In 2005 Walmart made history when then-CEO Lee Scott announced a bold sustainability strategy that would impact every aspect of its business. Along the way business researchers from the University of South Carolina and the University of Arkansas were given unprecedented access to study the process. A three-year project has culminated into a series of case studies, available online, that will be used to teach business students and executives about sustainability and business development.

Big business could be saving millions of dollars per year - a full margin point or more - on their indirect spend: areas like IT, logistics, marketing, and energy that may not be a part of a business's core product, but have a big impact on the bottom line.

Reusable totes with innovative refrigerants inside have reduced returns of costly pharmaceuticals and helped to guarantee patient safety.

Working closely with Haesaerts Intermodal and Procter & Gamble, Dow Chemical Co. implemented a multifaceted plan for significantly reducing its carbon footprint caused by the movement of a crucial chemical from France to Russia.

As I waited to pay for my groceries the other day, a manager instructed a novice bagger on the art of separating lighter items, like the eggs, from heavier ones, such as a 12-pack of canned dog food. Like to like, the boss said; that way stuff doesn't get crushed on the ride home.