sustainable development

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Introduction

After going through a careful consideration of my familiarity with a number of multinational corporations that I selected earlier, I chose Henkel (Henkel AG & Company, KGaA), a manufacturing company headquartered in Germany, to be the corporation that I am going to analyze in depth. Size wise, “the company has some 47,000 employees worldwide and counts among the most internationally aligned German-based companies in the global marketplace.” (Henkel, 2014) Aside from having a broad employee base and solidly built financial resources, it also has branches scattered all over the world, including Hong Kong. Business wise, Henkel chiefly runs in three areas. They are household products, personal care products, adhesives that can be found easily at any local supermarket or grocery store.
Should the corporation adhere to the sustainability principles?

Yes, it should. The quote “Development that meets the need and aspirations of the current generation without compromising the ability to meet those of future generations.” (Bruntland Report for the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1992) defines sustainability, it is also considered as the original definition for sustainable development. From the perspective of a CEO, operating a sustainable business can aid the company to cope with today’s fast paced environment and competitive landscape, it does not merely favor our mother earth, it benefits the company in terms of economic achievement as well. Running a sustainable business can be interpreted as fulfilling three key aspects; to be eco-friendly, to assist society, to be profitable. Here are some reasons why companies should stick to these principles. First and foremost, saving cost. Using fewer resources is...

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...genda through contributing their skills and knowledge. So as to involve every single one in the practices, sustainability is therefore a fundamental part of the training programs that they offer. The company is also regarded as one of the best employers among all, it performs so well in various employer rankings. It recently topped the chart in the “Universum Top 100 Ranking”, which indicates people are willing to work in the company. Henkel is also a part of the Corporate and Brand Engagement, “as part of our corporate engagement, Henkel and its brands directly enter into social partnerships in the communities around the world. We support schools and universities, social initiatives and public institutions.” (Henkel, 2014) In 2013, the company made donations of $7.1 million euros and supported over 3000 projects of social needs, education, health, art and culture.

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