Comments on: Fair criticism? http://www.fruitfulstrategy.com/blog/2009/04/fair-criticism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fair-criticism Aligning reputation and revenue with sustainability Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:23:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kathee Rebernak http://www.fruitfulstrategy.com/blog/2009/04/fair-criticism/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Kathee Rebernak Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:32:25 +0000 http://www.fruitfulstrategy.com/blog/?p=59#comment-23 Dear Jennifer: I agree with your comments that sustainability is a journey and that context is important to an assessment of a company's performance on a given issue. I also think that companies need to consider the investment and overall impact of a particular initiative relative to the amount spent to promote it before embarking on a campaign. That would require the kind of integrative approach to sustainability that, unfortunately, many companies are still not undertaking. What we see all too often are ad-hoc efforts that lead to disproportionate promotion of one initiative while completely ignoring the adverse impact of another, related activity either because management doesn't understand the relationship or the payback period on the investment needed to address it is too long. Having said all that, I agree that we are seeing progress. And when awareness dawns, cultures begin to shift, and integration begins to happen, it's exciting and refreshing and amazing how quickly the pace of progress and innovation picks up. Regards, Kathee Rebernak PS. Incidentally, the article on greenwashers was not by the Wall Street Journal but 24/7WallStreet. Dear Jennifer:

I agree with your comments that sustainability is a journey and that context is important to an assessment of a company’s performance on a given issue.

I also think that companies need to consider the investment and overall impact of a particular initiative relative to the amount spent to promote it before embarking on a campaign. That would require the kind of integrative approach to sustainability that, unfortunately, many companies are still not undertaking. What we see all too often are ad-hoc efforts that lead to disproportionate promotion of one initiative while completely ignoring the adverse impact of another, related activity either because management doesn’t understand the relationship or the payback period on the investment needed to address it is too long.

Having said all that, I agree that we are seeing progress. And when awareness dawns, cultures begin to shift, and integration begins to happen, it’s exciting and refreshing and amazing how quickly the pace of progress and innovation picks up.

Regards,

Kathee Rebernak

PS. Incidentally, the article on greenwashers was not by the Wall Street Journal but 24/7WallStreet.

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