Deutsch, C. H. (2007, November, 7). For suppliers, the pressure is on. The New York Times, Retrieved 12 2, 2007, from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01EED6103CF934A35752C1A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
Brian O’Keefe
An article in the New York Times titled, For Suppliers, the Pressure Is On, by Claudia H. Deutsch, is about companies who are working to reduce their environmental impact, and are trying to get their suppliers to do so too. As companies bend to consumer desires, they have started becoming greener. Many companies are planting organic crops, watching how much carbon emissions delivery processes use, and retailers are giving better shelf-space to green products. Certain industries are struggling to come up with a definition of what makes their products green, so standards are being created and worked out, and some industries such as electronics have already established standards. Deutsch writes that as companies better there own companies to make less of an impact on the environment, they want their suppliers to share in the process. Companies don’t want to lose suppliers, and as of yet have been unable to enforce such green process. But the companies will approach their suppliers and tell them the benefits of going green by showing them inexpensive process they use. Kristin Pierre says her company tells suppliers, “We will help you be more efficient in the way you use time, labor, materials, and energy.”
To achieve good work in these organizations trying to be green, they want their whole business process to be green. Trying to encourage their suppliers to be green by offering to help them limit costs is a great way to effectively communicate goals. The pros for implementing this process is that more and more business will be able and desire going green. The environment will be better, and people will gain satisfaction knowing they are being good to the environment. And similar industries using the same standards to measure products greenness will benefit the consumer who can buy the greenest products, intern rewarding the greenest organizations. Cons are that the program may put unnecessary strains on some supplier/buyer relationships. The process of going to every supplier could be found too costly. Keep in mind when implementing this plan to practice what you preach, don’t tell other companies to be green if you’re not going to be. Remember the way in which you pursue telling your suppliers you would like them to go green should be done carefully, to avoid pushing them away, you must be supportive and fair.
