Corporate Social Responsibility

Sustainability at workplace
and at home

Prabhjot Kaur
9/19/2014
S133F0018


SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability refers to how biological systems remain diverse and productive. Long-lived and healthy
wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems. In more general terms,
sustainability is the endurance of systems and processes. The organizing principle for sustainability is
sustainable development, which includes the four interconnected domains: ecology, economics, politics
and culture. Sustainability science is the study of sustainable development and environmental science.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The right to development implies the right to improvement and advancement of economic, social,
cultural and political conditions. Improvement of global quality of life means the implementation of
change that ensures every person a life of dignity; or life in a society that respects and helps realize all
human rights. These changes must include the eradication and alleviation of widespread conditions of
poverty, unemployment, and inequitable social conditions. Sustainable development ensures the well-
being of the human person by integrating social development, economic development, and
environmental conservation and protection.
Social development implies that the basic needs of the human being are met through the implementation
and realization of human rights. Basic needs include access to education, health services, food, housing,
employment, and the fair distribution of income. Social development promotes democracy to bring
about the participation of the public in determining policy, as well as creating an environment for
accountable governance. Social development works to empower the poor to expand their use of
available resources in order meet their own needs, and change their own lives. Special attention is paid
to ensure equitable treatment of women, children, people of indigenous cultures, people with
disabilities, and all members of populations considered most vulnerable to the conditions of poverty.
Economic development expands the availability of work and the ability of individuals to secure an
income to support themselves and their families. Economic development includes industry, sustainable
agriculture, as well as integration and full participation in the global economy. Social and economic
developments reinforce and are dependent on one another for full realization.
It is impossible to separate the well-being of the human person from the well-being of the earth.
Therefore truly sustainable development places just as much importance on the protection and of the
earth and the earth's resources. International documents that include the environmental aspect of
development affirm and reaffirm that "human beings are at the centre of concern for sustainable
development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature As the goal
of sustainable development is to permanently improve the living conditions of human beings, social
and economic developments must be carried out in a way that is environmentally and ecologically
sound; ensuring the continual rejuvenation and availability of natural resources for future generations.
Recent developments include the Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility
Guidelines for Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSEs) are a part of the each CPSEs yearly target
with their commitment to implement them along with their financial and business targets.
These were issued by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), and stipulate how much and how
Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) should invest and report on Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR). The CSR budget mandated ranges from 0.5 per cent to 5 per cent of the profit depending on the
net profit of the CPSE.
A recent decision taken by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandates that listed
entities should submit Business Responsibility reports as a part of their annual reports, which would
describe measures taken by them along the key principles enunciated in the National Voluntary
Guidelines on Social, Environmental and Economic Responsibilities of Business (NVGs) framed by
the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
To start with, this requirement would be applicable to the top 100 companies in terms of market
capitalisation and would be extended to other companies in a phased manner. This decision indicates
the importance that the Government of India places on the fulfilment of environmental, social and
governance responsibilities of businesses.
While companies face challenges in making operational changes, the business case and linkages of the
voluntary guidelines with existing legislations, prepared by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs
(IICA), offer a comprehensive justification, businesses need an alignment with existing and commonly
accepted global framework such as GRI Guidelines for sustainability reporting too.The new Companys
Bill tabled in the Parliament in December 2011 is a key step towards strengthening corporate
governance and business sustainability measures.
The new Bill has certain key provisions like the power to initiate class action suits to protect minority
shareholders, stringent punishment for insider trading, rotation of company auditors, rules on fixed
tenure and accountability of independent directors, and constraints on managerial remuneration.
These proposed rules suggest that every company with a net worth exceeding Rs. 5 billion or a turnover
exceeding Rs. 10 billion or profits exceeding Rs. 50 million should form a committee of three or more
directors, including at least one independent director, to recommend activities for discharging corporate
social responsibilities in such a manner that the company would spend at least 2 per cent of its average
profits of the previous three years on CSR. The company is also required to disclose its activities in its
report or on its website, and to institute a formal policy on CSR.
Sustainability environment at workplace
Sustainability is not just about organic milk, unleaded petrol, energy-saving bulbs and all the other
regards that have already become an established practise among green consumers, because
sustainability is much more than consumption and the environment. The way in which we organise our
everyday lives and our society should not prevent others from having their needs met. This is briefly
what sustainability is about. It is, for instance, not sustainable to organise the work so that employees
experience physical or mental burnout; To exclude vulnerable groups in society completely from the
working community Or to damage the natural environment, as future generations will depend on it
for survival. Sustainability is thus about caring for nature and one another Both people and the
environment At the local level as well and the global level.
