Individual Report: Climate Change Challenges and Business Solutions

This report examines the multifaceted impact of climate change on businesses, highlighting how extreme weather events, resource scarcity, and changing regulations are disrupting operations and supply chains. The report emphasizes the need for businesses to adopt sustainable practices, including energy conservation, waste reduction, and efficient supply chain management, to minimize their carbon footprint. Recommendations include implementing green packaging, educating employees on sustainable practices, and fostering work-from-home cultures to reduce emissions. The report concludes that businesses must prioritize climate sustainability to ensure their survival and contribute to the well-being of both society and the environment, underscoring the importance of proactive emission policies and strategic planning for managing carbon footprints.

Building A Sustainable
Organisation (Individual
Report)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Problems caused to due climate change for the businesses.........................................................3
Recommendations to minimise the carbon foot print..................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
Climate change is defined as the long term transition or change in weather pattern,
temperature or environmental characteristics. Though it may be natural but with development
and time unsustainable human activities have become primary driving force for climate change.
The most dominant cause of climatic change is due to burning of fossil fuels or the activities
which produces huge heat trapping gases (Boojhawon and Surroop, 2021). The consequences of
climate changes have been observed in terms of severe weather conditions, loss of lives and
property, social disruption as well as disruption of business activities. Though climate changes
have been long affecting the lives of people as well as biodiversity but their harsh impact on
business cannot be neglected. This report will discuss he key issues caused by climate change in
business and the ways in which ventures can lower their carbon emission so that climate
sustainability can be achieved.
MAIN BODY
Problems caused to due climate change for the businesses
Climate change is not only associated with the society or environmental concerns but is
also linked inextricably with the business across the world. Technology and globalisation has
made business connected with each other irrespective of geographical location. The
transportation medium and global supply chain and logistic systems including road ways,
airways and marine transportation has made business global (Ooi and et.al., 2019). However, the
extremities in weather has created increased frequency of floods, droughts, heat waves or storms.
It not only cause crop failure or resource scarcity but has caused disrupted in logistic. Due to
weather extremities many global or local logistics including airways or shipping are blocked or
damaged. Thus causing extreme damage to financial or physical infrastructure of business. The
resource availability and their cost is also affected due to changing weather pattern or crop
shortage. In some areas temperature rise or weather inequalities also result in wider change in
demand. For example, with rising temperature, demand for heat oil decreases while demand for
air conditioners increases.
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Demand inequality emerge as potential reason for sudden or unexpected price changes and
economic shifts. Another consequence of climate change is observed in terms of changing
regulations and harsh working conditions. For instance, high rise in demand of coal due to rising
temperature causes electric shut down in many business units (Comyns, 2018). Thus
organisations are forced to close their operations. In some sectors which need physical labour
such as in construction or chemical industries, health and safety risks become more prominent
and hard to manage. Owing to climate consequences and safety of individuals, regulations
related to emission or pollution are implemented. These change in regulations affect the way in
which organisations operates and facilities are managed. Many countries even used to import
basic necessities such as food grains or oil. However due to climate changes and weather
disruptions if global supply chain is affected then businesses are not able to meet their delivery
schedules (Craig and et.al., 2019). It not only causes losses of millions but also make life of
consumers miserable because their survival and comfort depend upon the goods or services they
export from global market. Climate change also affect the patterns of crop and vegetation. Thus
if weather changes affect the quality of agricultural products then it causes a complete disruption
to the raw material supply of business. Due to global connectivity of business, climate changes
even in one region but they have potential impact upon entire operational and supply chain
network
Recommendations to minimise the carbon foot print
Owing to the significant impact of climate change, businesses are also expected to take measures
for reducing their carbon emission. Most of the carbon footprint is result of energy utilisation of
organisation. Thus businesses must work closely to focus on conserving energy and waste
reduction. This can be done by using energy efficient lighting and construction, green practices,
elimination of single use plastic for packaging as well as operational activities (Scott, 2019).
Even discard of plastic cups and cutlery can bring considerable reduction in carbon foot print.
The biggest contribution which can be made by organisation is in terms of making their supply
chain highly efficient. The Coordination as well as incorporation of effective technical solutions
can help organisations to minimise the green house emission and thus carbon foot prints can be
improved. Adoption of green packaging techniques, logistic and inventory management to
reduce wastage and to optimise the resource utilisation are effective measures to improve the
sustainability performance. It is also recommended that organisations must educate their
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employees about energy conversation and sustainable practices. The individual level efforts will
help businesses to achieve their foot print goals more closely and quickly. There must be some
policy changes as well which can help companies achieve their goal (Folk, 2018). For instance,
in an economy a very considerable amount of fossil fuel is used for travelling purpose. Thus if
work from home practices and culture are encouraged then a lot more energy conversation can
be done and companies can give their contribution in sustainability and carbon foot print
reduction. Organisations must also evaluate and monitor their emissions so that they can modify
and upgrade their sustainability goals (Comyns, 2018). This will also enhance the quality
improvement as well as better climate for the social as well as economic welfare.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that for survival of living beings as well as business continuity necessary
measures must be taken to reduce the carbon and other emissions. The climate change has
considerable impact upon the supply chain as well as operational and other business dimensions.
Thus it is also the responsibility of corporates and service providers to fulfil their role in
monitoring and control of their carbon foot print. It has been also analysed form the above
discussion that along with awareness there is need to incorporate strict emission policies and
strategic planning for managing carbon foot print within acceptable limits. In conclusion it can
be stated that if organisations aim at protecting their business chain and process then they must
contribute to climate sustainability.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Boojhawon, A. and Surroop, D., 2021. Impact of climate change on vulnerability of freshwater
resources: a case study of Mauritius. Environment, Development and
Sustainability. 23(1). pp.195-223.
Comyns, B., 2018, March. Climate change reporting and multinational companies: Insights from
institutional theory and international business. In Accounting Forum (Vol. 42. No. 1,
pp. 65-77). No longer published by Elsevier.
Craig, C.A. and et.al., 2019. The impact of climate and weather on a small tourism business: A
wSWOT case study. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy. 2(3). pp.255-266.
Ooi, S.K. and et.al., 2019. Governing climate change: the impact of board attributes on climate
change disclosure. International Journal of Environment and Sustainable
Development. 18(3). pp.270-288.
Online
Folk, E., 2018. How climate change will affect business. [Online]. Accessed through
https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/emily-folk/how-climate-change-will-
affect-businesses-20181109
Scott, J., 2019. The impact of climate change on business is more than you think. [Online].
Accessed through < https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/climate-change-risk-
business-regional-doing-report/>
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