Social and Environmental Sustainability Essay

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S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000 and has since led to over 9 billion square feet of facility space being in compliance. In addition, LEED has taken on the most challenging areas of quantifying through cost analysis the contributions of these initiative to the bottom line of companies

(Haxton, Beckstead, 2008). The results have shown a 35% reduction in operating costs while reducing energy costs while also reducing emissions and harmful waste. The ability to drive down costs while attaining SBD-based strategies and objectives has also fueled greater investment in LEED as a strategy of attaining production efficiencies while at the same time increasing in-process efficiencies overall. Where LEED has also defined a series of metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is in the area of interior air quality and reduction of harmful emissions both on the environment and employees. Designing a building to be LEED compatible can accomplish SBD-based objectives while at the same time driving up its effectiveness and the health of the employees working there (Haxton, Beckstead, 2008). LEED is also integral to SBD objectives in that it sets the foundation for enterprise-wide compliance for other initiatives as well.

Second Student Response:

The LEED standard was created to make the interior of buildings and the production process companies use more environmentally friendly and compliant at the same time. This is a very big deal in R&D centers and manufacturing locations, where the steps required to produce products can become very toxic and damage the environment. There is also the critical need of keeping workers safe and healthy while working inside, and this is the reason for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to support and get this standard defined (Livingstone, 2007).

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The USBC has three levels, silver, gold and platinum, and relies on independent auditors to make sure companies meet their requirements. The pay-off of meeting this standard is worth it for the companies who choose to participate. Not only are their companies more efficient but their employees are healthier too. Companies' around the world continue to support and go after this standard because it has shown to drastically reduce energy cost too. Many of the top manufacturing and R&D centers throughout Europe are now LEED-complaint, which makes the entire building more cost-effective to run, driving up profits as a result (Livingstone, 2007). The future of SBD programs will include LEED and other certifications as they are proving to be very valuable and pay for themselves over time.

References

ISO References:

(International Journal of Operations & Production Management. 2006)

ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 standards: An international diffusion model. (2006). International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 26(1), 141-165.

Link: www.sc.ehu.es/oewhesai/ijopm.pdf

Castka, P., & Balzarova, M.A. (2008). The impact of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 on standardisation of social responsibility -- an inside perspective. International Journal of Production Economics, 113(1), 74. Link for download: http://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/proeco/v113y2008i1p74-87.html

Cooper, L. (1998). ISO 14000 sets environmental standards. Puget Sound Business Journal, (87507757), 47-47. Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1998/03/23/focus7.html

Graff, S. (1997). ISO 14000: Should your company develop an environmental management system? Industrial Management, 39(6), 19-22. Link: http://www.allbusiness.com/government/environmental-regulations/652469-1.html

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