BUS300: Sustainable Business Strategies and Amazon's Impact Report

This report delves into the dynamic perspectives of sustainable business, focusing on Amazon as a case study. It critically analyzes the impact of business sustainability on Amazon's operations, examining key concerns such as carbon emissions and resource management. The report evaluates relevant theories and models, including the triple bottom line and corporate social responsibility (CSR), to assess Amazon's approach to environmental, social, and financial performance. Furthermore, it proposes and critically evaluates appropriate sustainable business strategies, such as renewable energy initiatives, packaging improvements, and community engagement programs. The analysis highlights Amazon's efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, align with the Paris Agreement, and address stakeholder interests, providing insights into the complexities of integrating sustainability into a large-scale e-commerce business. The report concludes with a summary of findings and recommendations for enhancing Amazon's sustainability efforts.

Dynamic Perspectives on
Sustainable Business

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................4
Critically analysis business sustainability and their impact on business operations. .................4
2. Critically evaluate a range of relevant theories and models....................................................7
Propose and critically evaluate appropriate sustainable business strategies.............................10
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................13
INTRODUCTION

Sustainability refers to meeting needs without compromising the ability of future
generation to meet their needs and the sustainable business is one where profitability, concern for
environment and social commitment are in harmony. Running sustainable business means using
of own resources economically as well as reducing negative impacts on environment. Dynamic
perspective on sustainable business offers various opportunities of business growth with strategic
insight on knowledge production, innovation and disruptive technologies. In order to explore all
these things a company Amazon is selected, which are approaching to measure and reduces the
carbon emission in their operation for sustainability. This is an American multinational company
which focus on E- commerce, cloud computing and digital streaming. It was founded by Jeff
Bezoz in Bellevue, Washington in year 1994. this company starts as on online marketing for
books as well as expended to sell electronic software, video games, furniture foods and so on.
The following report carried out discussion about key sustainability concerns and impacts of
business activities on these concerns. In addition, evaluation of relevant theories and models is
also included. Lastly, appropriate sustainable business strategies is evaluated.
MAIN BODY
1.Critically analysis business sustainability and their impact on business operations.
Sustainability in business is related to gaining of momentum both in practise and profile.
Sustainability is part of core business strategies as It has a impact on the way business
organisations are functioning (Shea and Jurow, 2020). The main focus is on the stability of
organisation, the way they are responding to different environmental and social issues as a
fundamental component of the success of business for future. There are many different types of
sustainability trends that are affecting the process of strategic responses and leading towards
building up of value for the organisation. Energy is a concept that is focussed on use of low
carbon agenda. Food production is related to meeting of basic needs, improvement of quality and
further building of resilience in situation of climatic disruption and the changing demand of the
external environment.
Water scarcity is also a issue where there is a need to evaluate the sources of food,
energy and water for the purpose of ensuring clean water sources. Protection of biodiversity is
also necessary for survival & well being as humanity is driven by global extinctions.

Changing demographics is also a issue that arises because of increasing population
growth, ageing populations in developed countries & middle classes who have labour, migration,
social and development implications.
Geopolitical stability is also a global issue that is prevailing as a part of key stability issue
in the external environment.
Organisations are looking for using some measures to define and then communicate their
objective of the way they can serve society in a more better manner. With application of suitable
sustainable development measures can lead to enhancing of the market share, improvement of
productivity and staff retention (Cosenz, Rodrigues and Rosati, 2020) .
In context of Amazon is supporting amazon web services by use of 100 percent energy
sources in short term and at 50 percent by end of 2017. there are presently 10 renewable projects
in process that are generated over 2.6 million megawatt hours of energy annually when
completed. Amazon is also utilising the recycled energy for their newest building by capturing
the heat that is created by data centres everyday and piping in the buildings.
Amazon is focussing on use of meticulous packaging to ensure that there is safe delivery
system and there has to be no damage the product which is a primary goal of any e commerce
company. For achievement of this there is focus on avoiding the use of plastic because it takes
1000 years to decompose. Amazon is focussing on building up of committed workforce for
development of a sustainable business for their customers and whole plane. In year 2019 main co
founded a climatic pledge that they are willing to use a net zero carbon emission across their
business by the year 2040 (Bejinariu, 2020). It is a 10 years Paris agreement that is focussed on
development of a ambitious workforce that is highly committed towards achievement of their
laid goals.
Sustainability is wider and broader concept in order to ample numbers of tools and
techniques which are utilised by organisation in order to easily attaining goal and objectives of
company. It includes they are impact on organisation structure as well as top level of
management developing effective strategies in order to smoothly run the business activities.
Sustainability is important factor because gaining competitive advantages which result as very
tuff competition at marketplace. It involves various measure which are used by organisation in
order to dealing with complex environment, social market and technology. It is essential for each

