Drilling Down on Sustainability

So you think you know what sustainability means? While the general definition is widely understood, there are many facets of sustainability that are not as well known. Understanding sustainability is more important now than ever and it is essential that we comprehend the different definitions and applications. 

In the absence of sensible leadership from Republicans and the newly elected president of the United States, sustainability is our best hope to keep growing the green economy. Business leaders know that administrations come and go, but sustainability is here to say.


An enduring and widely applicable definition of sustainability can be found in the 1987 Brundtland Commission report titled  "Our Common Future." The report defined sustainable development as, "meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

A more recent definition of sustainability is defined by the Conference Board as follows: "The pursuit of a business growth strategy that creates long-term shareholder value by seizing opportunities and managing risks related to the company’s environmental and social impacts."

Here are some other definitions of sustainability and related subjects:

Six Types of Sustainability
Glossary of Sustainability Acronyms and Abbreviations
Understanding Sustainability: Forging a Comprehensive Definition
Sustainability (Sustainable) Defined
Sustainable Business as Defined by Paul Hawken
Sustainable Development Defined
Sustainable Production Defined
Primer on Four Economic Systems and their Environmental Implications
Environmental Implications of Three Types of Economies: Brown, Blue and Green
Should Green Apply to the Brown Economy?

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