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Summary and key findings insummary:"conflict of interest"
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PublisherWorld Resources Institute
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1,869 documents from World Resources Institute

  • The document describes a project to evaluate climate change mitigation policies and measures (PAM) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) using a specific framework of six criteria: environmental outcomes, economic/social outcomes, technical outcomes, institution building potential, project sustainability, and dissemination/replication potential. Applying these criteria to case studies in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia revealed that while quantitative project data is accessible, qualitative factors like institutional development are harder to measure but critical for scaling. Findings varied by country, highlighting the effectiveness of small-scale municipal energy efficiency in Bulgaria, the limitations of planned transport measures in the Czech Republic, and the role of soft financing in Hungary and Poland to overcome economic barriers to renewables and efficiency.

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    Document type: Research paper

  • Under CEO Robert Shapiro, Monsanto pivoted to the 'life sciences' by spinning off its chemicals business and investing $8 billion in seed and biotechnology acquisitions. While the company achieved significant financial growth and market dominance in genetically engineered (GE) crops, it faced intense consumer and NGO backlash in Europe and developing countries over health, environmental, and ethical concerns.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: World
  • The document presents a case study of Green Island Cement (Holdings) Ltd., a company within the Li Ka Shing group in Hong Kong, as it debates the utility of ISO 14001 certification. The narrative contrasts the perspective of the public affairs director, who views certification as a necessary 'cost of doing business in the 21st century' to maintain the firm's image as an environmental leader, with that of a cost accountant who argues that the standard is a 'waste of money' on paperwork that does not guarantee actual pollution reduction. The text provides a detailed overview of the ISO 14000 series, the environmental impacts of the cement industry—including its contribution to global warming and local air pollution—and the specific atmospheric challenges facing Hong Kong due to industrial emissions from Guangdong Province.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: Hong Kong
  • The document examines Monsanto's attempt to redefine its business strategy around sustainable development and biotechnology under CEO Robert Shapiro. While the company achieved significant market share in genetically engineered crops and high initial financial returns, it faced a severe global backlash from NGOs, consumers, and governments, particularly in Europe. The analysis attributes this failure to a 'one-size-fits-all' strategy that ignored the needs of developing countries, a lack of stakeholder engagement, and a corporate culture that prioritized short-term value capture and intellectual property enforcement over transparency and public dialogue. The document concludes that Monsanto's reliance on a 'symbolic' strategic mode—focused on vision without corresponding transactive learning or rational alignment—led to its eventual merger with Pharmacia & Upjohn in 1999.

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    Document type: Guide

  • Molten Metal Technology Inc. (MMT) developed catalytic extraction processing (CEP), a technology designed to break down hazardous and radioactive wastes into benign forms and recyclable products. Between 1989 and 1995, the company leveraged strong leadership, strategic partnerships with entities like Lockheed Martin and DuPont, and significant federal grants from the DOE to build a research facility in Massachusetts and plan commercial plants in Tennessee and Texas. Despite achieving its first profit in 1995 and receiving EPA recognition for its technology, MMT faced significant risks regarding the timing of full commercial implementation and competition from established incineration and biodegradation methods.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: United States
  • Following the decision to expand its Everett, Washington facility for the 777 program, Boeing was required by the City of Everett to pay over $50 million in environmental and social mitigation costs. These requirements, mandated under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), included $47.46 million for off-site transportation improvements, as well as site-wide erosion control, wetland replacement, and low-income housing investments. The case highlights a conflict between Boeing's management accountants, who argued for expensing the costs as they added no measurable value to assets, and external auditors and tax groups, who argued for capitalization because the payments were a direct condition for obtaining necessary construction permits.

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    Document type: Case study

  • The document examines the integration of lean manufacturing and environmental management at Honda of America Manufacturing (HAM) in Ohio. It explores how Honda's 'localization' policy and lean principles—such as waste reduction, continuous improvement, and employee empowerment—contribute to environmental performance, specifically in reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The case compares HAM's decentralized, employee-driven approach to Toyota's more centralized environmental management structure and assesses the potential for HAM to achieve ISO 14000 certification.

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    Document type: Case study

  • The document details IKEA's transition toward environmental sustainability by adopting The Natural Step's scientific framework. It highlights specific initiatives such as the 'Trash Is Cash' waste reduction program, the elimination of chlorine bleach in catalogs, and the implementation of strict formaldehyde emission standards globally. The case also explores how IKEA's core values of frugality and cost-consciousness align with resource efficiency, and how the company manages its global supplier network to maintain these standards while keeping prices low.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: World
  • Specialty Glass, Inc., a high-volume producer of colored sheet glass in the US Pacific Northwest, faces significant environmental and regulatory risks due to its use of toxic pigments, particularly cadmium oxide used for ruby-red glass. The company generates approximately 18,000 pounds of hazardous waste annually, including 15,300 pounds of fine ash, costing roughly $31,500 per year for disposal. While the company has implemented 'best available technology' via a furnace baghouse to capture 99.7 percent of toxic particulates, it remains vulnerable to tightening air emission regulations and the scarcity of cadmium oxide suppliers. The document highlights a tension in cost accounting, as waste disposal costs are currently treated as overhead rather than being traced to specific product lines, potentially obscuring the true cost of producing toxic glass colors.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: United States
  • The document serves as a teaching guide for a case study on Alpha Motors, Ltd., focusing on the application of life-cycle analysis (LCA) in product design. It details the steps of LCA—goal definition, inventory, categorization, and valuation—while critically examining the Environmental Product Strategies (EPS) system. The text highlights the difficulties of environmental valuation, specifically the use of market prices, contingent valuation, and the assumption of linear additive preferences. It further discusses the trade-offs designers face regarding material costs, quality, end-of-life disposal, and fuel efficiency, while noting that the EPS system is based on "Scandinavian Values" and may not be universally applicable.

