Capsicum Pro Audio is a company that embraces the Three Pilars of Sustainability.
Economic Sustainability
Social Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
As an owner of Capsicum Pro Audio, I believe that these core principals are key to the success and growth of the company and its peoples. Without them, I believe that Capsicum Pro Audio would be just another company with a negative impact in its markets and communities.
I believe that a company goal should not be profit alone. A company is a tool to improve the quality of life for its people, and community (locally and globally).
Economic:
As a company we are in business to make a profit, just like every other business. The difference between us and many other companies, is the consideration of our actions, how we obtain, and spend our profits. How often do we consider the repercussions of maximizing our profits? A profit only driven company will often exploit people, heavily tax the environment, and have drastic consequences on communities (locally and globally) by directly and indirectly burdening them.
I often think of a community, we’ll call Anytown, that produced a widget that was sold at a Big Box store. The community of Anytown was mainly sustained by Widget Manufacturing. The comfortable living community of Anytown loved buying their locally made Widgets at unbeatable prices from their favorite Big Box store.The Big Box store decided to impose a new sale price upon Widget. This new sale price calls for Widget to drop its price by 50% to Big Box. With Big Box accounting for 85% of Widgets business, Widget is now faced with going out of business. In negotiations between Big Box and Widget, Widget is told that Smidget (#1 competitor to Widget) will meet the new price demands, and that they must comply or face loosing their largest contract. The new imposed price would force Widget to drastically reduce production costs, and not the kind of cost reductions that can be made by streamlining the manufacturing process. Widget is now exploring the possibilities of cutting its staffs wages by 42%, moving manufacturing overseas, or just plain old going out of business.
With Big Box and their goal of maximizing profits, meeting consumer demand, and competitive positioning in their market, will more than likely have a devastating affect on Anytown USA.
Obviously this scenario was not one that sustained Anytown, or caused it to grow and become a healthier more prosperous community.....
At Capsicum we strive to utilize as many local resources as we possibly can. We believe that by doing this we are creating a healthier financial, and social community. Though at times this can cost more than going to the Big Box store, there are many benefits.
Developing relationships with people in our community, who can return the business favor.
By utilizing local resources you are investing your money back into your community, by keeping those jobs in your community. If those people didn’t have those jobs in your community they wouldn’t be there to utilize your services or purchase your products. Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
Less environmental impact.. Eliminating shipping from other locations. Shipping and transportation can heavily tax the environment. Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
Supports local non-profits. Non-Profits receive 250% more funds from local small businesses than they do from large corporations.
By supporting local businesses you are making better use of local taxes. Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.
Capsicum has developed a strong national and regional network of service providers that we can utilize in the various communities that we provide our services to. We do understand that we travel to provide our services in other communities, as not many communities have companies like ours, but we always try to utilize as many of their local resources as possible.
As an owner of Capsicum Pro Audio I believe that economic sustainability is vital to the growth of my company. My goal is not just economic growth year after year, but understanding that economic growth is not sustainable unless it simultaneously improves the quality of life for its owners, employees, clients, communities (locally and globally), and the environment.
Social:
As I had mentioned earlier Capsicum Pro Audio would have very little sustainable economic growth unless it coincided with our social and environmental responsibilities.
Andrew Carnegie once said, “Take away my people, but leave my factories, and soon grass will grow on the factory floors. Take away my factories, but leave my people, and soon we will have a new and better factory.” Mr. Carnegie had incredible insight into the value of his people. If Capsicum Pro Audio is not out to better the lives of it’s people, then it’s people will not be empowered to make Capsicum a better company. If Capsicum Pro Audio is not out to improve our community, then our communities will not support Capsicum with their business. It is important that we understand for sustainable social growth to take place, economical activity that is compatible with and non-destructive to the environmental and social web of life that we are a part of, must take place.
Human development and the achievement of human potential require a form of economic activity that is environmentally and socially sustainable in this and future generations.
(Canadian Public Health Association, 1992)
I also believe it is important as a leader and a business owner in my community to find ways to serve and make our community a healthier and more prosperous environment.
By volunteering your time to community organizations, one can develop a sense of purpose and meaning that is often absent in todays consumer obsessed culture.
To foster and develop a healthier social environment it is imperative that we devote some time to initiatives like peace, social justice, reducing poverty, and other forms of social equity.
As an employer I consider it to be a huge benefit to my company to hire people who serve and volunteer their time to community organizations. People who volunteer are more compassionate, better serve clients, understand hardships, and are generally solution based thinkers.
Environmental:
If we do not do our part to ensure our actions are sustainable and reduce our impact on the environment, then we will not have a place to work, live, socialize, or worship.......
At Capsicum Pro Audio we have adopted the three Rs. Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle.
I believe that the order of these Rs is very important. If we first Reduce our consumption then there is nothing to Re-Use or Recycle. After we have Reduced our consumption we Re-Use as much as possible. Imagine if you received a plastic cup as part of your combo meal, and the next time you went back to that establishment and used the cup again, you would have drastically Reduced cup consumption by Re-Using an older one.
Last of all is recycling, which is last because it should be viewed that way. A last effort. If you had already Reduced the need for consumption, and Re-Used what you already had, then the need for recycling has been reduced. Recycling can have an impact on the environment since it does require a great amount of energy.
Capsicum has adopted these tactics to reduce consumption and pollution.
1. Capsicum Pro Audio is a mainly paperless company. We do most all of our invoicing and bill paying online.
2. We no longer engage in any sort of print marketing. If we are to hand out marketing materials it will be something that is useful and reusable.
3. We discourage the use of bottled water for our staff and crew during show dates.
4. We request bio-diesel for generators on outdoor shows.
5. We utilize the latest technologies in concert production that reduce energy consumption.
6. We recycle all packaging materials, and request that our vendors utilize recycled or recyclable packaging. (NO STYROFOAM PEANUTS PLEASE!!)
