Sustain

In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainability was important back then, but it has never been more important than now – when the world is being challenged with climate change and a global pandemic. It has also never been more important to business, as consumers, clients, investors and employees are demanding sustainability.

Indeed, research by Oxford University has shown a correlation between good sustainability practices, lower operating costs, higher profitability and superior share price performance.

Sustainability has become a defining feature of many organisation’s commercial presence. But this is not about simply claiming to be sustainable and using it as a marketing tool, (also known as ‘greenwashing’). Instead, it is about authentically practising what you preach and demonstrating that your business is committed to having a positive impact on the environment.

The environment benefits from our business being sustainable, but it’s also important to understand the additional benefits of implementing sustainable practices into your organisation.

Those organisations who can authentically demonstrate that they are sustainable can more easily attract investors, shareholders and potential staff – and keep them. People are more likely to be attracted to organisations that have a positive effect on society and the environment. Any misdeeds will eventually come to the surface, therefore, there needs to be zero risk of this happening.

But it is not all about how you are seen by other people. It is also about the inner workings of your organisation. Sustainable operations bring with them reduced costs and waste, heightened productivity and increased ability to comply with changing regulations – all whilst have less of a negative impact on the environment.