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Amanco: Developing the Sustainability Scorecard

Company: Amanco
Publisher: Harvard
Call Number: 9-107-038
Year Published: 2008

The case describes the challenges of using the Balanced Scorecard to implement a triple-bottom-line strategy for delivering excellent economic, environmental, and social performance. The owners and senior executive team of Amanco, a producer of plastic pipe and complete water treatment systems, want strong financial returns but are also deeply committed to improving the environment and making a difference in people's lives. Robert Salas, CEO, wants a management system that communicates and motivates Amanco's three high-level goals.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
How can Amanco develop and implement an effective measuring stick for its sustainability that will lead to effective managerial strategies?

Website where case study can be found:
http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/product_detail.seam?E=1596&R=107038-PDF-ENG&conversationId=1790366

A Model of Clean Energy Entrepreneurship in Africa: E+Co's Path to Scale

Company: E+Co
Publisher: Ivey
Call Number: 907M59
Year Published: 2009

The founder and executive director of E+Co faces the challenge of ten-fold growth and reviews the core parts of the company's innovative business model, the changes in the energy markets around the world, and the rationale for local solutions to energy scarcity and inefficiency. Also presented is a set of entrepreneurial growth strategies that preserve the core of the model - i.e., simultaneously tackling energy poverty and energy waste, and bringing people up the energy ladder with locally suitable and affordable solutions.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
challenge of ten-fold growth and reviews the core parts of the company's innovative business model, the changes in the energy markets around the world, and the rationale for local solutions to energy scarcity and inefficiency

Website where case study can be found:
http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/product_detail.seam?E=59126&R=907M59-PDF-ENG&conversationId=108186

Honey Care Africa: A Tripartite Model for Sustainable Beekeeping

Company: Honey Care Africa
Publisher: Ivey
Call Number: 9B07M060
Year Published: 2009

The director and co-founder of Honey Care Africa (Honey Care) looks back over the six years of operations and describes the original business model and several sequential changes based on feedback from rural communities, partner organizations, and learning by doing through field operations. The case tackles alternative routes for scaling up the model in East Africa. Students are presented with several specific challenges which illustrate the growing tension between Honey Care's original commitment to the farmers and its prospects for international take-off, and are asked to propose alternative model reconfigurations to resolve this tension.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
Potential opportunities and challenges in replicating the Honey Care model elsewhere

Website where case study can be found:
http://caseplace.org/d.asp?d=358

Kiva vs MYC4-Business Model Innovation in Social Lending

Company: Kiva, MYC4
Publisher: INSEAD, ECCH
Call Number: 809-024-1
Year Published: 2009

The case describes the launch, growth and current challenges of two innovative ventures in the nascent social lending market. Kiva is based on good-will while MYC4 is based on market incentives. Which model is more likely to succeed?

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
Which model is more likely to succeed?

Website where case study can be found:
http://www.caseplace.org/d.asp?d=4353

Towards a Sustainable Model and Ecological Integrity in South Africa

Company: Londolozi - KNP
Publisher: Harvard
Call Number: 9-709-001
Year Published: 2008

The Londolozi game viewing reserve in South Africa became a defining icon of ecotourism during the 1990s and early 2000s--that is, a tourist business promoting ecological land management and, at the same time, local economic development. The Sabi Sand Game reserve (within which Londolozi was located) was initially created by the government to provide hunters with an area in which to hunt wildlife. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the farms within the Sabi Sand Game reserve converted their functions from hunting to wildlife viewing, and the fence was taken down.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
The new challenge for the farms while transforming into wildlife viewing became land management and local economic development

Website where case study can be found:
http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/product_detail.seam?E=46698&R=709001-PDF-ENG&conversationId=107842

Corporate Citizenship and Sustainable Community Development: Fostering Multi-Sector Collaboration in Magadi Division in Kenya

Company: Magadi Soda Company
Publisher: ICCSR
Call Number: N/A
Year Published: 2007

This paper explores Magadi Soda Company’s efforts to initiate a multi-sector collaboration to facilitate sustainable community development in Magadi division in Kenya. A narrative is presented of the process that led to the design of a community development plan intended to be the development blueprint guiding all actors (non-governmental organisations, the community, the government and Magadi Soda Company) operating in Magadi division.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
How to tackle complex social problems of deprived communities?

Website where case study can be found:
http://caseplace.org/d.asp?d=5437

The SEKEM Initiative

Company: SEKEM
Publisher: IESE Business School
Call Number: 0-304-072
Year Published: 2004

Sekem was founded by Ibrahim Abouleish, an Egyptian who had been living, studying and working in Austria prior to his return to Egypt in 1977, the year he established Sekem. In 2003 it consisted of three main parts: the Sekem group of companies, the Egyptian Society for Cultural Development and the Cooperative of Sekem Employees, together employing more than 2,000 people. This case portrays the complex set of circumstances that frames Sekem's decisions to further grow and develop the initiative along its historical path of holistic development in the social, economic and cultural spheres.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
To initiate holistic development able to create economic, social and cultural value in a sustainable manner.

Website where case study can be found:
http://www.caseplace.org/d.asp?d=427

Tennant Company: Can “Chemical-Free” Be a Pathway to Competitive Advantage?

Company: Tennant
Publisher: Ivey
Call Number: 9B12M020
Year Published: 2012

The Tennant Company case is one that describes a floor-cleaning company that differentiated itself by introducing chemical-free cleaning equipment. Not only did it strategically evolve as an environmentally responsible sustainable business, it also used that same principle to its competitive advantage. By marketing its products as equally effective in performance, competitive in price and better for the environment, the revamp was a success to all involved parties.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
Is a proven technology without any trades-off enough of a business proposition to meet customers’ expectations, investors’ ambitions, and the company’s goals? And if so, where do you draw the line?

Website where case study can be found:
https://www.iveycases.com/ProductView.aspx?id=53837

Sustainability at Tetra Pak: Recycling Post-Consumer Cartons

Company: Tetra Pak
Publisher: Ivey
Call Number: 9B12M069
Year Published: 2012

Tetra Pack India aimed to uphold its image of an environmentally responsible company by meeting its goals for recycling post consumer cartons (PCC). While Tetra Pack’s ‘Renew’, ‘Reduce’, ‘Recycle’, ‘be Responsible’ philosophy succeeded in other regions of the world, the particular geographical, socioeconomic and political climate in India posed various challenges. Tetra Pak India’s team redefined its strategy by forging partnerships and alliances with non-governmental organizations, scrap dealers, rag-pickers, commercial establishments and organizations that champion the cause of the environment.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
With ever-changing mindsets, increasing regulations and growing customer expectations, how can Tetra Pak face the future challenges to ensure that its success from the PCC recycling initiative can be sustained and scaled up?

Website where case study can be found:
https://www.iveycases.com/ProductView.aspx?id=55259

Viridity Energy: The Challenge and Opportunity of Promoting Clean Energy Solutions

Company: Viridity Energy, Inc.
Publisher: Ivey
Call Number: 9B12M035
Year Published: 2012

Viridity Energy, a smart grid company, is engaged in sustainability for two reasons. On one hand, it finds profitable opportunities by helping its customers cut energy bills. And on the other hand, it’s getting credit for that environmental responsibility. This case highlights the challenges and opportunities of smart grid companies to promote clean energy solutions, especially the challenge of doing less harm to include progressively greater eco-effectiveness in competitive markets.

What is the dilemma or tough decision?
Will consuming fewer ‘dirty’ watts be enough of an objective in a future facing rising societal expectations and competitors offering similar benefits?

Website where case study can be found:
https://www.iveycases.com/ProductView.aspx?id=54018