Abstract

The case examines the sustainability practices of the US-based apparel manu-facturer Nau Inc (Nau). A start-up that was envisaged in 2004, Nau was built on the ‘green foundation’ and started selling its products in mid-2007. The founder and the core group of the company, with their wide experience in the outdoor apparel industry, designed the company from scratch based on the ethos of sustainability. They believed that companies should be responsible to the community in which they operated. Forming a part of the bylaws of the company was a set of commitments toward environmental and social responsibility, and managing the company ethically. Nau’s business model adequately addressed the social and environmental aspects of the triple bottomline. However, the economic viability of the model is yet to be proved. The case provides in-sights on how Nau challenged the established conventions in the apparel industry, relating to design, marketing, and distribution. Though Nau has established itself as a sustainable company, industry experts, however, are of the view that the sustainability of the company’s business model is a point to deliberate on.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand sustainability as a corporate strategy with reference to incorporation and operation of Nau
• Understand the challenges faced by start-ups and ways to overcome them
• Evaluate the methods by which companies can use sustainability as a competitive advantage
• and Appreciate the emerging trend among the companies to assume broader responsibility toward the environment and society

Keywords

Nau Inc, Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, Green Foundation, Triple Bottomline, Environmental Responsibility, Business Activism, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Eco-friendly Products, Code of Conduct, Webfront, Distribution , Corporate Philanthropy, Giving Wall, Partners for Change, Environmental Protection Agency, Code of Corporate Citizenship, Rules of Corporate Responsibility, Design Philosophy