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This case study examines IKEA's integration of environmental sustainability into its global business model, specifically focusing on its partnership with The Natural Step (TNS) and the implementation of these principles within its North American operations during the 1990s.

This teaching note describes a case study on Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc., focusing on the tension between lean manufacturing goals—productivity and high quality—and environmental responsibility at its Ohio plants. It examines how Honda's localized management approach contrasts with Toyota's centralized global strategy and analyzes the complementarities and trade-offs between lean production and environmental performance.

This teaching note, prepared by Dr. Christine H. Stinson for the World Resources Institute, provides a framework for discussing corporate environmental accounting using the case of Specialty Glass, Inc. It focuses on how traditional cost accounting can distort the perceived cost of products that generate hazardous waste and the associated financial risks and liabilities.

This case study examines the implementation of a Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) matrix system within the Utilities Division of Eastman Kodak's Kodak Park facility in Rochester, New York, between 1993 and 1996. The initiative aimed to shift the division from reactive compliance to a proactive, prevention-based environmental management strategy to reduce costs and environmental incidents.

This 1997 case study by the World Resources Institute examines the history and strategic evolution of the Weyerhaeuser Company, focusing on its transition from a traditional timber harvester to a leader in High Yield Forestry (HYF) and sustainable forest stewardship.

This case study describes the business model of Distributor Inc., a major independent chemical distributor in the United States, and provides context on the environmental impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), specifically freon, which the company distributed.

This case study examines the impact of the federal Fluorocarbon Tax on Distributor Inc., a large independent chemical distributor in the United States. The document details how the tax on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), intended to protect the stratospheric ozone layer, created accounting challenges and strained customer relationships as costs were passed through the supply chain.

This case study describes the founding and early operational challenges of Deja, Inc., an environmental footwear company established by Julie Lewis. The company aimed to create a sustainable business model by producing shoes from recycled materials, such as pre-consumer disposable diaper waste and plastic bottles, while targeting environmentally conscious consumers in the casual footwear market.

This case study abstract describes the process by which Mike Severns, Director of Facility Services at the non-profit St. Charles Medical Center, evaluated energy conservation measures (ECMs) through the EPA's Green Lights and ENERGY STAR Buildings programs. It highlights the Green Lights Program, launched in 1991 to reduce air pollution and electricity costs by promoting energy-efficient lighting, noting that lighting accounts for 20-25% of electricity sold in the U.S.

This 1996 case study examines St. Charles Medical Center's evaluation of EPA's Green Lights and ENERGY STAR Buildings programs. It details the use of performance contracting via Johnson Controls Incorporated and rebates from the Bonneville Power Administration to fund eleven energy conservation measures (ECMs) across three stages of implementation, aiming to reduce emissions and operational costs while preparing for CFC phaseouts.

This case study describes a fictitious company, MultiPaint, Inc. (MPI), which faces a crisis when toxic contamination is discovered at its idle downtown manufacturing site. Despite a recent marketing campaign emphasizing environmental safety, the company must navigate legal, financial, and public relations challenges while evaluating five distinct options for the contaminated property.

This teaching note describes a case study on how Fred Schoeneborn, a coordinator at Mobil Corporation, successfully implemented the Green Lights lighting retrofit initiative across a large organization despite lacking direct authority over facilities managers.

This document is an abstract for a case study on Tempes Corporation, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of precision equipment for extreme sports and scientific research in harsh environments.

This case study describes a strategic design choice facing Tempes Corporation, a manufacturer of precision equipment for extreme sports and scientific research. The company is deciding between two designs for its 'Water Moccasin' deep-sea diving monitor: Design A, which uses traditional acrylic polymer and cadmium coating, and Design B, which utilizes a more expensive but recyclable engineering thermoplastic. The document provides detailed capital costs, operating assumptions, and financial parameters to facilitate a net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) analysis.

This teaching note describes the 'Waste Reduction Always Pays' (WRAP) program at the Dow Chemical Company, an employee-centered initiative designed to reduce pollution through a contest for small-scale capital investments. The document analyzes the program's strengths, such as top management support and financial savings, and its weaknesses, including a lack of strategic alignment and limited employee participation, while contrasting it with a different approach used at the Bayside Division.

This 1994 case study by the World Resources Institute examines AT&T's transition toward proactive environmental and safety management, focusing on the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) to pollution prevention. It details the company's corporate goals to phase out ozone-depleting substances and reduce toxic emissions, specifically highlighting a project at the Columbus Works facility in Ohio to eliminate 1,1,1 trichloroethane (TCA) through process redesign and chemical substitution.

This case study from the World Resources Institute's Sustainable Enterprise Program examines the economic viability of using recycled polymers instead of virgin plastics in BMW vehicles, specifically focusing on the bumpers of the 3-series model.

This educational case study describes a simulated dialogue session regarding the environmental impact of chlorine bleaching in the pulp and paper industry during the 1990s, focusing on the conflict between industry costs and environmental health concerns over dioxin.

This case study examines the conflict between the U.S. pulp and paper industry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Greenpeace over the use of chlorine in bleaching processes. The central tension involves the production of toxic organochlorines, specifically dioxins, and the debate over whether the industry should move toward elemental chlorine-free (ECF) or totally chlorine-free (TCF) technologies. The document details the 'cluster rule' regulatory approach and the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with different bleaching standards.

This case study describes the Waste Reduction Always Pays (WRAP) program implemented by the Louisiana Division of the Dow Chemical Company. Originally evolving from an energy-saving contest in 1981, WRAP was formally announced in 1986 to reduce pollution and operating costs through employee-led innovation. The program utilizes a competitive submission process where projects are evaluated on technical viability and return on investment (ROI), rewarding winners with public recognition and project leadership roles rather than direct financial prizes.