Sustainability with a LUS(H)cious Twist

Lush logo

This generation continuously asks questions. Some of the major one’s that companies are asking revolve around sustainability. How can we become sustainable? How do we incorporate sustainability into what our company stands for? The company Lush Cosmetics has found a way to answer those questions in a very luscious manner. Lush is a company based in the UK that creates organic soaps and other body products to free consumers from chemicals typically used in such products. This company prides itself on finding ways to keep the world a healthier place. Therefore, Lush has decided to incorporate ‘CloudApps’ into their management strategy.

CloudApps is a multi-award winning sustainability program that helps companies monitor their carbon footprints. This software also covers performance management and reporting, energy management, and employee engagement along with the carbon footprint management. This system is very intriguing because it’s not only incorporating the sustainability factor for energy and waste, but it is also helping to create a sustainable and resourceful work force throughout the international company.

lush youtube backgroundBy introducing this new operational infrastructure of the company, Lush has been able to get creative in being resourceful in the companies shipping process. All of Lush’smanufacturing factories are over in Europe. This would essentially mean that shipment is not cheap and very wasteful. Instead of allowing this waste to be created, Lush took it upon them selves to find cheaper and lighter ways to fly products overseas. Most of their soaps aren’t individually packaged allowing them to ship more for a lower cost. This reduces the use of extra waste and in my opinion is the best way to ship a fairly durable mass quantity of product.

Not only has this system helped create a more resourceful company, it has also tied recycling into the companies outlook. Since recycling begins at the design, the company has invited customers to return the empty containers that are left over so that they can recycle them internally and be put towards a new container. The company even reaches out as far as asking for all of their customers empty bottle tops so that they can be melted down into a new container as well. I feel that Lush is doing a sensational job with this. They have cut down on packaging by 62% just by taking advantage of recycling!

Monitoring the carbon and operational infrastructures of the company has also influenced regulations and reputation for the company. Pressures on employees to recycle and think resourceful have made an even bigger impact on what the company can give back lush_cosmetic_product_shot1.28sweui6r78kcc804wgsk0gsg.5r15frdicg4kos40gwk400wsw.thto the environment. The company uses the CloudApps to decide what employees get specific bonuses based on how much they are recycle and energy consumption. It is shocking how one little change can help a company produce a number of healthier environments. They have shaped the work environment of the company as well as taken ethical actions in producing a healthier global environment.

Do you think that this approach to their staff will back fire one day? Is the need to monitor and reward the future of management? In comparison to “The Skies TheLimit” spaghetti and marshmallow project, do you think that if we (students) would perform differently if were told about a reward for the highest and most stable tower? How does this act sustainability take part in a better future for other companies?

 

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/04/20/lush-cosmetics-taps-the-cloud-to-track-its-carbon-footprint/

http://www.cloudapps.com/product-overview/

United Airlines: Quality Taking Off or Crash Landing?

In recent years, the United Airlines Company has fallen drastically in terms of Quality. Complaint after complaint United continued to try new approaches to improve user and product based qualities. As a result of their changes, they received a ranking of dead last in AirlineQuality Ratings. United is arguing this ranking of 2012 but I would love to hear what you all have to say after reading this blog post.

As we know, United Airlines reputation had plummeted after previous unfortunate events. This has had a huge impact on their quality as a company. They have been forced into the dead last position and now they are tryingdifferent approaches to fly their way to the top. The initiatives that United is implementing include sharpening performance, enhancing passengers experience and making service more responsive. The stigma of their reputation has haunted them throughout the years, but let’s see if the initiatives are taking off, or if the Airline Quality Ratings ranking is accurate.

The judging process of this ranking system is based off four key areas including “on-time arrivals, mishandled bags, rate of passengers bumped off overbooked flights, and the number of customer complaints.” Seeing as the complaint rates have doubled in the past year, I am guessing that United is wrong in what they have claimed to be doing. It appears that the features and conformance that it takes to have high quality ratings guide the performance of their product quality. The only place that they are visibly making an effort to improve is their status is by hiring more full-time reservations agents that angry customers use to vent about their frustrations! As an occasional United flier, I can say that I have seen an improvement in numbers but not an improvement in quality.

United Airlines has taken initiative to improve company quality through thte usage of social media initiatives. Mark Krolik, the Director of Marketing and Product Development stated, “Anyone who’s tweeted at United and gotten their problem resolved is someone who isn’t standing in line at the airport service counter.” This sums up the companies value in quality. They are not succeeding transcendentally. Rather, they are taking the bare minimum initiatives and hiring individuals for venting purposes as opposed to hiring individuals to make improvements.

Although it might appear that United is only making minimal changes, two out of three of their initiatives are being fulfilled through these simple differences. Many individuals have had great experiences in finding alternatives to cancelled or delayed flights and taking advantage of social media has also helped individuals stay calm in hectic times. The key to this ease in customer frustration revolves around loyalty and quick responses. For example, an individual with a delayed flight was so frustrated that she directly tweeted at united and told them about her angers. They responded promptly to her tweet giving her options around her delay but a service representative had already helped her. United even goes above and beyond by following up on tweets even if there is no need to. They are going above the expectations of quality responsive services through social media acts such as this one.

 

What do you all believe? Does United Airlines deserve the “dead last” ranking that they received? Through your own experiences or simply through this text, please let me know if you think they could be doing more or if they are dong enough in this first step of regaining loyalty and reputation.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/04/united_airlines_says_2012_airl.html