Sustainability:  What is it and why is it important?

Some may consider sustainability to be a buzzword popularized as the effects of climate change become more apparent. For Protellus, it is more than a buzzword, it’s a core value. But what does sustainability mean exactly? What does it mean to be a sustainable business or to lead sustainable lives?

There are three major components to true sustainability, according to the Sustainable Development Agenda from the United Nations : environmental protections, economic growth, and social inclusion.

Environmental Protections

Due to the current state of environmental and ecological changes, environmental protections is what we often think of when discussing sustainability. This dimension emphasizes the conservation and restoration of the natural resources required to sustain life.

Environmental protections can include actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , protect animals and their habitats, reduce water consumption, or reuse materials. These actions, whether taken by individuals, small businesses or corporations mean adopting practices and creating habits that can continue indefinitely without negatively impacting the environment.

Depending on where you are located, there are laws and regulations at multiple levels of government to define minimal standards of business and social practices to protect the environment. But there is usually much more that can be done beyond the requirements of the law.

Economic Growth

For a business to be considered sustainable in the sustainable development context, it also has to promote economic growth. That is, it has to increase the wealth that is available in the economy. This can be done by increasing the available jobs, providing livable wages, and investing in not only technology to improve productivity, but also into workers by providing education and training.

For example, it is not sustainable for businesses to produce and sell products and services if the workers involved in production are unable to meet their cost of living even if the products are produced in an environmentally sustainable manner. Workers unable to meet cost of living are more likely to become more indebted and less able to participate positively in the economy.

If new jobs are created, they are considered sustainable if those jobs stimulate the economies of the regions where they exist. In the above example, it would be more sustainable if the employees were given a living wage, provided with developmental opportunities, and have a reasonable level of job security.

Social Inclusion

Economic growth and social inclusion have similar end goals in mind. They are both about prosperity. Social development takes it a step further than economic growth. For something to be socially sustainable, it should not worsen income inequality or exacerbate disadvantages for vulnerable groups. Social inclusion is about broadening access to the increased wealth.

For a business or organization to be socially inclusive, it has to take steps to actively involve members of marginalized communities. This could mean investing in youths, women, racialized or disabled individuals. These groups are more likely to be low income , even when working.

To actively engage marginalized workers, policies should be established to break down barriers to stable, gainful employment. This can take the form of anti-oppression training to ensure a hospitable environment for minorities, offering programs to train young people in a skill that will help them find future employment, making accommodations for special circumstances, or any number of strategies to promote social inclusion.

Social inclusion is just as important as economic growth and environmental protections when it comes to sustainability. Social inclusion means that lives are being changed for the better.

Marketing Sustainability Solutions

Protellus provides marketing solutions that help businesses and organizations with sustainable solutions to grow, thrive and create positive change. If your organization provides solutions to at least one dimension of sustainability, we invite you to contact usto discuss how we can work together to expand your reach and impact.