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    Document type: Guide

  • The document examines the tension between lean manufacturing and environmental management at Honda of America's plants in East Liberty and Marysville, Ohio. It explores how lean practices—such as waste reduction, high-involvement human resources, and continuous improvement—can both complement and conflict with environmental goals. The text contrasts Honda's localized management approach with Toyota's more centralized global strategy and discusses the trade-offs between integrated and buffered organizational designs for environmental staff.

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    Document type: Briefing

  • The document analyzes the financial impact of misallocating hazardous waste disposal costs in a manufacturing setting. It demonstrates that by placing these costs in general overhead rather than tracing them to the specific product causing the waste—ruby-red glass containing cadmium—a company may unknowingly sell a product at a loss. Beyond immediate costs, the note highlights significant long-term liabilities, including potential CERCLA 'Superfund' claims that could pierce the corporate veil and hold owners personally liable for past cadmium emissions.

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    Document type: Guide

    Regions: United States
  • The document describes Alpha Motors, Ltd., a subsidiary of Mobility Company, and its transition from focusing on manufacturing emissions to managing the entire life cycle of its products. It details the role of 'environmental champions' like Mike Barns in pushing for Design for Environment (DfE) and the use of life-cycle analysis (LCA) to inform design decisions. The case centers on a pilot project to select the material for the XL2000 hood assembly, comparing steel, aluminum, and SMC plastic using a spreadsheet tool based on the Swedish Environmental Product Strategies (EPS) system. The text outlines the five-step LCA process and the specific methodology of the EPS system, which converts environmental impacts into a single numerical value (Environmental Load Unit) based on economic valuation and risk factors.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: United States
  • In 1993, the Utilities Division at Kodak Park volunteered to implement a prevention-based environmental management strategy using the Council of Great Lakes Industries' TQEM matrix. By late 1995, the division reported significant improvements in environmental performance, including a reduction in high- and medium-severity incidents and a substantial decrease in the labor required to rectify audit findings. While direct cost savings were difficult to quantify initially, the shift toward proactive management was projected to reduce annual HS&E personnel costs by 25% by 1998 and 40% by 2000. The division's TQEM scores increased from baseline levels in the 100s to over 400 by 1995, a level considered sufficient to satisfy ISO 14000 requirements.

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    Document type: Case study

  • The document details Weyerhaeuser Company's transition from a 'cut and run' timber operation to a global leader in 'High Yield Forestry' (HYF). It describes the company's investment in genetics, seedling nurseries, and silvicultural research to maximize softwood production, while simultaneously developing 'Weyerhaeuser Forestry' to address stakeholder concerns and environmental regulations. The text analyzes the global softwood market, the impact of endangered species like the Northern Spotted Owl, and the company's strategic shift toward sustainable stewardship and international expansion.

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    Document type: Case study

  • Distributor Inc. operated as a large independent chemical distributor in the United States, purchasing chemicals in bulk and repackaging them for small- and medium-sized businesses. The company distributed freon, a type of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). Scientific evidence from the mid-1980s established that CFCs decrease stratospheric ozone concentrations, which increases the amount of ultraviolet light reaching the earth, potentially causing skin cancer, cataracts, and other health issues in humans, animals, and plants.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: United States
  • The document describes how Distributor Inc., a large U.S. chemical distributor, managed the financial and relational effects of the 1990 federal Fluorocarbon Tax on freon. Because the company's accounting system could not separate wholesale unit costs from taxes, it faced customer suspicions regarding profit margins as the tax costs were passed through from manufacturers to end-users.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: United States
  • The document examines Weyerhaeuser Company's strategic shift toward a forestry-centric model, prioritizing high-value softwood timber over pulp and paper manufacturing. It highlights the company's competitive advantage derived from a 50-year investment in softwood genetics and land management, which has resulted in yields significantly higher than unmanaged forests. The text discusses the company's approach to sustainable forestry through high-yield plantations and stakeholder engagement, while identifying future strategic risks including vertical integration costs, environmental certification, and the complexities of operating on Crown lands in Canada and in the Russian Far East.

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    Document type: Guide

    Regions: United States
  • The document serves as a teaching guide to evaluate the application of Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) at Eastman Kodak's Kodak Park Utilities Division. It examines the challenges of implementing environmental management systems during corporate downsizing, the suitability of a utilities division as a test site, and the use of a TQEM matrix to measure success. Key findings suggest that while TQEM improved audit performance and accountability, its impact on direct cost management was limited due to the division's role as a cost center with little influence over the waste generated by other departments.

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    Document type: Guide

  • Deja, Inc. was founded by Julie Lewis to create markets for recycled materials through footwear. Supported by former Nike and Avia executives and venture capital, the company developed shoes from recycled components, though it faced technical challenges with its initial polypropylene fabric. Targeting environmentally conscious consumers, particularly women aged 30-45 and Generation X, Deja entered the fragmented casual footwear market with a premium pricing strategy. Despite high production costs and a complex global supply chain involving material sourcing in North America, Europe, and Japan and assembly in Asia, the company gained significant traction with major retailers and green stores due to its innovative sustainable concept.

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    Document type: Case study

    Regions: United States
Showing 861–880 of 1,869 documents