Sustainability at the workplace
Sustainable workplaces are among the most important preconditions for developing a society in a
sustainable direction. There is hardy any workplace which is 100% sustainable. Sustainability is a
horizon that can never fully be reached, but you can see to it that a maximum of activities and initiatives
lead you in the right direction.
An activity can be characterized as sustainable if it helps move the workplace towards one or
more of the following goals:
Greater social responsibility For instance by making room for groups that would otherwise find it
difficult to find or to keep a normal job. This may be done by establishing flex jobs or introducing a
staff policy on ethnic minorities.
Greater ethical responsibility For instance by demanding that fundamental values, such as human
rights, are respected. It may also be obtained by demanding that suppliers provide documentation
proving that they do not use child labour or in any way violate the fundamental ethical values of the
workplace.
Improving health & safety at work By aiming to prevent both physical and psycho-social working
environment problems. This may involve a reducing monotonous, repetitive work and stress and
promoting job satisfaction and employee participation at the workplace.
Improving the natural environment For instance by exploiting energy and materials more efficiently.
This may involve using more environmentally friendly materials in production or manufacturing
products that use less energy or that are easier to recycle.
A workplace can never be sustainable without involving the employees.
There are two reasons for this:
The employees are the ones that will be seeing to it that all the day-to-day tasks at the workplace
reflect the principles on sustainability. Without their support, the project will surely fail.
Involvement is not just a means. It is also a core value of the sustainability concept that people have
the right to have influence on their own working lives.
It is therefore in everyones interest that the employees are involved in the discussion, the planning and
the implementation of the workplace initiatives to promote sustainability.
Preconditions for sustainability
The four objectives for sustainability can only be met if the following three additional issues are also
considered;
Finances: The initiatives must be financially risk-free so that they contribute to the stability of the
workplace.
Employee participation: Employees are to be actively involved in the planning and implementation of
new initiatives.
Skills: It must be ensured that the involved parties have or acquire the skills needed in order to
participate.
Tata Motors (Sustainability programmes adopted by Tata Motors)
Reducing Pollution
Tata Motors has been at the forefront of the Indian automobile industry's anti-pollution efforts by
introducing cleaner engines. It is the first Indian Company to introduce vehicles with Euro norms well
ahead of the mandated dates. Tata Motors' joint venture with Cummins Engine Company, USA, in
1992, was a pioneering effort to introduce emission control technology for India. Over the years, Tata
Motors has also made investments in setting up of an advanced emission-testing laboratory.
With the intention of protecting the environment, Tata Motors has upgraded the performance of its
entire range of four and six cylinder engines to meet international emission standards. This has been
accomplished with the help of world-renowned engine consultants like Ricardo and AVL. These
engines are used in Tata Motors vehicles in the Indian market, as well as in over 70 export markets.
Tata Motors is constantly working towards developing alternative fuel engine technologies. It has
manufactured CNG version of buses and followed it up with a CNG version of its passenger car, the
Indica.

Restoring Ecological Balance
Tata Motors has set up effluent treatment facilities in its plants, to avoid release of polluted water into
the ecosystem. In Pune, the treated water is conserved in lakes attracting various species of birds from
around the world thus turning the space into a green belt.
Tree plantation programmes involving villagers and Tata Motors employees, have turned acres of
barren village green. Tata Motors has planted as many as 80,000 trees in the works and the township
and more than 2.4 million trees have been planted in Jamshedpur region. Over half a million trees have
been planted in the Pune region. Tata Motors has directed all its suppliers to package their products in
alternate material instead of wood.
My personal contribution to Sustainability
These are some of the steps which I would like to take in order to sustain the environment and would
like others to follow such steps in order to create a healthy environment.
