in recycled plastic water bottles. The company has grown from 5 employees to over 70, who are engaged and continually challenged to innovate, it has revenue of $10 million, and uses nontoxic, recyclable, or organic materials (Burlingham, 2016).

West Paw has successfully used sustainable leadership practices since it was founded in 1996 by Spencer Williams who chose to invest in the community of Bozeman, MT by building a local manufacturing facility rather than outsourcing to Asia (“The West Paw Story,” n.d.). His goal was to mindfully craft safe, high-quality dog toys that had a big impact on business and a small impact on the environment (“Community,” n.d.).

The company manufactures 98 percent of its products in its Bozeman facility, which is also the home of its offices; it uses eco-friendly packaging; and allows customers to return used products for recycling (Adams, 2014). Williams has also implemented transparent open-book management practices and a company-wide profit sharing plan to give back to his employees, who have rated West Paw a best place to work (Burlingham, 2016).

Williams also created value by employing a whole-systems approach to West Paw’s processes by using the B Corporation certification process to measure the company’s carbon footprint, which improved efficiencies, reduced operating expenses, and resulted in market differentiation and an enhanced company image (Stammer, 2016). It is of note that West Paw was the first pet product company to become a certified B Corporation and it employs sustainable practices in all areas of the company including using USDA certified organic catnip in cat toys, using recycled banana boxes for storing manufactured products, and creating a recycling program that allows dog toys to be infinitely recycled (“The West Paw Story,” n.d.).

Williams application of sustainable forward-thinking leadership practices in his commitment to employees, contribution to the community, focus on building positive and lasting relationships, socially-responsible processes, and environmentally-friendly products has enabled West Paw’s success; thereby proving that profits can be a byproduct of running an ethical and socially-responsible business (Wookey, 2014).

Reply to JOLO 2

There are many small businesses where sustainability is part of their company’s fabric to increase profit. From research, Frog’s Leap Winery is a big proponent of sustainability. Through Greenopia, Fast Company ranked Frog’s Leap three out of four leaves and three/ top ten wineries for their efforts in water conservation, alternative energy and using recycled material in its label (Shcwartz, 2009). The owner of Frog’s Leap Winery is John Williams, who has owned the company since 1975. Mr. Williams facilitated sustainability when he noticed soil deficiencies, he then planted legumes to give soil nutrients (Frog’s Leap..2007). Mr. Williams also sustain resources by dry-farming allowing the soil to maintain more nutrients and water, which he spends less money of the watering the grape vines and the grapes are always rich (Frog’s Leap Winery, 2007). John Williams’ innovative mind thinking falls in line with designing a 21st century company that is aware of the environmental implication and also promotes community events to improve sustainability by improving public disclosure about agriculture sourcing (Moffat, 2014). Mr. Williams embodies the 21st century employer by engaging with employees and providing the public an opportunity to be part of recycling (Balser, 2013) and by encouraging organic gardening. Simultaneously, Mr. Williams has been consistent with his design to conserve energy then to produce (Frog’s…, 2007). Sustainability is a must and every company is must do their contribution to fulfill the long-term needs.

Reply to AUEL 1

Nidumolu’s assessment is spot on, based on his approach it is clear that one as a business needs to set the example so others in the business can take the same direction and promote sustainability. Sustainability is the way of the future. According to 3M’s Joseph T Ling who had this vision back in the early 70's (Scott, 2013), he spearheaded the movement towards waste elimination he had the vision that there was a better way of reducing waste by finding ways to reducing packaging, byproducts and lastly finding ways to reuse or incorporate the waste back into the production of new products or processes by figuring out the term reverse logistics, which is retrieving old products and bringing them back to the production line for remanufacturing that safe resources due to not having to use raw materials again. Another key contributor to eliminating waste in business was brought to light by Mr. Walter Stahel (Scott, 2013), architect from Switzerland who found that there was a relationship between energy use and manpower, his study revealed that if one finds a way to close the loop in processes, in turn it will created sustainable production, in most instances reduce fuel consumption and increase remanufacturing of products by also utilizing reverse logistics, which allows resources to be brought back to the beginning of the line in the form of renewable resource to be sold again to the consumer as a new product. These concepts allows for companies to reduce overall cost and continue the process of sustainability.

Reply to EVHA 1

I agree with Ram Nidumolu’s quote “ A mind-set of “sustainability=innovation” is essential to making a real transition to this new economy.” The new economy is evolving to create numerous ways to achieve a value versus profit life cycle in the 21st century (Scott, 2013). Lovins (2014), explains that this mind-set has recently been criticized. Critics imply, according to Lovins (2014), that this mindset does not lead to profit. However, Lovins (2014), states that several companies have metrics results that sustainable business practices still reflect profits. In fact, Caterpillar was one company that incorporated sustainable practices and still managed to increase their bottom line (Scott, 2013). The added profit was that Caterpillar was increasing the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit.

Sustainable leadership practices require courage and resiliency to persevere with innovative and non-traditional ways of practice (Werft, 2015). It also requires leaders to influence others to buy-in to these practices (Scott, 2013). Current 21st century leaders who are implementing sustainable business practices need to collaborate and form a unified front to encourage more participation from other business leaders and peers (Lovins, 2014). Lovins states that 21st century leaders need to be actively involved in creating sustainable business practice that can provide metrics to prove to other leaders that the change can increase their bottom line as well.

Big companies such as Catapillar all the way down to small businesses like West Paw Design can all integrate sustainability into business practice as long as long as their leaders are open-minded, have the ability to persuade, have courage, and maintain their resiliency toward their purpose on effecting the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit.