BA 301 week 7 Discussion Nature of Sustainability As It Relates to Social Responsibility

Nature of Sustainability As It Relates to Social Responsibility

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I do agree that organizations around the globe should be held responsible for how their operations affect the communities and society as a whole. This is because a number of organizations or companies are processing products that have harmful emissions like gasses that affect the ozone layer or chemicals that affect the environment. As shared by (Armitage, de Loe & Plummer, 2012), if these factories are not held responsible, they might get reckless and dispose some of the chemicals in rivers or lakes thus affecting the life in water and the people around or they might emit gasses that affect the ozone layer which in turn affect the population around and the environment.

Microsoft is an organization that has accepted that challenge and it has been included in their company principles and policies. Microsoft has taken the responsibility to care for the environment and society. It has also taken the responsibility to mitigate the impact it has on the environment. It has also been able to deploy clean energy technologies and infrastructure for purposes of achieving and sustaining the growth in economy of the organization. It also makes sure that resources are used effectively for transforming the organization. (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-responsibility/environment-our-commitment)

Microsoft has taken up the challenge in that it has been operating on carbon neutral such that it’s data centers have been able to maintain it. The past year, Microsoft was able to use 3.2 billion kilowatt hours of zero carbon power which worked well with the suppliers and the utilities of the organization. This initiative improved renewable energy such that it was made accessible and affordable. Microsoft is also looking into increasing their efficiency in energy across their supply chains and facilities (Microsoft).

Despite the fact that Microsoft has 100 percent of the data centers using carbon neutral, they are aiming on having all the data centers use more of solar, hydro and wind electricity. Currently, only 44 percent of electricity used come from these alternative sources, which is good initiative for the environment and the society. Microsoft aims at using 50 percent of solar, wind and hydra electricity in 2018. They want to continuously improve and address the change in climate by trying to sustain it since its data center industry consumes natural resources.

Reference

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-responsibility/environment-our-commitment

D Armitage, R de Loe, R Plummer. (2012), Environmental governance and its implications for conservation practice.