Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

Our research has found that embedded sustainability drives financial performance through mediating factors such as innovation, operational efficiency, risk reduction, employee recruitment, engagement and retention, customer and supplier loyalty, competitive advantage, reduced cost of capital, and improved marketing and sales.

Supply Chain 8

Supply Chain Net Present Value Retail Cost of Capital 8

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

In The Good Jobs Strategy , Zeynep Ton, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, demonstrates how the best retail companies align their customer value proposition with their operations strategy and their approach to human capital. One step in reversing this trend is to start treating hours like dollars, with a real opportunity cost.

Human Capital 15

Human Capital Kaizen Agility Energy 15

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 16, 2012

Strategic cash usually is invested in high quality short-term securities; this ensures safety and liquidity, but produces a meager return on investment—especially in a low interest rate environment—and does not achieve the company's cost of capital. Earn a Low Return on Investment.

Company 13

Company Cost of Capital Finance Long-term 13

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 5, 2017

Repaying such profits to shareholders through share repurchases is better than misinvesting that cash to diversify into unrelated businesses in which management has no expertise or overinvesting in projects that may not return cost of capital. As I said earlier, measuring a company’s short-term orientation is incredibly tricky.

EPS 8

EPS Metrics Depreciation Short-term 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 21, 2016

As the 24 th biggest industrial consumer of water, Coca Cola has now invested $2 billion to reduce water use and improve water quality in the communities in which it operates. SabMiller has also invested heavily in water conservation, including $6 million to improve equipment at a facility in Tanzania affected by deteriorating water quality.

Supply Chain 8

Supply Chain Price Loyalty Efficiency 8