and every organisation in order to survive and sustain for longer period of time. It is necessary to
analysing business environment due to know about the customer taste, preference and market
trends. It considered as various factors which are implemented in order analysing performance of
employees as well as providing positive working environment which result as improving
business activities (Schaltegger, 2020). It includes organisation applied strategies regarding
products and services which result as providing eco-friendly products which cannot harm for the
environment. It is process which refers to organisation implementing effective strategies in order
to providing unique products and services in order to smoothly run the business activity as well
as attracting large numbers of customers. In context of Amazon, it includes evaluating the whole
business environment so organisation using various strategies in order to promoting the products
and services so used as advanced technology. It considered as using various digital platform due
to promote products and services such as social media like What's app, you tube, Instagram,
Facebook and many others (Barbosa, Castañeda-Ayarza and Ferreira, , 2020). It is essential for
organisation to promote the products and services in order to targeting large numbers of
customers as well as attracting more customers. Sustainability pays vital role because
development in essential in internal and external of organisation. Internal of organisation refers
to providing training of employees in order to enhancing their skills and knowledge which result
as efficiently and effectively performing business operation as well as smoothly run the
business functions. In addition to this, It involves HR department plays vital role in
organisation they are are support for business sustainability because employees are valuable
assets of the organisation in order to perform various activities. It involves they are analysing the
performance of employees and accordingly providing training (Schneider and Clauß, 2020).
Employees performing effectively so enhancing business sustainability and survive for longer
period of time in the market. It considered as manager of Amazon used various tools and
techniques in order to know about the market condition and situation and accordingly serves the
best services for customers. It includes they are providing facility of online delivering products
and services in order to organisation used effective distribution strategy and logistic system so it
helps to enhancing sustainability and survive longer period of time in the market (Zhai and et.
al., 2018). It is one of the leading E-Commerce company of UK and provides wide range of
products and services as well as delivering best services for customer so it is major factor of
sustainability.

2. Critically evaluate a range of relevant theories and models
Triples bottom line: Triple bottom line refers to a framework that incorporates three
dimension of performance social, environmental and financial. It is different from traditional
reporting framework as it includes ecological or environmental factors that become difficult to
assign specific measurement (Keeys, and Huemann, 2017). This is also commonly called three
Ps people, planet and profits. This model is adopted by some companies in a broader
perspectives in order to create greater business values. It is a sustainability based methods which
focus on economic, social and environmental.
Environmental: This model is especially used by those companies which are operating
the business by considering sustainability of environment in relevance to this amazon company
is also operating their business by approaching and reducing the carbon emission into their
operation. They are on the path to powering their operation with 100 % renewable energy by
2025. They are seeking to develop totally electric delivering cars and plan to invest $ 100 million
in reforesting projects across the world. Additionally they are launching climate Pledge Fund in
order to back the visionary companies which services and products facilitate the transition to low
carbon emission. All these are the efforts that are imposed or will impose by amazon company in
order to address the sustainability of environment (Kendrik and et. al., 2020). By this they will
effectively able to carry out their operation.
Social factor influenced by changing behaviour and preferences of consumers. As the
chosen company are performing their operation by considering all points of sustainable
environment in that situation consumers who are lovers of nature and have concern related with
environment will influenced more and prefer to buy their products. By this market shares and
revenue generation of company will also increased and as well as will able to improve the
experiences of consumers by putting such efforts (Fallon-Byrne and Harney, 2017).
Financial: Amazon company are launching various product that facilities the transition to
low carbon emission and due to which the consumer base will increased and that ultimately
influences the revenue generation of company
CSR( Corporate social responsibility): It refers to a management concepts in which
companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and then
interact with their stakeholders. In context of amazon company they maintained corporate social
responsibility initiatives in order to target the interests of their main stakeholders groups.

