November, 2011

Go Green Path to Effectiveness

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The question of what actually constitutes a green lifestyle, and how it should be brought into practical situations is a common thought. Environment–consumption relationship in the postmodern consumer consumption spectrum and its relationship with the green behavior depend mostly on the consumer lifestyle. However, that consumption styles representing lifestyle have a notable effect on green commitment, which was measured in this study by certain consumption-, related attitudes. Also greenness is characterized by postmodern lifestyle features, because those elements had more influence on green commitment than socio-economic variables. It appeared that lifestyle-based factors were best able to explain the variance in green commitment measures of environmental behavior. As expected, consumption styles had a major effect on green behavior, while traditional measures of respondents’ backgrounds did not clarify so well green purchase choices or consumption. This means that when it comes to green issues, individual consumption choices are influenced not only by socioeconomic factors, but also by many other forces striving to affect consumers. However, it is important to note that social background factors could explain a significant, if minor, amount of green commitment. It is worth keeping in mind also, that lifestyles and identity formation are not only a matter of choice or identity construction.

Green Near Us:  As part of the major step to protect the country’s environment and promoting the green activities across UAE the government is taking initiatives by several awareness campaigns. Now UAE government has set a deadline for Go Green. They have instructed to stop the use of harmful material; manufacturers of plastic bags will have until the end of the year 2011 to register their products as biodegradable, according to a deadline set by the Ministry of Environment and Water. Dr Mariam Al Shenasi, Executive Director at the Ministry said to Gulf News, “Forty-eight per cent of private sector companies in the UAE, such as supermarkets, that use plastic bags have already switched to biodegradable bags in line with a federal decree issued in 2009 to rid the UAE of plastic bags by 2013”

One must also bear in mind that consumption choices are buried in the social goings-on of everyday life. Although many of the consumers of Western societies are aware of environmental problems and the impact that their own behavior has on the environment, favoring green products at an attitudinal level is often an expression of going along with social standards, which govern the appropriate and expected ways in which things ought to be done in a culture.

September, 2011

Green Marketing

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NOT A MYTH


Unfortunately, a majority of people believe that Green Marketing refers solely to the promotion or advertising of products with environmental characteristics. Terms like Phosphate Free, Recyclable, Refillable, Ozone Friendly, and Environmentally Friendly are some of the things consumers most often associate with Green Marketing. While these terms are Green Marketing claims, they are actually a part of a much broader concept, one that can be applied to consumer goods, industrial goods and services.


For example, around the world there are resorts that are beginning to promote themselves as “ecotourism” facilities, i.e., facilities that “specialize” in experiencing nature or operating in a fashion that minimizes their environmental impact. Thus Green Marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. Yet defining green marketing is not a simple task. Indeed the terminology used in this area has varied, it includes: Green Marketing, Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing.


However, Green or Environmental Marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment.


It appears that all types of consumers, both individual and industrial are becoming more concerned and aware about the natural environment. In a study of 16 countries, more than 50% of consumers in each country indicated they were concerned about the environment. Green marketing covers more than a firm’s marketing claims. While firms must bear much of the responsibility for environmental degradation, ultimately it is consumers who demand goods, and thus create environmental problems. One example of this is where McDonald’s is often blamed for polluting the environment because much of their packaging finishes up as roadside waste. It must be remembered that it is the uncaring consumer who chooses to dispose of their waste in an inappropriate fashion. While firms can have a great impact on the natural environment, the responsibility should not lay with them alone.


Ultimately Green Marketing requires that consumers want a cleaner environment and are willing to pay for it, possibly through higher priced goods, modified individual lifestyles, or even governmental intervention. Until this occurs it will be difficult for firms alone to lead the Green Marketing revolution.

June, 2011

The Dubai Center for Special Needs – Dubai Charity Centre

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The inaugural clothing drive at CSS occurred in March 2011. It was a great achievement as employees from different offices in the United Arab Emirates contributed on a large scale and we were able to collect the clothes, which weighed approximately 225 kgs. CSS senior management has always supported these activities to cultivate the culture in employees to be socially responsible. The collection of clothes has been donated to The Dubai Center for Special Needs-Dubai Charity Centre for onward distribution to those who are less fortunate. On May 31st, 2011 with the support of CSS Homeward Bound (Personal Effects Management of CSS) the clothing was transported to The Dubai Center for Special Needs-Dubai Charity Centre and handed over to Elizabeth Operations Supervisor & Delhna Cama Public Relations Coordinator.

