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EI 101: First-Year Business Experience 2024-25 (all sections): Sustainability

Research Tips and Resources for EI 101

Tips

To develop an idea for a product or service that addresses a sustainability issue, start with the same resources you used for your individual research assignment earlier in the semester.  For example:

  • Find information about sustainability issues in a public company's Form 10-K. 
  • Search the corporate website.  Many companies have reports on their websites to describe their sustainability efforts. 
  • Go to industry trade sites for ideas and use the website's search box to look up keywords.  See trade sites linked below. 
  • Two business databases that will let you filter your search results to trade publications are Business Source Complete and One Business. Both are linked below.
  • The Mintel database has many research reports on sustainability issues in the food industry.  For example, see the report on "Sustainability in Food and Drink."  Try keyword searches in Mintel to find other reports. Also look under the "Trend Drivers" menu in Mintel and then go to "Surroundings" for special reports on sustainability. 
  • Statista is another database with reports on sustainability issues.
  • Wall Street Journal:  If you Google for WSJ articles, enter your keyword(s) and then the search operator "site." Example:  food sustainability site:wsj.com

Selected Keywords for Research

Combine these with keywords that describe the industry, such as fast food, foodservice, food processing, etc.

  • Corporate Responsibility OR Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Eco-Friendly 
  • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) 
  • Food Safety
  • Food Sustainability 
  • Green Business 
  • Green Initiatives
  • Locally Sourced
  • Recycling
  • Sustainable Packaging
  • Sustainable Practices
  • Sustainability

Trade Sources

E-Books

Databases

CONTACT

Email Butler University Libraries
Irwin Library: 317-940-9227
Science Library: 317-940-9937

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