Rolling out Green Coated Paperboard at the WestRock Company: Choosing Between Three Viable Strategic Alternatives

This case examines how sustainability can be utilized in strategic decision making by considering whether the WestRock Company (WRK) should enter the green coated paperboard market segment with a strategy of paperboard production only, fully integrated paperboard production and conversion, or by partnering with an exclusive provider for paperboard conversion/marketing. Producing and converting paperboard ensured that WRK could protect their reputation for sustainability but required WRK to shoulder all resource commitments. Paperboard production only required fewer resources, but left both their reputation for developing innovative, sustainable offerings and the success of green coated paperboard in the hands of the marketplace. A partnership option required fewer resources and provided more control, but it relied completely on one exclusive partner to convert/market the new offering and help maintain WRK’s hard-earned reputation for developing sustainable products.