What is Sustainability?

In 1987, the Brundtland Commission, set up by the United Nations defined Sustainability as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is a balance between environmental, social equity, and economic demands. The United Nations has developed a set of 17 sustainable development goals. The SDGs cover sustainable development topics relevant to companies – such as poverty, health, education, climate change and environmental problems. The SDGs can help to connect business strategies with global priorities.

We’ve realized that in order to meet our own needs and ensure that our children and our children’s children can meet their needs, we need to make a fundamental shift to a way of life in which we consider the impacts of how we live and do business. Sustainability is about ensuring that decisions made today will give the ability for future generations to have the same, or even better, quality of life as we do. It's about creating solutions that won't end up being tomorrow's problems. This means we need to bring into our daily decision making the impacts that our actions have, and not just economic indicators, but also social and environmental impacts. These three things are crucial for a healthy and successful society. Sustainability is about creating long-lasting prosperity for all people and our planet. And it’s not just about money – prosperity means everyone can enjoy a fulfilling life, and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.

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