Ridge: Sustainable Practices Should Be Seen as Investment

Former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary and Pennsylvania Governor was the keynote speaker at a conference hosted by Duquesne University in Pittsburgh Wednesday on the changing rules of sustainable business practices. Ridge brought to the discussion his expertise in security, running state government and working for the Marcellus Shale industry.
Ridge told those gathered that if sustainable practices are to be adopted by a business, the company must see it as an investment with a return rather than an expense. He says it needs to be part of a business brand and everyone from top to bottom needs to buy into the idea. Ridge says that goes for entire industries as well. He has been hired as a consultant by the Marcellus Shale Coalition and he says those companies must deal with sustainability issues in a very quick, real and public way...
"One accident, somebody trying to cut corners can tarnish it for everybody. So, there's got to be a certain amount of hopefully, self-policing and leadership within the industry itself to make sure that if you're here to be long term, 20 to 30 years to create family sustaining jobs, Pennsylvania jobs, and I want to create a platform where the industry is not grudgingly accepted but warmly embraced."

Ridge says managers need to embed sustainability as a for-profit methodology, a business process that affects the bottom line, has positive social impact and enhances stakeholder trust.