Publications

02 Sep 2014
First Look

First Look: September 2

such rifts, language training must include cross-cultural education. Publisher's link: http://hbr.org/2014/09/whats-your-language-strategy/ar/1 September 2014 Journal of Environmental Economics and Management Government Green Procurement... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

14 Jan 2008
Research & Ideas

Mapping Polluters, Encouraging Protectors

associate professor at the Fuqua School and faculty director of Duke University's Corporate Sustainability Initiative. They received essential technical expertise from student programmers who were fascinated by View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Manufacturing; Chemical

10 Oct 2005
Research & Ideas

Corporate Responsibility and the Environment: What is the Right Thing To Do?

sustainable basis? Should firms sacrifice profits for positive environmental impacts? And do firms at least sometimes behave this way? Striving to find authoritative insights into those questions, three... View Details

Keywords: by Manda Salls

August 2010 (Revised October 2010)
Case

Patagonia

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Hyunjin Kim and Forest L. Reinhardt

Patagonia was deeply committed to the environment. This commitment, at times, conflicted with the company's goal to create the most innovative products in its industry. Patagonia's founder and executives welcomed imitation of both its environmental commitment and its... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Environmental Sustainability; Business Model; Business Strategy; Expansion; Consumer Products Industry

11 Feb 2019
Research & Ideas

The Business of Saving the Planet

2018: Implications for Business This background note provides general information about climate change and its implications for business. Working Knowledge Stories on the Business of Environmental View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Energy; Green Technology

Video

Gabriela Cabrera, President of Manos del Uruguay, outlines the non-profit’s dedication to environmental awareness and responsible consumption. View Details

February 2023
Case

Graphic Packaging: Project Cowboy (A)

By: Benjamin C. Esty and E. Scott Mayfield

In July 2019, Graphic Packaging CEO Michael Doss was proposing a $600 million investment in a new machine to produce coated recycled board (CRB), a type of paper packaging used for consumer products (cups, cereal boxes, beverage boxes, etc.) that utilized recycled... View Details

Keywords: Capital Budgeting; Growth Management; Demand and Consumers; Duopoly and Oligopoly; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Expansion; Value Creation; Supply and Industry; Pulp and Paper Industry; Manufacturing Industry; United States; North America

Brian Trelstad is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School in the General Management Unit and the Faculty Chair of the Advanced Leadership Initiative. He teaches elective courses on Social Entrepreneurship and Systems... View Details

Keywords: education industry; health care; service industry; emerging market private equity; private equity (other); venture capital industry

04 Oct 2011
First Look

First Look: October 4

organizational processes among corporations and nonprofits. Read the paper: http://www.people.hbs.edu/cmarquis/GolfingAlone_FINAL.pdf Regulatory Uncertainty and Corporate Response: How China's Environmental Enforcement Is Catching Up to... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

May 13, 2021
Article

How to Lead in the Stakeholder Era

By: Hubert Joly

The world is clearly facing multifaceted crises: a health crisis, an economic crisis, a societal crisis, a racial crisis, an environmental crisis, and rising geopolitical tensions. In the face of these challenges, there is a growing realization that business and... View Details

Keywords: Business And Society; Stakeholder Capitalism; Leadership; Business and Stakeholder Relations

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September 1991 (Revised August 1996)
Case

Procter & Gamble Co., The: Lenor Refill Package

By: John A. Quelch

The assistant brand manager for Lenor, Procter & Gamble Germany's fabric softener brand, was preparing a presentation on the national launch of an environmentally friendly refill package. View Details

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Environmental Sustainability; Product Launch; Brands and Branding; Consumer Products Industry; Germany; United States

December 2022
Case

Taylor Farms: Adding Value to Fresh Produce

By: José B. Alvarez, Forest L. Reinhardt, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago and Pedro Levindo

In October 2022, Bruce Taylor (HBS MBA, 1981), Chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms, the leading producer of salads and healthy fresh foods in the United States, wondered whether this was the right time for Taylor Farms to venture into the Controlled Environment... View Details

Keywords: Technology Adoption; Cost vs Benefits; Logistics; Environmental Sustainability; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

March 1999
Teaching Note

Conceptual Overview: "Business and the Environment," An Elective for MBA Students TN

By: Forest L. Reinhardt

Intended to assist faculty who teach courses on environmental management at business schools. Other people interested in the relationships between business and the environment may also find it useful. View Details

Keywords: Science-Based Business; Environmental Sustainability; Business Education; Theory

March 1996 (Revised January 2002)
Case

Freeport Indonesia

By: Richard H.K. Vietor

In 1996, PT Freeport Indonesia, the mining subsidiary of Freeport McMoRan, had just completed an expansion of its copper and gold mine in the western half of New Guinea. The mine, which had dealt with numerous environmental and sociocultural problems over the past... View Details

Keywords: Trade; Mining; Environmental Sustainability; Business Strategy; Expansion; Social Issues; Mining Industry; Indonesia

2021
Working Paper

Shareholder Activism and Firms’ Voluntary Disclosure of Climate Change Risks

By: Caroline Flammer, Michael W. Toffel and Kala Viswanathan

This paper examines whether—in the absence of mandated disclosure requirements—shareholder activism can elicit greater disclosure of firms’ exposure to climate change risks. We find that environmental shareholder activism increases the voluntary disclosure of climate... View Details

Keywords: Shareholder Activism; Climate Risk; Corporate Accountability; Climate Change; Corporate Disclosure; Corporate Governance; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Shareholder Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Natural Environment; Environmental Sustainability; Financial Services Industry; United States

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2017
Working Paper

Why and How Investors Use ESG Information: Evidence from a Global Survey

By: Georgios Serafeim

Using survey data from a sample of senior investment professionals from mainstream (i.e., not SRI funds) investment organizations, we provide insights into why and how investors use reported environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information. The primary reason... View Details

Keywords: Investment Management; Sustainability; ESG; ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Performance; Investment Fund; Investment Strategy; Corporate Accountability; Activist Shareholder; Engagement; Environment; Climate Change; Customers; Customer Satisfaction; Employee Engagement; Global Warming; Investment; Decision Making; Environmental Sustainability; Performance Expectations