SAP® GRC For Dummies®

Chapter 9. Making Your Company Environmentally Friendly

Going green. Everyone has heard the phrase, but what exactly does it mean? It's rapidly becoming one of the day's trendiest catchphrases, but the idea behind going green conveys a deep truth about a way of living that individuals and businesses would do well to adopt. The focus? What is happening to the earth and how it affects our quality of life, not to mention the potential financial impacts.

When individuals go green, they demonstrate their concern for the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment in just about everything they do. They express consideration for conserving natural resources and preventing pollution, from how much water they use while taking a shower or washing the dishes, to the quantity and type of fuel their vehicles consume, to the products they use to clean and the sources of energy they tap to heat and cool their homes.

In particular, people are increasingly concerned about how energy production using fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas impacts the environment, and, in turn, our future quality of life. They are also making choices based on whether products and services are earth friendly, ethically produced and made, recyclable, and energy-efficient.

When a business goes green, whether it is a global leviathan, such as Shell Oil or a small but bourgeoning startup in the discrete manufacturing industry, that business demonstrates its commitment to these matters, which are ...