For those companies that report, financial value overwhelmingly comes from two sources: direct cost savings and enhanced reputation in the market. Some programs provide both. ‘Green’ products, for example, often reduce waste and cost to provide direct savings, but also provide reputational dividends from both investors and consumers. That said, the ‘green’ label may soon wear itself out as environmentally friendly products become the norm rather than the exception. Today, 62 percent of the 250 largest global companies reported offering green or sustainable products while 45% of the 100 largest companies in each of the 34 countries studied (N100) claimed the same.
