What do we mean by sustainability?
It is tempting to think that sustainability is all about climate change. That is an important part of it, but sustainability is about more than climate alone. It is about whether an organisation can continue to do what it does, remaining profitable, whilst avoiding having a detrimental impact on the society around it and on the environment. People often use the shorthand: profits, people and planet. Many countries have introduced increasingly tight rules to protect the environment, employee welfare or the well-being of the communities that interact with businesses.
Fines and penalties are one obvious direct consequence of breaking those rules, but businesses can suffer in other ways too. Investors who take sustainability seriously will shun such companies, as will customers. It may take a very long time to recover from reputational damage.
Sustainability is about more than climate change alone.
SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE | WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SUSTAINABILITY?
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