Autumn 2022 Buffalo Business 13
energy sector is, of course, one example; hybrid and electric
vehicles are another.
In the late '90s, Toyota and Honda were the first to invest
heavily in this space and began capturing market share at
a rapid pace, according to marketing professor Debabrata
Talukdar. Last year, hybrid and electric vehicle sales reached
record highs—and even the once-gas-guzzling Hummer was
revived as an EV.
"'Doing well by doing good' is a catchy phrase, but the
caveat was always that there needs to be a market for that
good," Talukdar says. "Society has evolved, and people are
willing to pay more for sustainable, durable products.
"If you want to do business today, you need to look at
your entire supply chain—from the source of your raw mate-
rials to your finished products, and look for strategic oppor-
tunities to incorporate sustainability," Talukdar continues.
"And, once you are in the game as a company, your competi-
tors will do it too—and if you don't continue pushing things
forward, you'll fall behind."
UB community members participated in a 2019 climate strike, alongside millions of people worldwide who walked
out of school and work to demand world leaders take action to address climate change.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
