1) What is Sustainability and what are its factors?

( 8 marks)
Sustainability means that a process or state can be maintained at a certain level for as long as is wanted.
Sustainability factors
The definition of sustainability may be taken further and it is widely accepted that to achieve sustainability we
must balance economic, environmental and social factors in equal harmony. This may be illustrated with a
sustainability Venn diagram, as shown below:

Fig:Sustainability Venn Diagram

So to achieve true sustainability we need to balance economic, social and environmental sustainability factors in
equal harmony. These may be defined as:
Environmental Sustainability: Environmental sustainability means that we are living within the means of our
natural resources. To live in true environmental sustainability we need to ensure that we are consuming our natural
resources, such as materials, energy fuels, land, water...etc, at a sustainable rate. Some resources are more
abundant than others and therefore we need to consider material scarcity, the damage to environment from
extraction of these materials and if the resource can be kept within Economy principles. Environmental
sustainability should not be confused with full sustainability, which also need to balance economic and social
factors.
Economic Sustainability: Economic sustainability requires that a business or country uses its resources efficiently
and responsibly so that it can operate in a sustainable manner to consistently produce an operational profit.
Without an operational profit a business cannot sustain its activities. Without acting responsibly and using its
resources efficiently a company will not be able to sustain its activities in the long term.
Social Sustainability: Social sustainability is the ability of society, or any social system, to persistently achieve a
good social wellbeing. Achieving social sustainability ensures that the social wellbeing of a country, an
organization, or a community can be maintained in the long term.
Taking these three pillars of sustainability further if we only achieve two out of three pillars then we end up with:

Social + Economic Sustainability = Equitable

Social + Environmental Sustainability = Bearable
Economic + Environmental Sustainability = Viable
Only through balancing economic + social + environmental can we achieve true sustainability and a truly circular
economy.

2) What are the different framework that are used to achieve sustainability in Business? (10 marks)
Triple Bottom Line

Loosely based on the three pillar of sustainability, businesses generally follow the principlesof ‘Triple Bottom
Line’ (TBL) framework. Put forward by John Elkington as a new measure
of corporate performance which inculcated environmental and social concerns, TBL is “an
accounting framework that incorporates three dimensions of performance: social,
environmental and financial. The TBL dimensions are also commonly called the three Ps: people,planet and
profits.”

Economic variables that are part of the framework include the usual financial concerns of thebusiness including
expenditures, taxes, business climate, etc. and need not to be delved uponfurther. The environmental variables
should essentially be represented in the use of variousnatural resources and the subsequent effects of business
activity on nature such as air andwater quality, energy consumption, solid and toxic waste, land use and similar
effects on
nature. The social aspects of a community including measurements of education, health and wellbeing, access to
social resources, quality of life and social capital are used as indicators ofsocial sustainability.

Natural Capitalism

‘Natural capitalism’ is another such framework that can act as a guiding principle for firms
wishing to walk down the sustainability path. It focuses on the significance of human capital
(labour, talent, intelligence)and natural capital (natural resources and ecosystem services)
which usually gets ignored as firms only focus on building financial capital (cash and
investments) and manufactured capital.

Natural capitalism lays stress on four principles that are more or less linked with each other:
radical resource productivity, bio mimicry, service economies and reinvestment. Radical
resource productivity indicates the efficient use of resources that are limited in nature so that
the process of resource depletion can be slowed down. Example of this process include
energy conservation processes, a shift towards renewable energy use and taking proper care
of waste through reuse, recycling and composting. Bio mimicry, also referred to as ‘redesign
of industrial processes’ is based on the concept of ‘waste equals food’. In fact, it forms the
basis of ‘cradle to cradle design’ where waste generated through any industrial or consumer
process is recovered and used in some other form. Reinvestment refers to the investment of
profits or interests from efficient use of resources back in natural capital while service
economies “emphasize meeting consumer needs with services and viewing goods as means of
service delivery.”

The Natural Step Framework (TNSF)

The framework that presents a morespecific ‘what-to-do’ manual for firms is The Natural Step Framework
(TNSF). TNSF is based on four key principles or ‘system conditions’ that form a definition ofsustainability which
provides solid guidelines to a company pursuing sustainability.

