Monday, August 2, 2010: 10:15 AM-11:30 AM
301-302, David L Lawrence Convention Center
Organizer:
Maria Hartley, Chevron
Co-organizer:
Zakiya H. Leggett, Weyerhaeuser Company
Moderator:
Maria Hartley, Chevron
This session examines industry activities and management practices that affect the environment in the 21st Century. Industry can be defined as an organized economic activity connected with the production, manufacture, or construction of a product such as chemicals, paper, or energy. Industrial corporations regularly engage environmental consulting companies or universities to conduct environmentally related work or studies. Environmental studies are used to identify, avoid and/or mitigate impacts to support company values and address regulatory requirements and/or stakeholder concern. These studies help identify management practices and can inspire companies to achieve standards that exceed compliance and increase environmental stewardship. Alternative incentives for industry to develop more robust environmental practices may include reduced risk and liability, preferential access to other business opportunities and improved reputational benefits that build business competitiveness. Whatever the driver, these approaches add value not only to industry, but also to the environment.
Industry decision-makers need guidance to understand how business elements can have complex interactions with the environment from project conception to conclusion. With advances in technology, socially responsible investors, improved communications between industry and stakeholders such as NGO's, local communities, and organizations, there is a better balance of environmental and economic performance at local and global scales. Industry and environment benefit through reducing, reusing and recycling materials which minimize ecological impacts and conserves resources. This session will showcase research and/or case studies that exemplify some of industry's innovative solutions to complicated environmental problems, sustainable management of environmental resources, and applied research.