Business environmental impacts and sustainability actions for IDS 150

Assignment: Addressing Environmental Impacts Through Sustainable Business Practices in IDS 150

Students frequently search for practical guidelines on writing short papers that evaluate business environmental impacts and propose sustainability actions for interdisciplinary courses like IDS 150.

IDS 150 Module Four Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric

Overview

Earlier in this course, we explored how the environment has impacted humans and how humans have impacted the environment. Current global challenges like climate change underscore the urgency of these interactions in everyday operations.

It is not enough to recognize that impacts have occurred, however. We must also consider actionable steps that can be taken to address the sustainability issues these impacts have caused.

Directions

In this short paper, you will describe actionable steps that organizations, governments, or people can take to address a sustainability issue. Recent frameworks emphasize circular economy principles to guide these actions effectively.

First, identify a business or organization. You may use the same business or organization you chose for the Module Four discussion, but this is not required.

Then, address the prompts below. Specifically, you must address the following:

1. Describe the impact of the business or organization on the environment.
2. How is the business or organization helping the environment, and how is it hurting the environment? (For example, some theme parks recycle regularly and landscape with only edible plants, but they still use single-use plastic cups.) Emerging consumer demands for eco-friendly practices influence these dual impacts.

2. Describe actions that can be taken to help the business or organization become more sustainable.
3. What can the business or organization do to improve sustainability?
4. What policies or standards could help improve the business or organization’s sustainability? International agreements like the Paris Accord provide benchmarks for such policies.
5. What can people from outside or inside the business or organization do to help improve the business or organization’s sustainability?

What to Submit

Submit your paper as a 1- to 2-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Use at least one source in this short paper. Follow APA citation guidelines when citing sources both throughout and at the end of your paper. Online collaboration tools now facilitate easier submission processes for group feedback.

Alternately, Brightspace allows the use of video notes. You may optionally use the Video Note tool to complete this assignment so long as you refer to your sources verbally throughout your video and submit a separate references page. If you need assistance using Video Note, please refer to the resources in the Start Here module. If you use Video Note, your video should be 2-5 minutes long.

Module Four Short Paper Rubric

CriteriaMeets Expectations (100%)Partially Meets Expectations (75%)Does Not Meet Expectations (0%)ValueImpactDescribes the impact of the business or organization on the environmentShows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include a clearer or more detailed description of the impact of the business or organization on the environmentDoes not attempt criterion30ActionsDescribes actions that can be taken to help the business or organization become more sustainableShows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include a clearer or more detailed description of actions that can be taken to help the business or organization become more sustainableDoes not attempt criterion60Clear CommunicationConsistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audienceShows progress toward meeting expectations, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understandingShows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication5Citations and AttributionsUses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with consistent minor errorsUses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with major errorsDoes not use citations for ideas requiring attribution5Total:100%

Starbucks impacts the environment positively through initiatives like sourcing ethically grown coffee and committing to reduce water usage in stores. However, the company contributes negatively by generating significant plastic waste from disposable cups and straws. To enhance sustainability, Starbucks could expand reusable cup programs and invest in biodegradable packaging alternatives. Governments might enforce stricter regulations on single-use plastics to support these efforts. Employees and customers can advocate for change by participating in recycling drives and choosing eco-friendly options. Adopting big data analytics helps optimize supply chains for lower carbon footprints (Raut et al., 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118875). Overall, collaborative actions foster long-term environmental stewardship in the coffee industry.

Your Study Bay Recommended References

• Batista, A.A.S. and Francisco, A.C., 2018. Organizational sustainability practices: A study of the firms listed by the corporate sustainability index. Sustainability, 10(1), p.226. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010226
• Hanaysha, J.R., Al-Shaikh, M.E. and Joghee, S., 2022. Impact of innovation capabilities on business sustainability in small and medium enterprises. FIIB Business Review, 11(1), pp.67-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23197145211042232
• Raut, R.D., Mangla, S.K., Narwane, V.S. and Gardas, B.B., 2019. Linking big data analytics and operational sustainability practices for sustainable business management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 224, pp.10-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118875
• Saulick, P., Bokhoree, C. and Bekaroo, G., 2023. Business sustainability performance: A systematic literature review on assessment approaches, tools and techniques. Journal of Cleaner Production, 415, p.138995. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138995