Sustainability Solutions
Business sustainability is generally defined as managing the triple bottom line - a process by which corporations manage their own financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities. This is often referred to profits, people and the planet. Clearwater's Sustainability Solutions client services are closely tied to our risk management client services as our approach relies on an accounting and profitability based perspective that business sustainability represents resiliency over time.
We take the view that sustainability solutions correctly applied can enhance profitability, aid communities and reduce environmental risks to our clients. Clearwater believes that our clients should take the long term view with regards to sustainability solutions as this creates increased economic value for the enterprise and contributes to healthy ecosystems.
CSC Capital's sustainability roots run deep as the firm's founder while still in college established the Washington State Public Lands Association (WSPLA), a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental accountability specifically in the areas of land use and conservation. Actively dealing with legal and regulatory matters at both the federal and state level WSPLA over 30 years ago blazed a trail towards healthy economic, social and environmental systems.
As a first panel speaker for Ronald Reagan's Commission on American Outdoors CSC Capital's founder highlighted sustainable development specifically in land use and biodiversity so that the needs of the present should not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. An conservation activist, he lobbied at both the federal and state level. As such the firm to this day takes corporate responsibility towards the environment while maximizing profitability as a mantra for today's and future generations.
In this vain the firm's Sustainability Solutions client services was born. Our five Sustainability Solutions practices include: 1) Compliance Awareness and Readiness, 2) Sustainable Operations and Value Chains, 3) Sustainable Products and Services, 4) Creating a Sustainable Business Model, and 5) Certification and Training.
1) Compliance Awareness and Readiness
While it is tempting to adhere to the lowest environmental standards for as long as possible to reduce costs, it's smarter in the long run to comply with the changing landscape of regulations and rules, and doing so before they are enforced. Companies that attempt to meet emerging norms gain more time to prepare and experiment with materials, technologies and processes. Clearwater believes it is far better to view the future as a starting point with regards to environmental compliance.
We assist our clients in ensuring that learning precedes investments. We take the approach that smart companies start small, learn fast and scale rapidly. To implement this approach we restructure our clients processes to embrace new and future standards and in doing so our clients become proactive in diverting government fines and possible lawsuits. This is often more difficult for middle-market corporations than for multinational corporations that enjoy an advantage in that they can experiment overseas.
Take for example a client of ours being sued for selling asbestos four decades ago. While you can't change the facts of the past you can mitigate the risks today. How? By being compliance ready; accounting and insurance records need to be filed for safekeeping. Knowledge of statute of limitations laws need to be understood prior to any pending lawsuits. Current marketing, contributions, and processes and logistics need to be up-dated to reflect that sustainability choices in doing business are on-going. Lastly, corporate ownership and it's legal structure should be nimble and pro-active.
2) Sustainable Operations and Value Chains
Once our clients become more knowledgeable about current regulations with the appropriate firewalls established, we pro-actively implement operational processes that focus on reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources such as petroleum and renewable resources such as timber. This drive for sustainable efficiency extends from the back offices to the warehouses and manufacturing plants to the supply chains. At this stage we work with our clients to develop eco-friendly processes and resource applications throughout the corporation that both reduce waste and reduce taxes.
While the initial aim is to create a more eco-friendly image to customers, suppliers, government regulators and the public at large, our clients end up reducing costs, increasing sales and gaining new revenue streams through the creation of new businesses. We start by analyzing each link in the operational value chain, first making changes in the obvious areas such as fuel consumption, then move to the less obvious suspects such as retuned products and excessive or obsolete inventories.
Normally attention is focused on the operations of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers with regard to environmental waste but the healthcare and retail industries are also particular vulnerable to environmental losses and waste. Medical and healthcare hazardous waste can be debilitating to an organization and the carbon and energy footprint for retailers can be enormous.
Finally, the workplace itself is undergoing significant change due to simple cost reductions that dramatically impact a corporation's environmental waste and carbon footprint. IBM and ATT save hundreds of millions of dollars annually as a result of telecommuting alone.
