Opportunity and Threat Analysis of Woolworths Limited

This document discusses the opportunity and threat analysis of Woolworths Limited, a leading supermarket chain in Australia. It explores the opportunities for enhancing sustainability and growth, such as changes in consumer lifestyle and government support. However, the company also faces challenges and resistance from stakeholders in its sustainability efforts. The document provides references for further reading.

Running head: MANAGING SUSTAINABILITY
MANAGING SUSTAINABILITY
Student’s Name
University Name
Author note

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Week 1: Opportunity and threat analysis of Woolworths Limited
Woolworths the retail industry across Australia, faces various opportunity to enhance
its growth potential and other factors including advances in the supply chain, and
computerization. The biggest opportunity faced by the company is the changes in the
consumer lifestyle which have significantly affected the ability of the company and has
provided it with sufficient opportunity to enhance its sustainability and growth. The largest
supermarket chain is marking its products such as paper products and tissue in an
environmentally responsible manner. I believe that the consumers are highly conscious about
the environment friendly products and are more likely to make a purchase if they are aware of
the sustainability efforts taken by the company. Moreover, the company is supported by
government carry out its business activities in a sustainable manner. The company has
already switched to sustainable switching which means better opportunity for manufacturer to
implement sustainable practices and helps to protect the planet (Woolworth Group 2018).
However, the company faces prevalent challenges through its efforts of building
sustainability, it faced a mixed reaction from its stakeholders, some of them opposes to the
entire issue. The company therefore faces resistance from its stakeholders in its process of
building sustainability (Moscardo et al., 2018). Moreover, since the company is a profit
making organization, it would face stiff competition, the opposite faction to sustainability
program; they are using capitalism and negating the touching issues. The above mentioned
resistance, are some of the challenges faced by the company in the process of its
sustainability program implementation.
References:

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Woolworth Group (2018). Sustainability Report 2018. Retrieved
from: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/icms_docs/195398_2018-sustainability-
report.pdf
Moscardo, G. (2012). Sustainability in australian business: Principles and practice. Retrieved
from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Week 3:
I believe the business organization should go in developing the public policy,
considering the major strategic and financial stakes for the business organization. This should
not be remained under the domain of the government considering the varying political
cultural. Engaging in a sophisticated work in the constant changing and varying political
conditions and situation in various countries especially the developing countries is not
considered to be the natural act of the business organizations. The business organizations that
operate globally face an increasing challenge while dealing with their public policy, as they
enact in an ever changing, ever expanding array of varied rules and legislation and other
regulations to protect the employees, investors, consumers and other public welfare
(Moscardo, 2012). There are diverse rules and regulations (Brackney, 2015). Therefore to
meet the global challenges the business organizations need to follow a strategic, forward
looking and need to incorporate a balanced approach towards the government and the public
policy. However, there are many business organizations which are not able to adopt a forward
looking and balanced approach towards their public policy, as they are highly focused on
defensive, short term approach. Few business organizations are capable of having private
interests while having advances in the genuine public interests.

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References
Moscardo, G. (2012). Sustainability in Australian business: Principles and practice. Retrieved
from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Brackney, J. (2015). Public Policy Affects your Business Every Day!” Web Solutions.
Retrieved from: https://www.webolutions.com/public-policy-affects-
your-business-every-day/
Week 4:
To summarize Anderson discussion on the corporate social responsibility, the interface
currently sets its corporate goal to achieve a zero environmental footprint by the year. The
products and services offered by the interface is made from renewable resources and as per
the CEO of the interface global, the products offered by them can be recycled into new
carpets (Moscardo, 2012). The key factors for driving the success of the interface sustainable
initiatives are making recyclable products that can be used again and be reused. They
consider producing products from the materials that can be recycled over time, the interface
is determined to minimize waste by the year 2020, and they have a dedication towards
innovation. The interface has closed the loops by its innovative ways of recycling products.
The interface’s is committed towards running a business that will help to restore the planet
and create a sustainable business process to create a climate that fits the life. The interface
has radically increased the productivity of natural resource; they have shifted to biologically
inspired production models and materials. This way the interface has been able to integrate
the principles of natural capitalism (Moscardo, 2012). This has resulted in saving its
operational costs, capital investment. Woolworths can implement these changes such offering
services and products that are sourced organically and maintain its business in a sustainable
manner.

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References:
Moscardo, G. (2012). Sustainability in australian business: Principles and practice. Retrieved
from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Interface Research Corporation (1997), “Interface sustainability report.”
Week 5
Fuji Xerox Australia is highly dedicated in building its reputation and credibility
which is an integral part of the business organization. The company’s efficiency strategy is its
sustainability focus which helps the company to focus on creating value for the key
stakeholders of the company by offering them products and services. It believes that the
sustainability is all about making measurable impact on the environment of the business and
helps to constantly innovate and improve their product offering while responding to the
evolving expectations of the stakeholders (Chen et al., 2015). The company’s sustainability
report highlights the company’s commitment towards sustainability and it maintains its
business in a transparent way. The reports provide evidence by demonstrating the way Fuji
Xerox take the special and environmental responsibilities and integrate them into their core
business activities and operations of the company. The business activities are measured
against the Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) requirements. Woolworths can also implement
the strategies of Fuji Xerox Australia and consider the environmental concerns to be a part of
their business activities and operations. It is also uphold the environmental values and
principles to ensure that they inculcate in all levels of the organizations (Benn, Dunphy &
Angus-Leppan, 2010).
References

