Sustainability Analysis and Development

'There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but there is always enough time to do it over if it is wrong'

Max Wideman

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is essentially a link between the environment, the economy, social and cultural factors.

What is Sustainable Development?

Sustainable development looks at the relationship between people, communities and organisations with the environment. It is concerned with promoting the protection of the environment and creating wealth. Sustainable Development ensures that current needs can be met without creating a negative impact on future generations and their ability to meet their own needs.

Responsible use of resources and the introduction of limits are essential if we are to sustain human communities, organisations and economies.  The following objectives should be met:

• Minimise risk of environmental damage arising from lack of or incomplete knowledge.
• Maintain the mechanisms by which natural processes operate (Ecological sustainability).
• To maintain acceptable and equitable levels of organisational community well being (Socio and Cultural sustainability).
• To achieve long term economic stability for the organisation community (Economic sustainability).

In some circumstances short term disbenefits might be acceptable to achieve longer term benefits. It may be possible to implement a strategy that in the short term could be counter to one of the sustainable development principles but over the longer term would be sustainable. Careful consideration therefore needs to be given to the context of the situation.

Benefits of Sustainable Development

Benefits to the organisation:

• Organisations that practice sustainable development can form 'niche' enterprises and product lines that provide more jobs and wealth.
• Increased product or service value by providing benefits to customers in terms of receiving the same quality of product with fewer materials and less resources.
• Sustainable use of renewable resources maintains employment, trade, exports and product development.
• Sustainable operations enhance research and technology development, spur innovation and result in the development of export opportunities.

Benefits to the community:

• Promotes equity between groups within society, which creates more consumers for the products and services produced by organisations.
• Creates employment within the local community.
• Promotes a sense of pride in business providing incentive for employees to stay with the company.

Benefits to the environment:

• Slowing the rate of climate change by reducing the production of greenhouse gases.
• Improving air quality.
• Reducing contamination and the cost of associate clean-up and legal charges.
• Waste diversion and use of recycled materials.
• Minimising risk to eco-systems.

Benefits to the economy:

• Programs designed to resolve environmental problems and limit resource depletion will help maintain economically and environmentally sustainable growth.
• Involves local people and provides them with rewarding, immediate work, income, and education.
• Waste reduction, energy efficiency and pollution prevention make economic sense in the following terms of cost savings, increased efficiency and better use of tax.

Application of Sustainable Development at a Strategic Level

Value Solutions believes that a robust organisational program of sustainable development objectives and strategies can be easily incorporated within a Corporate Environmental Policy, Service Delivery Strategy and Environmental Strategic Plan benefiting the organisation in terms of whole life cost effectiveness, efficiency, and reputation. The outline Sustainable Development Framework is depicted below (adapted and modified from NSW Government TAM Manual).