3) Sustainable Products and Services
It is surprising that next to automobiles household cleaning products are the second largest environmental concern in the U.S. While Clearwater does not design products for our clients, we assist our clients in combining their marketing, sales and distribution channels for a more efficient and eco-friendly execution. We also advise our clients to invest in eco-friendly raw materials and products.
For example one of our financing clients had invented a green energy wave machine that enhanced the yield of agricultural products without the use of chemicals. Not only did we assist in arranging the equity financing but created in the most sustainable methods of manufacturing and distribution. Given the eco-friendly product the framework of all processes; production, the use of raw materials, warehousing, distribution and sales had to follow the most strict sustainability standards.
Through CSC Capital's financial restructuring acumen we are also are able to determine which eco-friendly raw materials, products and distribution channels are the most efficient and productive from a management accounting perspective. In this way we take the guess work out of applying cost effective sustainable solutions.
4) Creating a Sustainable Business Model
Working with CSC Capital Corporate Restructuring, Clearwater reinvents our client's business model creating the most efficient and eco-friendly organizational structure, processes and execution strategies. Our objective is not only redesigning the existing structure but creating new methods of capturing revenues streams and the creation of new profit centers. In 2014 we had the opportunity to create a virtual and web based profit center for a retail client that both sold its products to consumers and to businesses.
For little set-up costs our client was now able to sell products through their existing website to two customer groups; thus this portal now provided sales to two profit centers at no additional expenses. Interestingly our client was the only retailer in their industry to venture into this concept of internet based sales.
Clearwater understands that development of a new sustainability business model requires exploring alternatives to current ways of doing business as well as understanding how companies can meet customer's needs differently. Our most successful clients have to question existing models, act entrepreneurially and realize that such changes will be met with resistance. Lastly if designed and implemented correctly the up-front investment of implementing a sustainable corporate structure are minimal compared to the short and long terms gains.
5) Certification and Training
Clearwater is certified to conduct corporate training in sustainability in the following areas: 1) Hazardous Pharmaceuticals Awareness, 2) HIPPA and the Department of Health Information Security and Privacy Training, 3) Blood-borne Pathogen and Needle stick Safety and Prevention, 4) Universal Waste Training, and 5) OSHA Training and Certification.
We take the view that sustainability solutions correctly applied can enhance profitability, aid communities and reduce environmental risks to our clients. Clearwater believes that our clients should take the long term view with regards to sustainability solutions as this creates increased economic value for the enterprise and contributes to healthy ecosystems.
CSC Capital's sustainability roots run deep as the firm's founder while still in college established the Washington State Public Lands Association (WSPLA), a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental accountability specifically in the areas of land use and conservation. Actively dealing with legal and regulatory matters at both the federal and state level WSPLA over 30 years ago blazed a trail towards healthy economic, social and environmental systems.
As a first panel speaker for Ronald Reagan's Commission on American Outdoors CSC Capital's founder highlighted sustainable development specifically in land use and biodiversity so that the needs of the present should not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. An conservation activist, he lobbied at both the federal and state level. As such the firm to this day takes corporate responsibility towards the environment while maximizing profitability as a mantra for today's and future generations.
In this vain the firm's Sustainability Solutions client services was born. Our five Sustainability Solutions practices include: 1) Compliance Awareness and Readiness, 2) Sustainable Operations and Value Chains, 3) Sustainable Products and Services, 4) Creating a Sustainable Business Model, and 5) Certification and Training.
1) Compliance Awareness and Readiness
While it is tempting to adhere to the lowest environmental standards for as long as possible to reduce costs, it's smarter in the long run to comply with the changing landscape of regulations and rules, and doing so before they are enforced. Companies that attempt to meet emerging norms gain more time to prepare and experiment with materials, technologies and processes. Clearwater believes it is far better to view the future as a starting point with regards to environmental compliance.
We assist our clients in ensuring that learning precedes investments. We take the approach that smart companies start small, learn fast and scale rapidly. To implement this approach we restructure our clients processes to embrace new and future standards and in doing so our clients become proactive in diverting government fines and possible lawsuits. This is often more difficult for middle-market corporations than for multinational corporations that enjoy an advantage in that they can experiment overseas.
