Case Study 4
“Timberland”
By: Meshal Alshatti

Question 1

It’s apparent from the story and the recent history of Timberland that it is a “green Company”. Not only it considers its customers, employees and suppliers as stakeholders, but also considers the “earth” as a stakeholder as well. Their commitments to environmental issues are second to none in the apparel industry. It’s not everyday that you hear about a company giving its employees a week’s pay to volunteer in their communities. These days, most companies have policies for sustainability and corporate social responsibilities (CSR), but I think that Timberland actually lives it.

Question 2

A) Green products sell. Timberland’s products are made from recycled material and that appeals to consumers, hence the strong sales. B) Cost savings from environmental friendly spotlights. $170K in one year in the US alone. C) Being a Green company makes it attractive for current and future employees, which means low labor turnover.

Question 3

If Timberland wants to keep it’s offshore factories they need to educate the work force as much as possible about the environmental issues, and they should make sure that they are using environmental-friendly resources to support their communities and protect the future generations. As a consultant, I suggest that they move towards re-shoring which in turn will enhance their reputation even better.
Moving jobs back home will: * Earn them benefits of economic incentives offered by communities. * Eliminate shipping