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Benn, S., Dunphy, D., & Angus-Leppan, T. (2010). Fuji Xerox Australia Eco manufacturing
Centre: A case study in strategic sustainability. Cases in Corporate Sustainability and
Change
Chen, C. and others (2015). University of Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index: Country
Index Technical Report. Available from http://index.ndgain.org:8080/documents/nd-
gain_technical_document_2015.pdf
Week 6:
ANZ ensures that the business activities are manages by taking into account the social,
environmental, economic risks and opportunities. ANZ ensures that they consider these
actors in all levels of the business by creating and preserving value for the key stakeholders
along with the environmental and the communities. The ANZ has been following the
guidelines of Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) framework for our sustainability report. The
report discusses on its performance against the materials of social, environment and its
opportunity and challenges faced (SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK. 2018). The report
outlines how the business activities are carried out which includes the purpose of the business
its values and the sustainability framework. The second details of the report provide the
management approach of ANZ and its performance relevant to issues aligning with the
sustainable framework (ANZ , 2019). The third section of the report provides details about
the sustainability performance data. ANZ considers fair and responsibility as their core
framework, it implies that the business keeps pace with the expectation and requirements of
the key stakeholders such as its customers, employees and communities. It carries out its
business activities in a fairly manner and acts in a responsible manner. Further, it maintains
the high standards of conduct. The ANZ priorities key areas like environmental sustainability,
housing and its financial wellbeing (ANZ, 2019). The bank aims strategically to prioritize

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transformation oriented to purpose and values. According to ANZ (2019), it ensures that it
supports consumers in a better way and minimizes the impact on the environment.
References
ANZ (2019). Reporting and performance. Retrieved
from https://www.anz.com.au/about-us/sustainability/reporting/
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK. (2018). Retrieved from ANZ:
https://www.anz.com.au/about-us/sustainability-framework/
Week 9:
I have analyzed that the daily household activities emits more greenhouse emission such as
release of harmful gases from the vehicles that are used in every household. The exercise use
of heating and coolers in the household also adds to the emission of harmful gases which
significant harms the environment. I have analyzed that the effect of our daily lives and our
everyday activities on the environment greatly impacts the business organization. There has
been increase in globalization which in turn has increased the human activities thereby
emitting more harmful gases in the atmosphere (Australia Greenhouse Calculator, 2019). It
has lead to global warming which has disturbed the natural world such as the wildlife and the
other b creatures. In comparison to the average households in Australia to mine, I have
analyzed that using air conditioners, using cars for small distance travel, using electricity for
hot water and excessive usage of limited resource has harmed the environment. Therefore, it
is much needed to reduce the overall reduction of energy usage. Every individual must focus
on the usage of air conditioners, less use of vehicle. This will help the households to support

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in controlling the emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Moreover, every households and individuals need to consider recycling the recyclable
products and use the products in a sustainable manner. It will in turn enhance the quality of
environment. We can also reduce high energy consumption by using solar energy, reduce the
usage of electricity, using bicycles for small distance travels and also reuse and recycle the
products to reduce wastage (Shammin & Bullard, 2009). This will reduce the impact on the
environment.
References
Shammin, M. R., & Bullard, C. W. (2009). Impact of cap-and-trade policies for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions on US households. Ecological Economics, 68(8-9), 2432-
2438.
Australia Greenhouse Calculator (2019).Welcome: Australia Greenhouse Calculator.
Retrieved from: <https://apps.epa.vic.gov.au/AGC/calculator/index.html>
Week 10
The lifestyle of the people is more prone towards having unhealthy food items and other junk
foods that are easily available at the market at a cheaper price. There is lack of knowledge
and awareness of sustainably sourced food products which has led to identifying the food that
was sustainable sourced. People prefer to have junk food items and tasty food items enable
the people to choose them instead of healthy and nutritious food items. Having unhealthy
food items threatens the health condition of the people and leads to serious health damage in
the early stage of their lives (Puri et al., 2016). Therefore it is highly important to consider
having healthy food items rather than getting allured to the junk and cheap food items. People
needs to be made aware of the significance and the importance of the notorious food and

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make a habit to intake food that are more sustainable sourced and are less harmful for the
human health and body. Therefore, through the use of social media certain considerations can
be made; can spread awareness about the harmful food products available in the market.
Marketing messages needs to be formulated, info graphics can be made use of to attract the
consumers to access the information about the about the sustainable food and other healthy
food options which would be healthier and nutritious for the consumers rather approaching to
the junk food items which will deteriorate the health of the consumers (Cobham & Sumner,
2016).
References
Puri S, Bhatia V, Swami HM, Rai S, Mangat C, (2016). Impact of a diet and nutrition related
education package on the awareness and practices of school children of Chandigarh.
Internet Journal of Epidemiology. 2008; 6:35-39.
Cobham, A. and A. Sumner (2016). Is it all about the tails? The Palma measure of income
inequality. Working Paper 343. Washington, DC: Center for Global Development