Take for example a client of ours being sued for selling asbestos four decades ago. While you can't change the facts of the past you can mitigate the risks today. How? By being compliance ready; accounting and insurance records need to be filed for safekeeping. Knowledge of statute of limitations laws need to be understood prior to any pending lawsuits. Current marketing, contributions, and processes and logistics need to be up-dated to reflect that sustainability choices in doing business are on-going. Lastly, corporate ownership and it's legal structure should be nimble and pro-active.
2) Sustainable Operations and Value Chains
Once our clients become more knowledgeable about current regulations with the appropriate firewalls established, we pro-actively implement operational processes that focus on reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources such as petroleum and renewable resources such as timber. This drive for sustainable efficiency extends from the back offices to the warehouses and manufacturing plants to the supply chains. At this stage we work with our clients to develop eco-friendly processes and resource applications throughout the corporation that both reduce waste and reduce taxes.
While the initial aim is to create a more eco-friendly image to customers, suppliers, government regulators and the public at large, our clients end up reducing costs, increasing sales and gaining new revenue streams through the creation of new businesses. We start by analyzing each link in the operational value chain, first making changes in the obvious areas such as fuel consumption, then move to the less obvious suspects such as retuned products and excessive or obsolete inventories.
Normally attention is focused on the operations of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers with regard to environmental waste but the healthcare and retail industries are also particular vulnerable to environmental losses and waste. Medical and healthcare hazardous waste can be debilitating to an organization and the carbon and energy footprint for retailers can be enormous.
Finally, the workplace itself is undergoing significant change due to simple cost reductions that dramatically impact a corporation's environmental waste and carbon footprint. IBM and ATT save hundreds of millions of dollars annually as a result of telecommuting alone.
3) Sustainable Products and Services
It is surprising that next to automobiles household cleaning products are the second largest environmental concern in the U.S. While Clearwater does not design products for our clients, we assist our clients in combining their marketing, sales and distribution channels for a more efficient and eco-friendly execution. We also advise our clients to invest in eco-friendly raw materials and products.
For example one of our financing clients had invented a green energy wave machine that enhanced the yield of agricultural products without the use of chemicals. Not only did we assist in arranging the equity financing but created in the most sustainable methods of manufacturing and distribution. Given the eco-friendly product the framework of all processes; production, the use of raw materials, warehousing, distribution and sales had to follow the most strict sustainability standards.
Through CSC Capital's financial restructuring acumen we are also are able to determine which eco-friendly raw materials, products and distribution channels are the most efficient and productive from a management accounting perspective. In this way we take the guess work out of applying cost effective sustainable solutions.
4) Creating a Sustainable Business Model
Working with CSC Capital Corporate Restructuring, Clearwater reinvents our client's business model creating the most efficient and eco-friendly organizational structure, processes and execution strategies. Our objective is not only redesigning the existing structure but creating new methods of capturing revenues streams and the creation of new profit centers. In 2014 we had the opportunity to create a virtual and web based profit center for a retail client that both sold its products to consumers and to businesses.
For little set-up costs our client was now able to sell products through their existing website to two customer groups; thus this portal now provided sales to two profit centers at no additional expenses. Interestingly our client was the only retailer in their industry to venture into this concept of internet based sales.
Clearwater understands that development of a new sustainability business model requires exploring alternatives to current ways of doing business as well as understanding how companies can meet customer's needs differently. Our most successful clients have to question existing models, act entrepreneurially and realize that such changes will be met with resistance. Lastly if designed and implemented correctly the up-front investment of implementing a sustainable corporate structure are minimal compared to the short and long terms gains.
5) Certification and Training
Clearwater is certified to conduct corporate training in sustainability in the following areas: 1) Hazardous Pharmaceuticals Awareness, 2) HIPPA and the Department of Health Information Security and Privacy Training, 3) Blood-borne Pathogen and Needle stick Safety and Prevention, 4) Universal Waste Training, and 5) OSHA Training and Certification.