Module 2: Case Study – Sustainability Practices

THELMA AKPATA

Nexford University

BUS 6100: Global Business

 Introduction

No part of the world survives in solitary, the same is true for sustainability. Safeguarding natural

resources anywhere on the globe contributes to the overall preservation of the globe for coming

generations everywhere. (Almerini, 2021).

Sustainability is described as taking into account both the immediate and long-term effects of

organizational choices and activities on the environment, society, and the economy. (United Nations,

2015).

The United Nations approved seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals to ensure that actions made

by corporate bodies such as governments and corporations are beneficial to the world.

Case study: Edo State, Nigeria

The Importance of SDGs

SDGs help in:

- enhancing innovative development and inventions.

- enabling businesses to build confidence with various partners such as financial supporters, regulators,

clients, and customers.

- working as an employment opportunity for interested persons whose values line up with the objectives.

The problem

1. Lack of sufficient water and sanitation: Most of the residents in the rural places in Edo state do not

have access to safe and healthy water. Water supply companies are expensive to patronize, and the water

supplied by the government is most times either limited or unsafe, which has fostered the widespread of

water and sanitation-related diseases such as Typhoid, Cholera, and Diarrhea.

2. Little or zero access to electricity and clean energy: In April 2022, the nation’s national grid collapsed

twice due to poor infrastructure. According to the World Bank, 43 percent of Nigerians still lack access to

dependable power as of February 2022, and this causes the country to lose $26.2 billion yearly (or 2% of

its GDP) as a result. (Olaigbe, 2021). Nigerians are compelled to make use of fossil fuel-powered

generators, which constitutes environmental noise and a great deal of air pollution.

3. Unemployment and high crime rate: There is a high rise in petty crimes, even cybercrimes in Edo state.

When caught, most of the culprits blamed their predicament on unemployment and the economy of the

country at large. A few of them further stated that they needed funding for their business ideas. If the

employment and entrepreneur rate increase, it will in turn improve the individual lives of those involved

as well as the GDP of the country.

The Solution

By adopting the SDGs framework, CJ may be able to assist in the following areas:

1. Goal 6: Clean Water And Sanitation: As part of its corporate social obligation to achieve objective 6,

CJ can assist in supplying our communities with clean and affordable drinking water. “Ensure everyone

has equal access to safe drinking water by 2030.” CJ can also collaborate with relevant governmental

organizations to guarantee that drainage systems are properly maintained.

To promote their sales of coffee, muffins, and healthy food choices, CJ would need clean and healthy

water and an environment for the manufacturing of their product for healthy living if they intend to

expand their market.

2. Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern

energy for all”. Although Nigeria is the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, it is gravely limited by

the lack of availability of energy. The US energy production hits a total of 12,338.29 kWh per capita, and

a total of 138.84 kWh per capita for Nigeria. (Energy Consumption in Nigeria, n.d.), this highlights a

huge gap where renewable energy is concerned. As most modern technologies are powered by energy, CJ
can invest in renewable sustainable consumption, and partner with renewable energy firms both locally

and globally to aid the energy production gap and save the environment. CJ can benefit greatly from

having constant energy to foster more produce as well as cheaper coffee production. Improved energy can

also help to limit waste by the preservation of coffee seeds and food produces generally, ensuring a higher

return on investments for all parties.

3. Goal 8: Decent Employment and Economic Expansion. CJ can think about expanding locally by

employing locals to achieve objective 8 which is to "Promote improvement arranged strategies that help

useful exercises, respectable work creation, business venture, imagination, and advancement, and support

the formalization and development of miniature, little and medium-sized undertakings, including through

admittance to monetary services."

CJ can either import coffee or grow coffee in the area, by planting coffee trees, this will increase the GDP

of the country and ultimately solve one major issue of unemployment - a whole chain of planters, farmers,

distributors, retailers, wholesalers, etc. hence, the unemployed will be gainfully employed. Coffee by-

products can be utilized in a wide range of industrial domains, promoting multi-dimensional activity and

a broad-based economy in the long run. The company can also market its products by partnering with

establishments through supplier diversity, which could be pre-packaged prepared food products, Fresh &

Frozen products, etc. this will help all parties involved.

Conclusion

In conclusion, each geographical region faces unique challenges, and based on the economic and social

benefits discussed above, I would gently but strongly recommend that if CJ's commitment goals could be

aligned with the SGD goals, it would result in the engagement of local farmers, bakers, and distributors,

as well as reducing unemployment, poverty, redundancy, and other criminal tendencies amongst the

youths, and fostering a cleaner environment, growing the economy thereby leaving a lasting legacy.
 References

Energy consumption in Nigeria. (n.d.). Worlddata.info. https://www.worlddata.info/africa/nigeria/energy-

consumption.php

Olaigbe, O. (2021, September 27). Power problems: Could solar solve Nigeria’s electricity woes?

Www.aljazeera.com. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/9/27/power-problems-could-

solar-solve-nigerias-electricity-woes

Power Africa in Nigeria | Fact Sheet | Power Africa | U.S. Agency for International Development. (2022,

April 5). Usaid.gov. https://www.usaid.gov/powerafrica/nigeria

United Nations. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations Sustainable Development;

United Nations. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/