Better than one in three U.S. business leaders say their companies' green efforts give them a leg up on the competition, according to a new survey conducted by Zogby International for Cisco.
Forty-two percent of execs say their companies' environmental and energy-efficiency programs help differentiate them from competitors. A further 30% say that, while such programs both save money and streamline operations, they "only somewhat" help businesses differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
By far the biggest trend in corporate energy efficiency is green IT, the survey finds. Nearly 60% of business leaders are looking to IT to transform how their companies manage energy use and other environmental performance issues. More than half (54%) say their companies are now much more likely to buy IT products that will help their sustainability efforts.
"This survey demonstrates that U.S. business leaders see technology as a viable tool for addressing cost and environmental concerns, especially as they try to maximize their IT investments," says Cisco SVP Laura Ipsen.
Nearly one in three survey respondents (29%) indicate that their corporate environmental strategies will be unaffected by the current economic downturn, saying green strategy is fundamental to business strategy.
via | sustainable life media
