"Sustainability" can be a difficult concept for many
to understand. This is not surprising, since it can assume a
variety of meanings when viewed from different
perspectives.
Some people focus on the impacts on the environment, society,
the economy and future generations. Their perspective focuses
almost entirely on negative impacts - the damage that has
occurred. Many people have begun to tune out these negative
portrayals. We need something that provides a more positive
approach.
By adopting the perspective of an "organization," we
can find opportunities to operate responsibly in a way to benefit
all the stakeholders. Let's try to define sustainability
in this way:
"Sustainability is the capability of an organization to
transparently manage its responsibilities for environmental
stewardship, social well-being, and economic prosperity over the
long term while being accountable to its
stakeholders."