According to TNSF, a sustainable business is one that:

1. Causes no systematic increases in environmental concentrations of substances fromthe Earth’s crust,
2. Cause no systematic increases in environmental concentrations of syntheticsubstances.
3. Causes no systematic increases in ecosystem degradation.
4. Creates no systematic barriers to people meeting their own needs.

3) Explain the different Sustainability Factors/Determinants (10 marks)

Supply Chain:
Sustainability along the supply chain has gained particular significance as companies look toreduce their overall
emissions through their suppliers. Byusing energy responsibly and making sparing use of natural resources,
Suppliers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their own production operations

Waste and Recycling:

E-waste is the world’s fastest growing type of wasteand not surprisingly, the ICT sectors most significant source
of waste. With landfills considered to be an unsustainable source of
disposing waste, manufacturers have had to focus their efforts on proper disposal and more
importantly, recycling of the products. Retake and recycling of products is one of the most
important aspects of the sustainability portfolio of the modern firm, particularly those
belonging to the ICT sector. Not only do companies fulfil a criterion which is gaining
significance with regard to the environment, they are managing to generate profit from
through well-developed retake programs.

Product Design:

Recycling and take-back programs are more effective if the product design issustainable and is in line with the
concept of ‘dematerialization’. Broadly defined,dematerialization a product delivers similar benefits but with a
decrease in the number ofmaterials used in the process. Most of them focus onthe need to redesign products with
a focus on innovation.

Fig: Design hierarchy

Sustainable companies are moving on from the traditional three R’s of reduce, reuse andrecycle and have
incorporated ‘redesign’ and ‘reimagine’ in their design requirements

Packaging and Logistics

Sustainable packaging and an essential part of the product mix for a company aiming to ‘gogreen’. The essence
of sustainable packaging lies in ensuring that it provides the required
benefit in the best possible way while keeping in line with the Natural Step’s four system
conditions of a sustainable society. A smaller amount of packaging material (by removing unnecessary layers)
usedalso saves GHG emissions in the long run by affecting the transport space required for thosepackages.These
emissions can be further reduced byswitching to a more environmental friendly source of transport i.e. ocean
vessels instead ofairfreight since the latter is more carbon-intensive.

Power consumption

The telecommunicationssector too, therefore, has gained importance over time with respect to the difference it
canmake in reducing worldwide emissions and promoting sustainability. Energy consumption ofproducts form
this sector, during the ‘use’ phase is particularly significant in this regardbecause it consumes a major chunk of
the energy from the product’s lifecycle. The demand forenergy efficient products sprouts from a desire to make
their products environmental friendlyand reduce GHG emissions as well as due to increasing pressure from
various stakeholdersincluding customers and regulators. Therefore power consumption plays an important role in
sustainability
4) Explain the different Environmental Regulations that the Companies in the telecommunication
industry are subjected to? ( 6 marks)

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances)

was implemented in June 1, 2007 and aims to “improve the protection of human health and
the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of
chemical substances.”Through the process of phasing out harmful substances, REACH also helps in
focusingcompanies to search for alternatives that are not hazardous and do not pose any harm to theenvironment
in general.

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) directive restricts theuse of six hazardous substances in
electronic and electric equipment including lead (Pb),mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (CrVI),
polybrominated biphenyls(PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). It deal with regulated disposal and recycling of electricand
electrical equipment and outline responsibilities of those involved in this process.

5) What are the guidelines of The Natural StepFramework (TNSF) for sustainable design? (4 marks)

a. Renewable, reclaimed, nontoxic and organic materials should be used and the use ofvirgin (non-recycled)
materials in the manufacturing process should be reduced.
b. The design should ensure that the storage, transportation and use phase of the productis as carbon-neutral or
minimizes carbon emissions.
c. Energy used in the manufacturing process should be renewable in nature andpetroleum based hydraulic
fluids should be replaced.
d. Design products for disassembly, remanufacturing and materials recovery

These guidelines can act as a handy tool for firms planning to redesign their products to makethem more ‘green’

6) According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) what areconditions that has to be fulfilled
for packaging to be sustainable? (4 marks)

a. Is beneficial, safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
b. Is sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using renewable energy
c. Maximizes use of renewable or recycled source materials
d. Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
e. Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle-to-cradlecycles

7) What are Environmental Certifications and mention the different certification available. (4 marks)

Environmental Certifications is a seals that indicate a product meets certain standardsfor social or environmental
performance.

