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O P I N I O N
A successful sustainability plan should formalize your approach for continuous improvement and help you build on what you are already doing in three key areas. People, the environment, finances
S ome people hear the word sustainability and immediately think “environment,” but that’s just a single facet of what sustainability means. Ultimately, the ability to sustain is the ability to continue. To move forward, we must always push for improvement. This concept inherent in sustainability touches every aspect of a company, not just the environmental side.
Jen Wolchansky
WHERE ARE WE NOW? WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? A successful sustainability plan should formalize your approach for continuous improvement and help you build on what you are already doing. It should focus on three elements: people, the “Sustainability is about creating something that will last into the future. As professional engineers, planners, and architects, it is our responsibility to plan for and foster a sustainable path forward.”
WHY DOES SUSTAINABILITY MATTER? It is necessary for any responsible AEC company to not only reduce its negative impact, but also positively influence the world we all live in. Progress should be measured not only by profit and market share, but by a company’s impact on and enhancements to our environment and society. At its core, sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. If we want our company to continue to be a positive force into the future, we must focus on the environment, yes – but we also must take care of our finances, our people, and our communities. “Take care of people, do the right thing, do what makes sense” – these are words Mead & Hunt strives to live by in our work.
Kate Andrus
See JEN WOLCHANSKY & KATE ANDRUS, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER October 21, 2019, ISSUE 1317
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