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AptDeco: Circular Economy Furniture Marketplace

AptDeco, a used furniture marketplace, was growing rapidly in the tri-state area.

Topics on: Circular Economy, Economics, Reporting and Measurement, Strategy

Dow and the Circular Economy: Trash to Treasure?

Erica Ocampo, sustainability and advocacy manager at The Dow Chemical Company, is getting ready to present her report on the pilot Energy Bag program to her boss. The waste-to-energy program has been met with success in…

Topics on: Circular Economy, Impact, Investing, Policy, Statistics, Technology

ERB Institute

Case Description

IKEA’s Sustainability Options: Circular Economy, Green Growth, or Degrowth

This case explores the debate over which sustainability philosophy should drive a corporation’s strategy: circular economy, green growth, or degrowth. The case uses IKEA and its enormously successful “fast furniture” business…

Topics on: Circular Economy, Impact, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

Andrew Hoffman

Case Description

Starbucks: Opposing a Local Tax to Address Homelessness while Promoting Social Justice

In 2018, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted 9-0 for a tax that would require companies whose annual revenue surpassed $20 million to pay the city $275 per employee per year.

Topics on: Circular Economy, Impact, Strategy

Andrew Hoffman

Case Description

Marathon Petroleum and Southwest Detroit: The Intersection of Community and Environment

Environmental racism describes the unequal burden of environmental hazards placed on disadvantaged communities through systems, policies, and practices.

Topics on: Impact

Andrew Hoffman

Case Description

White Oak Pastures: A Radically Traditional Farm Redefines Growth

Industrial agriculture feeds the modern world but its practices, such as monocropping and use of chemicals, have caused significant damage to the environment and food supply.

Topics on: Food, Impact, Strategy

Andrew Hoffman

Case Description

Imperfect Foods: Ugly Produce and an Attempt to Reduce Food Waste

Imperfect Foods is a grocery delivery company providing lower-cost items that may have aesthetic shortcomings and would typically be discarded.

Topics on: Food, Impact

HBS Cases

Case Description

Bangladesh: Into the Maelstrom

In the fall of 2018, Rohima Begum considered her options as the small island, or “char,” on which her family’s house rested slowly but inescapably eroded into the mighty Brahmaputra River in northern Bangladesh. The country, once unceremoniously dubbed…

Topics on: Impact, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

THE VELUX FOUNDATIONS: Selecting Impact Funds

After much internal debate, THE VELUX FOUNDATIONS of Denmark have decided to allocate a small percentage of their investment portfolio to impact investments. Cambridge Associates, one of the leading investment advisory firms in the world, has been…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Statistics, Strategy

HBS Cases

Case Description

Agricultural Revolution without a Land Revolution: the Megafarms of CP Group

This case describes the megafarm model launched by the CP group as part of their efforts to ensure the safety and quality of their supply chain of agricultural products (particularly, eggs) in China while also promoting the welfare of Chinese farmers…

Topics on: Impact, Statistics, Strategy

HBS Cases

Case Description

Open Innovation at Fujitsu (A)

This case study examines the open innovation journey at Fujitsu, a global information and communication technology company. The case ends with the location decision between Tokyo, Japan, downtown San Francisco or Sunnyvale, California, regarding…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Operations, Statistics, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

Turnaround at Norsk Gjenvinning (A)

Erik Osmundsen, CEO of Norsk Gjenvinning (NG), had initiated a program to strenghten corporate governance, eliminate corruption and improve compliance, and as a result the company had experienced a turnover of almost half of its top 70 line managers and…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Policy, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

Shanghai: GDP Apostasy

Balancing economic growth alongside environmental sustainability and social inclusion was becoming increasingly important in China. The case describes Shanghai’s decision to abandon growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as its primary metric of measuring…

Topics on: Impact, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

Sustainability at IKEA Group

By 2014, IKEA Group was the largest home furnishing company, with EUR28.5 billion of sales, and planned to reach EUR50 billion by 2020, mainly from emerging markets. At the same time, IKEA Group had adopted in 2012 a new sustainability strategy that…

Topics on: Impact, Statistics, Strategy

HBS Cases

Case Description

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.: Safety, Environment and Health

In January 2014, Gary Bald, senior vice president of Safety, Environment and Health at Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCL), prepared for a review meeting with the company’s chief executive, Adam Goldstein, and chairman, Richard Fain. Prior to joining RCL…

Topics on: Analytics, Impact, Investing, Operations, Policy, Statistics, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

CleanSpritz

Sales of CleanSpritz all-purpose cleaning spray have been steadily declining for the past five years, and management believes the decline correlates to a growing environmental concern among U.S. consumers. CleanSpritz’s management is considering several…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

The Weather Company

New CEO David Kenny transformed The Weather Company in less than two years from a primary identity as a cable television channel to a multi-platform digital company innovating in the uses of weather data. He assesses progress and considers strategic choices…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

Groom Energy Solutions: Selling Efficiency

Groom Energy Solutions helps organizations reduce their energy use and costs through the implementation of energy efficiency measures, which create long-term financial and environmental benefits. With early success serving customers in the cold storage and…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Justice, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

Colbún and the Future of Chile’s Power

This case is about Colbún, Chile’s second largest electricity generator, which is facing significant uncertainty regarding the cost and availability of alternative energy sources. Problems with the contracted supply of natural gas and the volatility of oil prices, coupled…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

HBS Cases

Case Description

Australia: Commodities, Competitiveness, Climate and China

For the past few decades, Australia has dealt with the benefits and costs of repeated mining booms—inflation, a housing bubble, a current account deficit and growing dependence on China. Between 1996 and 2007, however, Australia had most of these issues…

Topics on: Impact, Investing, Statistics, Strategy, Technology

Explore Materials

Discover climate course materials and resources.

HBS Cases

ERB Institute

ERB Institute

Andrew Hoffman

Andrew Hoffman

Andrew Hoffman

Andrew Hoffman

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

HBS Cases

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