BREEAM (UK)Blue Angel (Germany)Energy Star (US)Eco Mark (Japan)

8) Write a note on Blue angel and Energy Star Environmental certification. (6 marks)

Blue Angel is considered to be the global leader when it comes to environmental labels
because of its progressive approach and strict criteria. Their criteria incorporates factors such as "efficient use of
fossilfuels, alternative products with less of an impact on the climate, reduction of greenhouse gasemissions and
conservation of resources" Producers' responsibility also includes reclaimingused products from the customer for
recycling purposes. The document for digital cordless phones includes strict requirements relating to theoperating
functions including power consumption in different operation modes, adjustment oftransmission power and range
limitation. Manufacturing requirements include restrictions onthe use of plastics and printing on circuit boards,
batteries, packaging as well as theavailability of spare parts

In 1992 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced ENERGY STAR as avoluntary labeling
program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products toreduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy
Star also covers a host of products ranging from office equipment and lighting toheating and cooling devices for
houses. Energy Star's requirements for cordless telephones arenot as detailed and clear as those of Blue Angel

9) What is Eco-dect? What are its features? (8 marks)

Eco Dect is a series of environmental friendly phone launched by Gigaset. It is a "new technology that reduces
the power consumption andtransmission power of DECT phones". This technology essentially relies on an energy
savingpower supply which cuts down energy use by 60% when compared to regular cordless phones.Moreover,
the transmission power is reduced to almost zero when the handset is docked;given that there is only one registered
handset. The most striking feature of the phone is theECO-mode which reduces the transmitting power by 80%
compared to conventional cordlessphones, even when multiple handsets are registered and when the handset is
not inthe charger. Another feature is The ECO Mode Plus, which turns off the transmitting powerwhen the phone
is in standby. Based on the assumption that the phone is used for roughly 2hours every day, the Eco Dect’s power
consumption can be reduced by an average of around2 watts.

The design and manufacturing of the Eco Dect is also in line with environmentalsustainability: The design ensures
the minimum use of materials, all of them beingenvironmental friendly while residual materials are separated and
recycled in a sustainablemanner. Not surprisingly, lead is not part of the manufacturing process of the Eco Dect
at all.

The packaging materialtoo, is given particular attention in terms of its design, size and the potential for
recycling.Logistics are given particular attention with train or ship, which result in less emissions than air travel,
being the preferred mode of transporting the product and efficient utilization ofcargo space to make it more
environmental friendly.

10) Define Green Products and mention its attributes. ( 6 marks)

The terms “green” or “sustainable” often refer to products, services or practices that allow for economic
development while conserving for future generations. We prefer to describe a green product as one that has less
of an environmental impact or is less detrimental to human health than the traditional product equivalent. While
on the topic of defining a green product, you must realize that almost no product will ever be 100% “green,” since
all product development will have some impact on the surrounding environment. It all comes down to degrees of
impact and as we discussed above, trading off between impacts.
To understand the trade-offs you should realize that there are select attributes that describe green products and
services; we list them below to help you further understand what a green product truly is. Green products are
Energy efficient, durable and often have low maintenance requirements.
Free of Ozone depleting chemicals, toxic compounds and don’t produce toxic by-products.
Often made of recycled materials or content or from renewable and sustainable sources.
Obtained from local manufacturers or resources.
Biodegradable or easily reused either in part or as a whole.

