August/September Business View Magazine

98 99 standards. The problem is that the vast majori- ties of companies out there, either don’t have the knowledge or the bandwidth to do this kind of work properly; or they have the mindset that all of this environmental stuff is an annoyance that regulators put on us.” As worthy a cause as helping to protect the environment may be, da Silva understands that the bottom line for all businesses is making a profit. And, in this regard, he maintains that working sustainably is just as beneficial from an economic standpoint. “If done properly, there are plenty of examples of companies that either grew a lot because of their sustainable profile, or have saved money,” he reports. “For example, in terms of growing, there’s a company called Method Products that makes detergents and soaps. It was founded by two guys who decided to make per- sonal care products that were more sustainable than what was out there. So, they started using different types of packaging that were better, and they built a multi-billion-dollar company on the back of that. Ten years ago, Clorox decided to test the sustainability market and put out Greenworks, a brand of cleaning products, which, in one year, went from nothing to $600 million in sales. On the cost-saving side –one of our clients is Kim- berly-Clark, which has publicly stated that by consistently managing energy saving and waste optimization projects, by way of one of our soft- ware products, they were able to validate over $50 million dollars of savings in internal invest- ments, in a short period of time.” da Silva says that the biggest up-and-coming topic within the sustainability space –particu- larly in Europe, but also now coming into play in the U.S.- is known as the “circular economy.”“It comes from the realization that we don’t recycle the waste that we generate,” he remarks. “We extract raw materials from the earth, and then the products, like plastic waste, go in landfills or the ocean. So, the concept of circular economy is being introduced where the incentive is to use more recyclable content in products and design THINKSTEP © 2018 USForex Inc. dba OFX. All rights reserved. OFX is a registered trade name of USForex Inc., NMLS #1021624 in most, but not all states USForex Inc. dba OFX is licensed and regulated as a money transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. To verify and view a complete list of our licenses, please visit https:// www.ofx.com/en-us/legal/state-licensing/. This is not intended to serve as a business solicitation for residents of Nevada. *Occasionally, third-party banks may deduct a fee from your transfer before paying your recipient. This fee may vary and OFX receives no portion of it. GLOBAL MONEY TRANSFERS Money transfers your business can bank on OFX can get you the most from your international transfers, no matter how big or small. Experience competitive rates, no OFX fees*, 24/7 global customer support and a range currency management tools. Streamline your transfers and control your costs today! COST EFFECTIVE WHERETHE WORLD’SMOVING WHERETHE WORLD’SMOVING PERSONAL SIMPLE For more information visit: www.ofx.com/businessview them in a way where they can be disassem- bled into different materials to be recycled; or extending the lifetime use of a product, or the intensity by which those products are being used.” He adds that part of the com- pany’s mission is to continue educating its clients, and prospective clients, on how to do these types of evaluations. “We operate in a very niche area,” da Silva concludes. “We work with companies that are trying to make a better planet. It’s a daunting task. But, what I found is that, in almost every country, there are good people who are trying to do the good thing, but they don’t know how. And that’s what we are here for; to take those companies on their journey towards a more sustainable planet.” PREFERRED VENDOR n OFX www.ofx.com/businessview OFX is a leading international currency exchange service for consumers and businesses transferring large dollar amounts across borders. OFX combines a streamlined digital experience and expert personal service with great rates so customers can transact across borders when, where and how they want at a better exchange rate.