Page 32 - The Green Building Bottom Line The Real Cost of Sustainable Building

NARRATING VALUES, SHAPING VALUES, CREATING VALUE 11

Having said that, however, there are multiple roads by which a capitalist system can
respond positively to the many environmental and social ills we are facing. Both nar-
ratives can get us there. They just do so differently (and at different paces).
Adherents to the narrative of indifferent capitalism might look to government and
its use of regulations, subsidies, and suasion to change the way the game of business
is played, so as to address environmental and social justice issues more effectively. Of
course, for government to effectuate such changes, it would need to substantively
reduce the powerful lobbying influence currently exercised by the business sector on
legislation and regulation. In addition to government, there is also the factor of the
marketplace itself, which has in certain situations pushed companies toward multiple
bottom line expectations. Market forces, such as rules of commercial engagement in
a geographical region, competition within an industry, demands placed on business
from financial institutions evaluating risk exposure, and shareholder expectations, can
and do make business more responsive to and more responsible for the social and
environmental consequences of its actions.
Adherents to the narrative of capitalism with a difference tend to be more skeptical of
governmental good intent as well as of market forces to catalyze change. Instead, they
tend to place more faith (or hope) in the efforts of business either to take a higher ethi-
cal stand in its commercial dealings or to recognize that it is just plain good business
sense to move in that direction. This direction—referred to variously as a sustainable ori-
entation or a focus on the triple bottom line of economic, environmental, and social via-
bility—is one we will be referring to throughout this book as a company’s green bottom
line. The multiple roads to a green bottom line can be seen in Figure 1-1.

Capitalism
Indifferent
Capitalism with a
Difference

Governmental Market Value Right Thing to
Oversight Demands Creation Do
Strong Increase in
Regulations Geography Revenues
Industry Reduction
Suasion
Sector in Costs
Revamped Risk Reputation
Subsidies Management

Drastic Reduction of Shareholder Competitive
Corporate Influence Expectations Advantage

Brand

Figure 1.1 Multiple roads to a green bottom line.