Amith Horra Marketing Manager, CSS and Deepu S Dev Marketing Coordinator represented CSS Group for the CSR initiative.  “We are pleased to be associated with The Dubai Center for Special Needs and we look forward to engaging in other activities to continually build upon our CSR initiatives at CSS. I would like to thank everyone involved in the clothing drive because without your support this would not be possible,” added Amith Horra.

The Dubai Center for Special Needs is an established, non-profitable institution that provides the highest standards of service in specialized education and therapy, for children with various disabilities.  It is a caring environment, largely dependent on the generosity of the local communities and corporations.  Its aim is to provide each and every one of its students the key to a positive life, thereby “Lighting the path to a brighter future”. They provide academic assistance and after that concentrate on prevocational training taking them to various organizations within Dubai for work experience and finally help them to gain employment within the community and to take their rightful place in this world which is their moral right.

June, 2011

Twinkle twinkle little star…

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The little faces were all lit up when they got new bags and umbrellas on the very first day of this school year at the Government Lower Primary School at Valiyaparambu, Thrikkunnappuzha. The bags and umbrellas were donated by T.S. Kaladharan, Chairman of CSS Group and Devas Group of companies. The distribution of the same was done on the 01st of June, which was the inaugural day of the academic season in Kerala by Vinod Kumar, the Grama Panchayat President of Thrikkunnappuzha. Hareendran C, Manager for Devas Farm House, Mohanan

June, 2011

Kavassery Desam Get Together

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Kavassery Desam is one of the socio-cultural organizations in UAE. It is unique in its nature due the representation of all the Kavasserians from Palakkad district in Kerala. The family consists of over 300 members who are promoting cultural and social welfare activities across the UAE. As part of the 12th anniversary celebration they organized a get together for the members at the Royal Palace Hotel Apartments. The evening showcased several activities where the member’s family as well their children performed in various cultural aspects. As per Mr. Rakesh Menon, Senior Manager, CSS Logistics, “It was a proud moment for CSS Logistics as sponsors because we were able to be part of this auspicious occasion and network with the member’s.”

June, 2011

Green Logistics

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“CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT THE PLACE FOR COMPETITION”


Logistics is the integrated management of all the activities required to move products through the supply chain. For a typical product this supply chain extends from a raw material source through the production and distribution system to the point of consumption and the associated reverse logistics. The logistical activities comprise of freight transport, storage, inventory management, materials handling and all the related information processing. The main objective of logistics is to co-ordinate these activities in a way that meets customer requirements at minimum cost. In the past this cost has been defined in purely monetary terms. As concern for the environment rises, companies must take more account of the external costs of logistics associated mainly with climate change, air pollution, noise, vibration and accidents. It is important that we examine ways of reducing these externalities and achieve a more sustainable balance between economic, environmental and social objectives.

The ‘Green Logistics’ refers to plan, control, management and implementation of the logistics system through the advanced logistics technology and environmental management, aiming to reduce the pollutant emission. According to the logistics link, the evaluation criterions of enterprise green logistics are Green Transportation, Green Storage, Green Packing, Reverse Logistics and Green Technology.

What we call ‘Green Logistics’ represents the convergence of several strands of research that began different times over the past 40 years. In these years it has developed as a an academic discipline, extending its original focus on the outbound movement of finished products – Physical distribution to companies entire transport, storage and handling systems – Integrated Logistics and then to interaction with business upstream and downstream- Supply Chain Management. Other major contextual trends includes the growth of environmental awareness, regulations, and development of national and international standards for environmental reporting and management that many companies now adopt as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes. Partly as result of these trends, the volume of statistics available to ‘Green Logistics’ researchers has greatly expanded.

In measuring the environmental effects of logistics it is important to distinguish the first order and second order impacts. The first order environmental effects are those which are directly associated with the freight transport, warehousing and material handling operations. Second order impacts results indirectly from these logistics and take various forms. For instance, the increase in air freight and other traffic is resulting from global sourcing is first order effect, where as the increase in infrastructure, such as roads, buildings in sensitive areas, is a second order effect.

A large body of survey evidence has accumulated to show that companies around the world are keen to promote their green credentials through the management of logistics. It is difficult to gauge, however this reflects a true desire to help the environment by enhancing public relations.