Generally the e- commerce companies are facing problems or pressure in various types of
stakeholders along with their interest (Rasoolimanesh and et. al., 2020). Amazon's corporate
social responsibility program are structured to address and satisfied the interest of following
stakeholders :
Consumers: It has been found that consumers are the most important part of company
and due to which they give highest priority to them as a important stakeholder group. This
considered the consumers as a primary determinant of their E commerce business success
because these stakeholders are the main sources of incomes for company. Such types of priority
agree with the mission and vision statement of company too. In which the interest refers to fair
prices, concerns of nature, online security in transaction, conveniences of services. Amazon
satisfied all of these needs of consumers by emphasis on service & technologies (Haseeb and et.
al., 2019). For examples company uses various advanced approach & communication
technologies in order to secure transactions for efficient purchase and delivery process.
Employees: Amazon values their employees and considered as a significant determinant
of organisational performance & CSR policies along with program. This mainly relies in
offering competitive compensation & career development. Employees of company are important
as they supports to company in order to gain competitive advantages based on Amazon's
organisational culture (Suriyanti and et. al., 2020). This facilities the development of new idea in
order to increase the productivity. Chosen company satisfied the interest of these stakeholders by
leadership development and an appropriate compensation policed according to the high growth
rate of company. For example company provides high compensation, especially for IT personnel
directly in developing and maintaining the technologies.
Communities: Amazon company maintain their CSR programs for their communities.
These stakeholder are important as they influence consumers perceptions on company good and
services. They develop support like education, healthcare and environmental consumptions. In
relevance to this company, by amazon smile, a percentage of sales revenue are donated to
consumers chosen charitable companies
Business ethics: Business ethics refers to a performing business operation by considering
all policies, rules and obligation that are imposed by the government. It is a study of specific
business policies & practices related potentially controversial subjects that involves corporate
governance, insider trading, discrimination, CSR and fiduciary responsibility. Business ethics

comprises of all these values and principles which aids in guiding the behaviour of company. In
this business unit need to maintain all needs of stakeholders and their desires in order to make
profitability. In order to maintain these balance, sometimes company need to required trade-off
in order to compete with these scenarios rules principles that are formed within company.
In 201 there was a article in Seattle times that revealed about the poor treatment of some of the
Chinese workforce of amazon (Aquino, Lück and Schänzel, 2018). It described the way there
were use of temporary & contract workers for violating the Chinese law. Employees were also
spending waiting time and over time that as up to 100 hours exceeding the legal limits and
wages were also below the average for area. Amazon is also working at worst rating because of
environmental reporting according to the sustainability report in July in 2019 that provide no
information about the impact of textiles or electronic products that were used in clothing. There
were also polices that required to be made on the way toxic chemicals are being used in their
production of clothings for which no information was found. So all these are some of the ethical
measures that have to be focussed by amazon in order to deal with the negative impact on their
existing brand image because of such issues.
Role of market: Sustainability marketing refers to a promotional activity related with the
environment and socially responsible products, practices and brand values. Business units sue
sustainable marketing for a specific products time sensitive cause or even as their business. In
context of amazon company they are approaching to measure & reduces the carbon emission in
to their operation in order to take account sustainability. In order to maintain the sustainability it
is vital for marketers to use all that process which are in favour of nature in order to carry out
their promotional activities (Urbaniec, 2018). In context of amazon company, they are trying to
delivering their all services or goods by electrics cars in order to reduces the carbon mission as
well as facilities that products which transmits low carbon emission. By doing this they are
considering both social and environmental factors as most of the peoples in the world have
concern towards environmental so all these efforts of company influences those consumers
which is good for both company and nature. If consumer base increase then revenue generation
and market shares of company will automatically increased.