Travel and leisure
Plan journeys to use the most efficient means of travel and the optimum route
Walk or cycle rather than drive short journeys
Car share
Go by train or bus for medium/longer journeys
Holiday nearer to home, to reduce demand for air travel in particular
Work from home
Live nearer your workplace
Use a more economical car
Drive more slowly
Choose pastimes/hobbies that dont require large amounts of fuel, electricity or material resources
At home
Insulate the building to the best practicable standards
Stop draughts, keep windows and doors closed during the heating season
Turn off lights and appliances when not required
Use low energy bulbs
Draw curtains or close shutters at night to reduce heat loss
Set heating thermostats to the minimum comfortable temperature
Set heating system timers to operate only when the heat is required
Use natural ventilation rather than air conditioning whenever possible
Dress appropriately rather than heating the building more than necessary
When cooking or making hot drinks, do not heat or boil more water than necessary
Avoid unnecessarily deep or frequent baths
Take showers as these generally use less water and heat than baths
Use low water flush WCs
Use water efficient techniques for garden watering (plenty of tips can be found on the internet)
Consider rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling
Use renewable energy
Compost organic waste
Goods and food
Reuse carrier bags and other containers rather than obtaining new ones
Complain to retailers and manufacturers when goods are supplied with excessive amounts of
packaging
Insist that goods are properly labelled regarding origin, environmental standards, etc.
Buy local wherever practicable
Adopt a lower meat content diet
Repair rather than replace items where possible
When buying appliances that use water or energy, look for efficient models :- The environmental cost
of manufacturing an item may outweigh any reduction in the environmental impact when in use; also
some efficient devices may have so much energy embedded in their manufacture that overall it may
be better to use a simpler model
Governments
Individuals can lobby their representatives to persuade government to put measures in place that will
improve sustainability. Such measures include:
Financial incentives for individuals and organisations to reduce their environmental impact and
penalties for those who dont
Awareness campaigns to highlight the real environmental costs of things that people and companies
do
Legally binding regulations regarding environmental labelling
Auditable environmental and energy efficiency standards
Increased emphasis on sustainability in education
Removal of environmentally perverse incentives: - Both taxation and government benefits/grants, etc.,
sometimes have the perverse effect of encouraging environmentally unsustainable behaviour. This
needs to be pointed out and corrected
At work
Individuals as well as employers can contribute to sustainable practice in the workplace.
The best way to do so can be summarised very simply.
Treat your environmental impact at work as you would do that at home :- In particular, treat your
consumption of resources water, heat, power, etc. as if you were paying for them yourself)
Encourage your employer to invest in efficiency and support any workplace initiative to do so
Feel empowered. You don't need to be management to institute change; your role as someone who
cares about improving the energy efficiency and healthiness of your workplace is just as vital as those
able to make the "big decisions". In fact, change from the bottom-up is often a lot more effective as
everyone has "buy-in". And just because you don't make the purchasing decisions, it doesn't mean you
can't influence them. Do your research, point out the financial savings to management, and enlist the
enthusiasm of your team members too. Tell them about the research that shows a happier workplace is
more productive and creative, with less absenteeism. Encourage them to take this further by considering
how to bring sustainable happiness into the work environment. Find the information, show by doing,
and create the momentum, all just because you care.
Conserve your computer's energy- For many people with desk jobs the computer is necessary to get
things done. To help conserve energy from your computer use, you can:
Invest in an energy-saving computer, monitor and printer - it's easy to find these computers thanks to
the Energy Star label in the USA. The energy savings rating is available in many other countries as
well.
Switch to energy-saving settings - the Climate Savers Computing Initiative recommends these power
management settings
Turn off hard drives and hard disk sleep: 15 minutes or less; and
System standby or sleep: After 30 minutes or less.
Setting the computer to sleep mode when you are away for short periods of time makes good sense.
And don't use a screensaver - these use energy rather than save it, and you are much better off relying
on the power management features to power down to lowest energy use, or sleep mode. A computer in
sleep mode can save 60-70% of power.
Turn off your computer whenever youre not using it, especially when leaving work. And note that it
isn't true that turning your computer on and off will wear it out
Switch to a laptop or a thin client. Laptops and thin clients use less energy than desktop computers.
Turn off all peripherals when not in use. Peripherals such as printers, video cards, speakers, and
scanners continue to consume power even when not in use. Unplug them and save energy.
Unplug power adapters when not in use.
Unplug battery chargers and other chargers when the charging is complete, otherwise they are still
consuming energy.
Using a power strip as a central turn-off point can reduce the number of switching off actions required
Reduce printer use. The printer is one of the most used office items. Every day it cranks out tons of
important faxes, emails and other documents. Here are some ways you make your printer use greener:
Try not to print in colour - learn how to Cut Printing Costs on an Inkjet Colour Printer.
Use a printer that does double-sided copying. If your workplace doesn't have this, request that such a
printer be added to the network and designate that one for the big printing jobs.
Print in draft mode- In addition, try to print more screen pages to a paper page. Printing two screen
pages per printed page is still readable and double-sided, that means four screen pages per one paper
page - a huge paper savings!
