Management 4 Course Book Written Chuck William

¶ … Management 4 course book written Chuck William scenario assignment provided professor. Decision Making Case Assignment #2 - What Would You Do? Management Decision Making Case #2 Interface, Inc.

Interface, Inc. -- Implementing Sustainability

Which level of social responsibility best describes the company's current operations?

At present, the company is operating on a totally unsustainable model -- it generates waste in the production of the carpets it sells and the carpet materials are non-recyclable and simply fill up landfills. The company's business is "turning petrochemicals into textiles" which means using petroleum "which took millions of years to make, [and] is irreplaceable" and turning it into carpet which will not decompose and yet which is usually discarded within ten years (Fishman 1998). The factories which produce the carpets also generate pollutants.

Q2. What environmental vision do you communicate to your task force? In other words, what social responsiveness strategy will you adopt at Interface?

Recycling and reusing are the two critical components of generating a truly sustainable enterprise. First and foremost, rather than using nonrenewable materials, the materials that go into Interface products should be renewable and not tax the environment. The factories that produce the carpets should be powered by renewable sources of power, such as solar and wind energy. The carpets themselves should be recyclable, once constructed.

Q3. Can sustainability be economically viable for Interface? Defend your answer.

Yes. Very often, the sustainable efforts result in less waste, and thus lower costs for the company. "Process efficiencies, energy efficiencies (such as lighting and equipment replacement), fuel switching, and use of renewable energy" means a leaner manufacturing chain and lower input costs for Interface (Climate, 2012, Interface Sustainability). If reliable forms of solar and wind energy can be created to power factories, at least in part, this will result in cost savings as well as resource savings on energy for the planet.

Using recyclable materials can likewise be cheaper, and also be a great 'selling point' for a company, as more and more people wish to 'go green' in terms of how they furnish their homes and offices. Waste reduction means eliminating "any cost that does not produce value to customers. This includes everything from scrap materials and defective product to misdirected shipments or incorrect invoices" (Waste, 2012, Interface Sustainability). A less wasteful company is a company that better serves its customers, which is ultimately a more successful company. A zero landfill goal can be achieved by encouraging customers to return their old carpets, free of charge, to be donated to be recycled or repurposed for other uses.