When any for-profit organization attempts to undertake a business model that embraces social responsibility and sustainability, let's face it: There will be more than a few uphill challenges to get things off the ground. After all, a business exists to make money, and the intangibles that come from investing time, people and resources into an initiative designed to help a community or reduce the carbon footprint in the supply chain can be difficult to translate into numbers on the balance sheet. But it's not impossible. And more organizations are realizing that the benefits that come from sustainable business practices can boost the bottom line well beyond short-term results--which is the essence of sustainability itself.
Source: Inside Supply Management