11) What are the Drivers of sustainability? (10marks)

1. Reputation and brand strength – Sustainable performance fosters a strong corporate reputation, which has a
significant effect on a company’s financial valuation. According to the UN Global Compact, reputation accounts
for 10% of the marketing value of a company, and 45% of a company’s reputation is based on social
performance. Nike is a classic example of a company which, faced with reputational damage in 1996 due labor
and environmental practices, pioneered product-stewardship strategies and sustainability innovation to recover
its reputation.
2. Improved shareholder value – SRM can contribute to increased profits in the long term and reduce weighted
average cost of capital. Shareholders are increasingly demanding future-proofed financial investment strategies,
and the inclusion of an early warning risk management process for risk factors such as climate change.
3. Operational efficiency – Not addressing sustainability concerns (including environmental legislative
requirements, employee engagement, supply chain issues and customer demands) raises the risk of operational
disruption through strikes, boycotts, and greater regulatory scrutiny, with often major financial implications.
4. Financial efficiency – Appropriately managing sustainability risks can result in cost reduction achieved
through improved environmental and health and safety performance (resulting in fewer fatalities, accidents, non-
compliance fines, and lost workdays). PUMA has recently announced that the economic value of its impacts due
to water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is Euro 94.4 million.
5. Improved human and intellectual capital – There is increasing evidence that a company’s environmental and
social performance affects employee turnover rates
6. Business sector/Competitors’ activities- Business sector and competitors’ activities are interlinked when it
comes to the role they playin sustainability activities. The most prominent effect is on the design and energy
consumption of theproduct as companies try to outdo each other to come up with the least energy
consumingproduct.
7. Region- The area where companies are primarily conducting their business can affect its environmentrelated
actions to a considerable extent.
8.Competitive advantage and productivity – A survey of over 1,600 of the world’s largest companies in 16
industrialized countries revealed that as many as 53% of the companies surveyed indicated that much of their
sustainability behavior is motivated by innovation.

12) What is Eco-design? Explain the categories of Eco-design tool. (8 marks)

Eco-design is an approach to designing products with special consideration for the environmental impacts of the
product during its whole lifecycle Eco-design tools can be divided into four different categories or
processes,depending on the way one perceives them

1. Analysis of environmental strengths and weaknesses

2. Priority-setting and selection of the most important potential improvement
3. Provision of assistance for idea generation, design and draft specification
4. Co-ordinate with other important criteria: cost-benefit analysis, economic feasibility.

The analysis stage involves the identification, quantification, evaluation and prioritization ofenvironmentally
harmful issues in relation to the product design. This can be done throughLCA’s (Life Cycle Analysis) which
are used to determine which particular part or processresults in the most emission or other harmful effects on the
environment. The factors with anegative effect are first ascertained, and then their importance is determined on
the basis oftheir effect on the more fundamental environmental criteria. Other tools that can be used at this stage
are checks and matrices including the MET (Material and Energy input/output, Toxic emissions output) matrix
for analysis ofenvironmental strengths and weaknesses, which enable estimations of the environmentalimpacts
of a product within the shortest possible time

The second part of eco-design consists of priority setting to establish which environmentalimpacts (or
consumption issues) are important and possibilities of improvement keeping inmind regulations and stakeholder
requirements. Tools that support this activity include spiderand portfolio diagrams, decision matrices and
dominance matrix

The third part consists of idea generation, design and draft specification.

The fourth part of this design process revolves around profitability, marketability andtechnical feasibility of the
design. This can be done primarily through a tool called the Houseof Environmental Quality (HoEQ) and
general cost accounting methods. HoEQ uses a multidimensional matrix to assess the different ways in which
the various product properties andrequirements influence each other in a negative way. Environment cost
accounting methodsdetermine the costs that will be incurred during the development, production
(includingmarketing, distribution and related costs) and use phase (including recycling, disposal costs)and
balance them against the environment related improvements it provides.

13.Explain the four pillars of sustainability. 08M

1. Social Sustainability -considers however people, communities and societies suffer one another, and
social group provisions and expectations for individual autonomy and realization of non-public potential,
Participation in governance and rule creating, Citizenship and repair to others, Justice, the propagation
of information, and Resource distributions that have an effect on the power of that society to flourish
over time. Sustainability of human flourishing is inherently a human process. The natural, built, and
cultural surroundings during which humans live and thrive is that the outcome of generations of human
interaction with the surroundings. as an instance, norms that are utilized by any cluster to assign relative
values to such things as technological amendment, scientific inquiry, economic activity as well as profits
and prices, risk, the nature, and human and dehumanized life dramatically have an effect on the choices
those teams take and thereby the opportunities they permit to future generations

