2008 Business Pulse©: CEOs See Green Long-Term - No Fad!

B U S I N E S S P U L S E©
It is impossible to pick up The “Green” Actions

Wall Street Journal, Business
Week, INC, Fast Company or What are CEOs doing to reduce their
any major business publication impact on the environment? Most
and not find an article related to are taking the low hanging fruit, first.
businesses going “Green!” About three fourths of the businesses
have increased their recycling efforts
In Northeastern Wisconsin it is (79%); 77% have increased energy
clear: CEOs do not see The Green efficiencies in their facilities (lighting,
Movement as a fad. It is the real deal,
CEOs and many businesses are fast at work
heat, etc); 70% have recycled their
computer hardware; 56% use recycled
determining how this movement materials. These activities are actions
See Green may impact their business. More
than three quarters of the CEOs
nearly all businesses can engage in.
(78%) believe that Green is a here to Much lower levels of activities are
Long-term – stay; only 22% think Green is a short- present in a series of actions that
term fad. These are some of the key perhaps only certain businesses could
No Fad! findings from the latest The Nicolet
Bank Business Pulse© - a survey of
actually implement. For example, the
reduction of toxic emission is much
CEOs in Northeastern Wisconsin. more likely to take place in the
manufacturing sector than in the
Another three quarters (76%) indicate service sectors. About a quarter (26%)
that going Green is the right thing indicate that they have reduced their
to do even if it cost them a little water use; 18% say they use energy
more ‘Green’. In many cases, while efficient cars; 17% have reduced their
additional up-front costs may exist, emissions; 16% have reduced their
these costs are often times recaptured. use of pesticides; 12% use renewable
More than half (60%) of the CEOs energy; 9% use Leadership in Energy
and business owners believe going and Environmental Design (LEED)
Green could also be an important certification for building design.
differentiator for the economy of
NEWi. These appear to be strong The lowest level activities are
numbers that provide a foundation programs that provide incentives
for an effective Green and sustainable to employees to engage in certain
business movement in NEWi. behaviors and practices. Nine
percent indicate that they have
To what extent do CEOs believe a telecommuting program so
employees can work from home
going Green is a competitive
or a remote location; 7% have an
advantage for their business incentive program that encourages
employees to use alternative
Great transportation such as biking to
Extent work; 6% have a program to
10% encourage carpooling.
Not at all
32%
Moderate
Extent
Executive Summary:
End of Q1/08
30%
Part Two
Some Extent
28%
Motivation For “Green” Fewer (42%) were motivated to this as a competitive advantage
make environmental improvements specifically for their company
While 76% percent of CEOs indicate because their competitors were (31% say to a Great or Moderate
that going Green is simply the doing it (Very Important 12% / Extent) compared with those in
right thing to do, many are also Important 30%) and 49% because the manufacturing/construction
influenced by other factors when their suppliers may demand it industries (48% Great or
it comes to developing Green and (Very Important 10% / Moderate Extent).
sustainable business practices. Important 39%).
In many cases, businesses are “Green” Competitive Summary

responding to the growing
environmental movement that is Advantage As the economies in many parts of
seen among general consumers - the world expand, we will see the
While 60% of CEOs believe going emergence of a much larger world-
as well as other businesses. Nearly
Green could be a competitive wide middle class. Many more
seven in ten (69%) say that the fact
advantage for Northeastern resources will be needed to sustain
that their customers are demanding
Wisconsin, fewer see it as the demand of this emerging class.
it was a Very Important (30%)
competitive advantage for their This is one of the major forces
motivator for them to improve
business in their market space. behind this shift to Green and sus-
their impact on the environment;
39% indicate that this was About one-in-ten believe To A tainable business practices. The
Important; 31% say it was Great Extent that going Green Green Movement is here to stay
Not Important. could be a competitive advantage and most businesses are determin-
for their business in their market ing how their business will be
CEOs also see positioning their impacted - and how they will
space; 30% say to a Moderate
business as Green is a good marketing respond.
Extent; 28% to Some Extent and
strategy. Almost three quarters
32% say Not At All. Organizations Could Green be a differentiator for
(74%) say using improvement of
with more than 50 employees are NEWi? Perhaps, but the competi-
the environment as part of their
somewhat more inclined to say tion to create and occupy this mar-
marketing strategy was Very
that going Green could be a ket niche is great, and expanding at
Important (22%) or Important
competitive advantage in NEWi a very rapid pace.
(52%) as a factor in their decision
as well as for them in their market
to go Green; 26% indicate that it
space. Seventy-one percent of
was Not An Important factor.
service sector CEOs say they
Resources
Many CEOs also believe that making Agree that going Green could
environmental improvements be a differentiator for NEWi, Wisconsin Green Building Alliance,
compared with 55% of those in the www.wgba.org
would also improve their business
processes overall. Sixty-five percent manufacturing and construction U.S. Green Building Council,
say improving their business sector of the economy. www.usgbc.org
process was part of what motivated
Interestingly, when asked if going Ecolution, Inc., www.greanbiz.com
them to improve their impact on
Green could be a competitive
the environment with 18% saying www.greenbiz.com
advantage for their specific business
this was Very Important; 47% say it www.eco-advantage.com
in their market space, those in the
was Important; 35% say this was
service sector are less likely to see
not part of their motivation.
How the Study is Conducted

The Nicolet Bank Business Pulse© is a Quarterly Study of CEOs in NE Wisconsin (Brown,
Calumet, Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Winnebago Counties)
and Menominee, Michigan. It is designed and implemented by IntellectualMarketing, LLC.
Participants include: 28% in manufacturing; 25% in services; 18% retail trade; 4% wholesale trade;
6% finance, real estate, insurance; 5% in transportation, communications, utilities; 9% in other
industries. 21% have fewer than 6 employees; 28% have 6-25; 19% have 26-50; 13% 51-100;
12% 101-250; 4% 251-500; 2% 501-1,000; 1% have 1,001 or more.
QUESTIONS to Dr. David G. Wegge (920) 217-7738; david@intellectualmarketing.com

2008 Business Pulse©: CEOs See Green Long-Term - No Fad!

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2008 Business Pulse©: CEOs See Green Long-Term - No Fad!

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2008 Business Pulse©: CEOs See Green Long-Term - No Fad!

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

B U S I N E S S P U L S E©

It is impossible to pick up The “Green” Actions

In many cases, businesses are “Green” Competitive Summary

How the Study is Conducted

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.