CHAPTER 4

EARTH RESPONSIBILITY AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Important Terminologies
 Earth Ethics – it is a subsection of philosophy that studies
the ethical relationship between people and the natural
environment. There are many ethical decisions that
human beings make with respect to the environment.
 Environmental stewardship – a theoretical term that
captures the contemporary reaction to the Biblical call
for human beings to exercise “dominion” over all
creation.
 Green business – the corporate response to
environmental stewardship by using recyclable
materials, renewable energy and nature-friendly
systems and designs.
Sustainable Development
 “development that meets the needs of the present
generation without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”
 Three legs of sustainable development known as
“tripod”:
 Economy, Environment, Society
 3 Es : economy, Earth, ethos
 3 Ps: profit, planet, people
 People is the most crucial element.
 People influence the way all three develop. People hold
the key to sustainable development.
Why should business be seriously
concerned with the environment?
1. The environment is the main source of materials for
production and it serves as the main dumping
ground for wastes generated by production and
consumption patterns.
2. Environmental compliance costs are steadily rising
in many countries.
3. Individual and institutional investors are
considering a company’s environmental and social
performance in making investment decisions.
Use of Technologies
 Incorporate eco-friendly and sustainable concepts or
"Green building designs":
 Natural ventilation
 Natural lighting
 Use of solar panels
 Use of energy-efficient light bulbs
 Heat pump that extracts heat from the ocean
 Collecting rain water
 Techonology is also used in communication and
managing visitor flow.
5 General Guidelines for
Sustainable Infrastructure:
1. Choose materials based on sources that minimize damage
and exhibit properties' DURABILITY, RECYCLABILITY,
AVAILABILITY & SUSTAINABILITY.
2. Take advantage of climate conditions for cooling, energy,
and other needs.
3. Incorporate design that is in keeping with local cultural
landscape.
4. Use native plant species for landscaping and natural insect
control
5. To reduce or eliminate visitation to a site or exploitation,
moratoriums on new development or the removal of
existing infrastructure may be warranted.
Example of CSR Practices
 Shangri-La Hotels
 They have adopted the umbrella brand of sustainability into
their CSR focusing on 5 Areas
1. Environment – environmental certifications
2. Health and safety
3. Employees – employees are “colleagues” and “partners”,
promote equal opportunity and respect, no unlawful conduct,
discrimination
4. Supply chain – supports local employment, prefers local
community-sourced supplies, “Sustainable Seafood Policy” to
stop serving shark’s fin at all of its restaurant
5. Stakeholders relation – committed to meaningful
communication and relevant actions with all its stakeholders
2 Main Projects
1. Embrace: Shangri-La’s Care for People Project
 Sponsor scholarships for children, care for them and find employment based on their
qualifications
 Hotels offer hotel skills training. Employees have rendered 60,174 volunteer hours
 Hotel Group has conducted health and education program
1. Sanctuary: Shangri-La’s Care for Nature Project
 Has a total of 19 Sanctuary Projects worldwide
 In China, encourage protection of local habitats and wetlands
 In Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa, the marine sanctuary host over 160 species of fish,
clams and coral.
 Staffs regularly engage in coastal clean-ups, dive clean-ups and coral recovery program
 The resort sunk two ships to form artificial reefs and encourage coral and fish prolifiration.
 In Oman, it has “Turtle Care Project” which protects endangered hawksbill and green turtle
species which are native to beaches of Oman. Ensures that nests are secure and raises
awareness on the plight of turtles through talks and viewings.
 In Beijing, it has “Care for Water Project” which supports wetland conservation, education
programs and reduction of hotel’s water footprint.