Recycle ink and toner cartridges - learn how to Refill and Reuse a Printer Cartridge.
Try to use a multifunction device-This is a combination of printer/scanner/copier in one. Provided it is
Energy Star rated, it can save both energy and space.
Reduce your paper waste.
Reduce paper waste by deciding to go paperless wherever possible. You can try to:
Keep copies of important emails, files, and more on your computer.
Use old paper with extra space to print small documents.
Dont get any extra catalos or magazines mailed to your office. Use a sharing system to pass around
interesting materials between everyone's in-trays. This saves paper and money.
Get your check directly deposited. Payment direct to your bank account saves paper.
Send company updates through email instead of on paper.
Review any documents online instead of printing them out. It's commonplace to hear people say that
they cannot read on the computer screen. However, it is a learned skill like most work skills, and with
practice, it is possible to read most of your work on-screen and print only when necessary. If you have
problems with eyestrain, see your doctor.
Prioritize your paper use.
Buy recycled and chlorine-free paper.
Try paper made from organic products like bamboo, cotton or hemp.
Print on both sides of the paper.
Shred old paper to use as packing material.
Save and reuse old boxes.
Use old sheets of paper for scrap paper or note taking. Use mistake prints as scribble paper, or send a
stack along to your children's day-care or school for artwork use.
Reduce energy usage. Along with reducing the energy usage of your computer and peripherals, there
are several broader ways to reduce energy usage in the workplace:
Replace your desk lamp light bulbs and overhead lights (where possible) with compact fluorescent light
bulbs qualified with the Energy Star. These bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last
up to 10 times as long.
Turn lights off when nobody is using an office, conference room, your workspace, or the whole office
at night. Where the lighting controls are on automatic override, talk to building management about
having the settings changed to only use sufficient lighting for security and safety purposes, rather than
over-lighting the whole building.
Maintain healthy airflow. Use non-toxic cleaning products. Water dampened cloths are sufficient to
clean most dusty workspaces.
Open your windows to increase air flow- If you can't open windows, be sure to take outdoor breaks
throughout the day.
Dont smoke in or near the office.
Never bring any aerosol can to work.
Use an air purifier to get rid of contaminants.
During cold weather, keep blinds open to let the warmth in; during warm weather, keep blinds pulled
to close out the heat of the summer sun.
Keep window vents clear of paper or other obstructions, to allow the free flow of air.
Use Energy Star rated programmable thermostats to adjust heating and cooling in the building
automatically to avoid wasting energy.
Get an Energy Star qualified water cooler. These use half the energy as standard units.
Recycle. There are many items in your office that you can recycle. If you do not have a recycling station
at work, start one on your own! You can get a few bins and post recycling guidelines above them. Some
of them may include recycling:
Paper products like copy paper, envelopes, magazines, etc.
Cardboard boxes from shipped supplies;
Soda cans and plastic bottles;
Aluminum foil;
Plastic bags;
Ink cartridges; and
Edible items
Eat green and healthy
Pack your lunch in a reusable lunch bag or box. Bento boxes are much more popular now, allowing you
to have a delicious, healthy variety every lunch.
If you bring your lunch in a paper or plastic bag, recycle it. Plastic bags can be washed and left standing
upside down overnight to dry.
Use containers, mugs, and silverware that can be washed and used again.
Switch to organic food and drinks.
Drink from the fountain instead of bringing water bottles. You can bring your own durable, reusable
water bottle for constant refills.
Recycle your soda cans, bottles and aluminium foil.
Use a washable napkin instead of paper towels.
Walk to a healthy lunch eatery if you forget to pack your lunch.
Travel green. The first part of our workday starts with getting to work, and for many people that means
driving. Cars emit tons of carbon dioxide gases into the air, contributing to greenhouse gases. Getting
stuck in a traffic jam regularly is also bound to increase your stress levels. Here are some ideas we can
do for a green ride:
Join a ride share group.
Take the train, bus or subway.
Ride a bike or walk if you live close enough.
Invest in a green car like a hybrid.
Reduce your travel by telecommuting, or working from home whenever possible. This option is
becoming increasingly viable for many office-based jobs, and if your workplace offers it, look into the
potential of using it for at least some of your work week.

References
https://www.populationmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/D32Personalsustainability.pdf
http://www.kubix.dk/pdf/167-UK.pdf
http://www.tatamotors.com/sustainability/sustainability.php
http://www.wikihow.com/Go-Green-at-Work