The Brundtland Report (1987) is the first formalization of the relationship
between development and environment: "Development is sustainable if it meets
the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs." In the sixties and seventies, economists
began to study the relationships that exist between the economic and natural
environments. Before then, standard economics had not considered the natural
capital as a factor of exhaustible production; a process accelerated by rapid
economic growth, technological innovation, and international trade.
One can underline how the integration of social responsibility into corporate
strategy is a factor of competitiveness in the market. Such an integration
internalizes the positive externalities generated, achieving the full involvement of
all stakeholders.
A prime example of this is found in the world’s leading furnishing company
IKEA. Widely regarded as one of excellence in the field of environmental
responsibility, IKEA is a Swedish company which aims to make sustainable
development the core business value. Among the company’s many activities, we
will be examining IKEA’s transportation infrastructure; as it has the greatest
impact on the environment.
The evident scarcity of natural resources, dwindling due to rapid population
growth, has made sustainable development the common objective for
contemporary economics and politics. Reducing the environmental impact through
the reduction of CO2 emission is the long-term challenge that the Swedish
multinational intends to accept, on the basis of the most advanced contributions of
social responsibility