3. Propose and critically evaluate appropriate sustainable business strategies.
Amazon is one of the organisation that focuses on making their business sustainable. It is
analysed from the current scenario of business environment that sustainability is the key factor in
business. Because due to the continuously raising in pollution in environment, it becomes
necessary for organisation that they should focus on factors that affects on society and
environmental issues (Sunder and et. al., 2019). Organisations should understand the needs and
requirements of society because it is they use natural resources of society so it becomes the duty
of organisation that they should focus on sustainable business. In the ongoing trend, it is
analysed that organisation use this as a strategy because it helps to attract customers through
their positive position in market. Business development can be taken place when organisation
adopt sustainable business strategy.
Sustainable business strategies is a tool in which organisation convert their structure from
unsustainable to sustainable one. It can not easily take place that means it require a pathways in
which organisation plan that how they can transform their business into sustainable one (Otto,
2019). For making a strategy there are some important elements that should be considered by
company:
 It is important to organisation that they firstly understand the real scenario that means
they should know the local and global sustainability issues that can be affected on
organisations' operations.
 After identification of issues now it is the time to make long term ambitions through
make clear visions about organisations.
 Now make plans that implemented for achieving the ambition of organisation.
 Timescale is very important that helps to complete the work on time because after lapse
of time there is no importance of that work.
 Communication is the step where strategy can be informed top employees so that they
can take actions accordingly.
It is analysed that Amazon took many steps or initiatives for making their business
sustainable. They take initiatives for current and future situations that focuses on reducing
production waste and energy consumption. Those initiatives are mentioned below that helps to
understand how they make their organisation sustainable:

Energy Consumption: They already take initiatives for sustainable business as they run
their 10 projects of renewable resources and targeted to use 100% renewable resources for short
term period and try to reduce at 50% in long term period.
Packaging: Amazon using 100% recycled packaging so that they can increase more eco-
friendly delivery. They eliminate excess packaging i.e. they cut 55000 tons waste in 2016.
Transportation: Amazon reducing carbon gas emissions with the help of launched
drones for delivery of products. They are power generated batteries that reduce carbon emission
in environment (Tan and Xu, 2018).
Importance of sustainable business strategies:
 Competitive advantage: Sustainable business strategy help to take competitive
advantage in market. Because for that reason organisation can take easily their stand in
front of other competitors and prove them that they are differentiate from other
organisations. Every organisation wants that they enjoy competitive advantage so that
they can take decision regarding prices of products and services and they can create
monopoly also.
 Sustainable growth: Growth is very important element in the organisation because of
that reason they can run their business face challenges that come under in their paths.
With the help of this strategy they can achieve sustainable growth that no other
organisation can easily attain that. It is one of the biggest advantage of this strategy.
 Reduction of waste: This strategy really helpful in reducing the waste in organisation
because it helps to understand the optimum utilisation of resources (Roberson, Holmes
IV and Perry, 2017).
 Reduction in production cost: When organisation reduce their waste then it directly
reduced their production cost of goods and services. Organisation can adopt many
strategies for reducing their production cost but it is the most effective one.
 Increase profitability: The basic and main objective of every organisation is that they
earn maximum profits in their business. It can be done through the reducing of
production cost that increase the margins of profits.
 Change Driver: It becomes one of the organisation i.e. change driver. In simple words, it
is analysed that organisations can become those who sets standards for other
organisations that become very good point for their success and growth in market place.

It is analysed that how much organisation need to be sustainable from the above
discussion. So those organisations who are not interested in sustainable business strategy they
can face many problems in their near future such as legal actions by government, threat of
substitute, low growth, risk in success, etc. An organisation can be become sustainable if they
follow some following strategies:
 Go paperless: It is one of the effective factors in which organisation can sustain their
business by remove papers and use digital technology for all work. It depends on the
nature and size of the business such as Amazon can easily adopting this techniques in
their organisation (Stankevičiūtė and Savanevičienė, 2018).
 Reduce the use of plastic: Plastic is become the most hazardous component in
environment that damage very badly. So it is very important for organisation that they
find ways in which they can reduce the use of paperwork.
 Recycling: It is the important step in which organisation should use those resources that
can be recycle so that their waste reduce. It refers to the reuse of materials that already
use before.
 Ethical Procurement: It is very important for organisation that they produce their goods
and services ethically right. That means they can be allowed by government and not
become the reason of damaging environment.
All above mentioned factors should be considered in their strategy so that organisation
can develop or create best strategies for their organisation. It is very important for Amazon that
they should take care each and every points so that they can achieve their goals and objectives
with optimum use of resources and attain sustainable growth (Pimonenko, 2018). Sustainability
is becomes the compulsory factors in the success and growth of organisation so they should take
wise decisions regarding sustainable business strategy.
CONCLUSION
From above discussed report it has been analysed that sustainability plays vital roles in
business unit in order to create long term value by considering all aspects related with the
ecological, social and economic environmental. For which company needs to operates their
business by addressing all these concepts and facts which are related with the sustainability.
With the help of various theories and model companies can full fill this objective.

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