Spring Break
Corporate entities discuss initiatives on the environment
MERCEDES PARHAM
Issue date: 3/23/09 Section: News
Going green might mean making more green for some corporate entities.
Corporate initiatives to increase environmental awareness were explored Friday during the 21st annual Red Clay Conference.
The conference, hosted by the University's School of Law's Environmental Law Association, examined interactions between environmental, business and corporate law.
Sustainability was the centerpiece of each panel and speech. Corporate representatives from Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines explained the significance of the merger between corporate and the environment.
"We've made a commitment to the health of our community," said Ben Jordan, Coca-Cola environmental manager.
Progressing concerns stemmed from the company's supply chain. Water use and packaging topped the list as concerns. With thousands of separate operating and franchise units, Coca-Cola holds the world's largest bottle-to-bottle facilities. Consequentially, production costs are linked to water stress.
"We have a goal of 20 percent improvement in water use by 2012," Jordan said. Using a cross-functional approach, Coca-Cola incorporates strict wastewater standards with national recycling efforts.
"We have over 200 projects in 60 countries," said Vail Thorne, Coca-Cola senior environmental counsel. According to Thorne, the benefits of these projects include cost and risk reduction, but the main incentive stems from consumers and customers. Corporations tend to look to the European Union for growing trends in regulations.
"There's recognition that regulation is coming down the pipe," Thorne said. "If you're not on the table, you're on the menu."
A confluence of factors that reflect on current environment law regulations and possible changes influence the dialogue between business and law. According to Thorne, law is essential for ensuring sustainable development. Business leaders pursue efforts to reduce emissions and waste to level the playing field that much more.
Corporate initiatives to increase environmental awareness were explored Friday during the 21st annual Red Clay Conference.
The conference, hosted by the University's School of Law's Environmental Law Association, examined interactions between environmental, business and corporate law.
Sustainability was the centerpiece of each panel and speech. Corporate representatives from Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines explained the significance of the merger between corporate and the environment.
"We've made a commitment to the health of our community," said Ben Jordan, Coca-Cola environmental manager.
Progressing concerns stemmed from the company's supply chain. Water use and packaging topped the list as concerns. With thousands of separate operating and franchise units, Coca-Cola holds the world's largest bottle-to-bottle facilities. Consequentially, production costs are linked to water stress.
"We have a goal of 20 percent improvement in water use by 2012," Jordan said. Using a cross-functional approach, Coca-Cola incorporates strict wastewater standards with national recycling efforts.
"We have over 200 projects in 60 countries," said Vail Thorne, Coca-Cola senior environmental counsel. According to Thorne, the benefits of these projects include cost and risk reduction, but the main incentive stems from consumers and customers. Corporations tend to look to the European Union for growing trends in regulations.
"There's recognition that regulation is coming down the pipe," Thorne said. "If you're not on the table, you're on the menu."
A confluence of factors that reflect on current environment law regulations and possible changes influence the dialogue between business and law. According to Thorne, law is essential for ensuring sustainable development. Business leaders pursue efforts to reduce emissions and waste to level the playing field that much more.
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