Estrategias de aprendizaje de la lengua extranjera

The participants believed and convinced that GBMs offer benefits to companies and their clients. Despite the various examples of companies involved in this study, there was a consensus on the list of benefits offered by GBMs. To varying degrees, green companies are taking advantage of three key benefits of a focus on environmental sustainability: namely, credibility/ reputation benefits; financial benefits; and long-term viability benefits, as summarised in Figure 5-3.

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Figure 5-3 Benefits of GBMs

In Figure 5-3, the benefits of GBMs are organised by the researcher, into three key benefits. These key benefits are highly influenced by the participants’ answers and are summarised next.

5.4.4.1. Credibility/ reputation benefits

The intangible benefits are important including the brand and reputation benefits. Positive perceptions of a brand, based on its green credentials, can be of great benefit to a company. The participants were of the opinion that pursuing green will improve the image of their companies among clients and the public at large and will demonstrate their commitment to environmental issues. Companies can promote their green credentials in the green or niche markets and at the same time improve relationship between the supply and demand sides. In general, companies involved in green practices have a great sense of feeling good and doing the right thing. Typical comments were: “it makes us feel good about what we do or by another way we make money and we feel good about it. It is truly sustainable development.” (O2 from the others group - Procurement). Similarly, C2 from the contractor group confirmed that “the staff involved in building green buildings generally have a sense of achievement [...] so that is quite positive at the individual level and employees of the business.” The credibility of a given company can also result from producing more resilient products and services. Therefore, companies may be able to bid for more projects as a result of this.

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Many participants explained the importance of having a track record of delivering green solutions because there is an increasing demand, in particular from the public sector. For example, AR1 from the architect group highlighted that “the most important thing is being perceived as being a knowledgeable and a credible business or outfit that can deliver these solutions that when you say something is possible that is possible because you have done the hard work of working out that it is possible.”

Finally, the participants claimed that their environmental commitments have helped them to attract like-minded staff and clients.

5.4.4.2. Financial benefits

Within the professionals interviewed, it was evident that there were two trends of answers concerning the financial benefits. The first trend highlighted the financial benefits positively and gave examples of these tangible benefits, while the second trend argued that the financial loss overweighed the gains. For the second trend of answers, environmental practices are just a matter of compliance but not deemed profitable for companies.

Money savings or cost savings were reportedly important benefits for both the supply and demand side. In terms of the supply side, the cost savings can be gained through efficiency measures to run the business. In addition, going green is a means of reducing the cost of capital by accessing public and private funding and by lowering the cost of compliance. For the demand side, the cost savings result from reducing the cost of running and maintaining the building over its life-cycle. Thus, reducing life-cycle costs can be regarded as one of the major motives and benefits associated with environmental sustainability and that the stakeholders, and particularly clients are more concerned with the whole life assessment and benefits of a product or service, which was less evident before the green movement.

However, most participants felt that the cost savings mainly go to the end-user or the occupier of the building. For example C3 from the contractor group stated “The benefit here is for the occupier of the building so they have a cheaper energy and utility cost over the whole life without being exposed to rising gas and electric costs.” Similarly, CL4 from the client group confirmed the money savings for their buildings as a local authority “The economic benefits are the savings, savings from water control, from

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energy control from the power perfectos, the hand driers saved us a huge amount of money on paper towels.”

The participants believed also on the benefit of increasing business productivity by being able to attract more businesses and clients. Furthermore, the participants confirmed that GBMs are a strategic differentiator for companies to compete in the marketplace. They acknowledged the importance of having environmental advantage over rivals. Typical comments were: “there are companies who take a more proactive approach to these things because they do see it as something that can differentiate themselves on environmental issues.” Client (CL1). “Winning work: green as a differentiator improves our business, improves our performance.” Contractor (C3). The financial benefits can also be gained from entering new markets where green practices are in high demand. The participants stated they have been asked to provide environmental services. For example, one of the consultants explained that they offer environmental consultancy on an ad-hoc basis but because of the increased demand at the moment, his company started to take a more proactive approach on reaching clients. Nevertheless, there was one architect within the sample who indicated that environmental issues are currently not offering financial benefits. He pursued the green agenda to reduce the participation in unsustainable practices. This can be attributed to the fact that this architectural practice has just started the green practices, therefore it might be a matter of time before they realise the financial benefits. The same architect admitted being green will increase clients’ offers and reduce fuel costs and overheads for their business.

Based on the responses, it can be seen that environmental sustainability offers new market opportunities and green credentials seem vital for companies. In general, these companies’ managers were positive about it and also reported that one of benefits is the close work between internal company units and that environmental sustainability brought them together since it needs more collaboration.

5.4.4.3. Long-term viability benefits

Almost all the participants highlighted the long-term benefits associated with GBMs. Indeed, this is an area where business benefits and the green agenda may chime: pursing

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the green agenda will sustain the business in the future. Therefore, a long-term vision will help GBMs to flourish.

Efficiency and innovation have always been associated with the green movement and have been seen as important benefits too, by the participants. Most innovative ideas have come as a result of improving environmental performance, for example light sensors to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Furthermore, green companies have a good relationship with their stakeholders. This can benefit companies to have sustainable revenues and to stay in the market for longer.

Finally, companies will be able to achieve long-term goals and profits by promoting green and will be able to sustain themselves in the market in the future. Below is a statement made by one of the participants in relation to this issue: “If you do not keep up to speed with environmental issues, you will be a dinosaur, you will expire.” O1 from the other group (Property development).

The long-term viability can be highly useful in stimulating companies to adopt GBMs. Based on the above discussion, it can be deduced, on the benefits of the GBMs theme, that:

 Companies need to value intangible benefits such as reputation because a meaningful portion of a GBM may relate to intangible benefits

 Companies need to balance the short and long-term benefits

 Companies need to consider the long-term viability of their existence by adopting GBMs.

The benefits of going green are reported in the literature. There is a strong consensus that improved image is the principle benefit of addressing green issues (Alec, Adam, Jarrod, & Nishani, 2012; Maurice Berns, 2009a; Vatalis et al., 2011). Other benefits reported include: cost savings; competitive advantage; employee satisfaction or retention; and innovation. However, the long-term viability benefit, which emerged from this research, is not reported explicitly, therefore it can be regarded as a new benefit of GBMs.

Chapter 6 applies IRP to rank the various GBM elements with reference to each benefit area presented above. This ranking will help understanding the influence of each

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element when it comes to benefits for companies. It will also help managers to make an informed decision about investment plans of GBMs elements.