2. Economic Sustainability: wants that a business or country uses its resources expeditiously associated
responsibly thus it'll operate in associate extremely property manner to consistently manufacture an
operational profit. Whereas not associate operational profit a business cannot sustain its activities.
Whereas not acting responsibly and victimization its resources expeditiously a corporation will not be
able to sustain its activities inside the long-standing time. Economics is that the study of other beneath
conditions of insufficiency or the study of other with constraints. Specifically, we tend to are oral
communication that economics is that the study of but individuals and societies prefer to use scarce
resources which may have numerous uses to produce product and services, and distribute them, presently
or inside the long run, among varied individuals and groups in society. ‘Economic sustainability’ implies
a system of production that satisfies gift consumption level whereas not compromising future desires.
The ‘sustainability’ that ‘economic sustainability’ seeks is that the ‘sustainability’ of the national
economy itself traditionally, economists, forward that the supply of natural resources was unlimited,
placed undue stress on the potential of the market to allot resources expeditiously. They to boot believed
that method would bring the technological capability to fill natural resources destroyed inside the
assembly process. Today, however, a realization has emerged that natural resources do not appear to be
infinite. The growing scale of the national economy has strained the natural resources base. This has
caused many commentators, appreciate Goodland, to question the feasibility of uncontrolled growth and
exponential consumption.
3. Cultural Sustainability: Cultural Sustainability as a result of it relates to property development (to
sustainability), should do with the maintaining of cultural beliefs, cultural practices, heritage
conservation, culture as its own entity, and tries to answer the question of whether or not or not any given
cultures will exist at intervals the context of the long-standing time. Culture is made public as a group of
beliefs, morals, methods, and a gaggle of human info that is obsessed with the transmission of these
characteristics to younger generations. Property is made public as a result of the flexibility to sustain or
continue. The two concepts are tangled among social and political domains, and in and of itself, became
one in each of the extra very important concepts of Sustainability
4. Environmental Sustainability: Environmental sustainability is the management of our physical
environment in a way that supports living within ecological limits, protection of natural resources, and
meeting the needs of communities without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.
Environmental Sustainability implies that we have a tendency to live among the means that of our natural
resources to measure in true environmental property, we'd like to confirm that we have a tendency to
area unit overwhelming our natural resources, comparable to materials, energy fuels, land, water etc., at
a property rate. Some resources area unit additional abounding than others and so we'd like to
contemplate material deficiency, the harm to atmosphere from extraction of those materials and if the
resource is unbroken among Circular Economy principles. Environmental property mustn't be confused
with full property that additionally ought to balance economic and social factors
14. Discuss the feasible solutions proposed for the Telecommunications Sustainability?

1. The use of power efficient technologies is important not only because power efficient equipment is able to
save over 80% of power currently consumed in the telecommunications industry but also because power shortage
is a real problem in the underdeveloped world, hindering social and economic development.
2. As power generation from fossil fuels is not sustainable, the generation of power by smart energy sources such
as solar, wind, tidal, hydroelectric, and other sustainable means is crucial to underpin a cleaner industrial
development. The main problems of these sources are the uncertainty of their availability and difficulty of use
due to the lack of effective power storage methods.
3. Power saving in telecom equipment and infrastructure is essential to take on an increasing energy demand.
Power saving
and storing not only need to be improved, but also the wattage of the devices should be decreased. Accordingly,
corporate environmental responsibility must target new promising technologies. Storage area networks and
efficient storage methods play a key role in the future. Solar power enabled devices and systems are emerging
from new research. However, this must grow faster
than the growth of the telecommunication sector itself, which is not the case currently.
4. High-capacity core networks reduce the common traffic congestion found in local and metro area networks.
Although they are expensive, they do have a longer life span and better performance, which make them attractive
in telecommunications. Such high capacity and high-speed core networks can lead to a better efficiency in the
wireless spectrum

14.Analyse the strategies adopted by AIRTEL / BSNL/VODAPHONE/IDEA to sustain their operations. (6

marks)