Sustainability and Innovation

Implementing sustainability measures is a complex task involving management of supply chain risk factors such as scarce resources, social and labor problems, and subcontractor oversight. Despite the known potential to improve productivity and cost structures many companies are finding it difficult to successfully implement sustainable measures.

As stated on each of their Web sites, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines purport to be engaged in sustainable best practices and innovation. Review each company's official standpoint on sustainability and environmental reports at the following:

• Southwest Airlines. Environmental initiatives: Environmental stewardship.

• American Airlines. Protecting the environment.

Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet research the two airlines.

Compare and contrast the business practices of the two organizations and the value they place on sustainability. Cover the following in your comparative analysis:

• Examine the sustainability best practices that the organizations are engaged in or are planning to adopt and their perceived meaning to the organizations.

• Describe the innovation types and processes the organizations have formulated or are formulating.

• Provide a hypothesis on the reasons why the innovation types might have been the focus. Explain whether or not you believe they have been successful in their sustainability endeavors.