Concept or Sustainability

Gone are the days of business where the only thing that matters is the bottom line. What used to be reality is certainly on its way out the door. In the age of information, the internet, and global connectivity, corporations can no longer choose to simply ignore the negative impacts of doing business, whether they are environmental, social, or economic. In this day and age when anyone who wants to can simply hop on a computer and Google any company in the world, companies are being forced to become more aware of their impact on the earth, and society as a whole. Corporations need to view the business principle of sustainability not just as a necessity for survival, but as an opportunity to grow and expand their business while also helping the community and environment of which they are a part of. In order to be successful, sustainability needs to be practices, not just preached, and it needs to start at the very top of an organization with the CEO and top executives and go all of the way down to the hourly employees running machinery and pushing brooms in a plant.

The concept or sustainability essentially means that a corporation needs to work to meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations to be able to meet their own needs when that time comes. In other words, it is no longer acceptable to ignore the environmental impact that certain products or processes may have on the delicate ecosystems and overall health of the earth. It is not acceptable to exploit third world people, countries, or resources for short-term personal and financial gain. Companies need to realize that if their products or processes rely on non-renewable resources, that eventually these resources will dwindle and run out, and as that happens, not only will costs go up, but they will be forced to investigate and find replacements for these resources. By being proactive instead of reactive to these situations, corporations can give themselves an opportunity to be ahead of the curve in their specific industry. This is essentially the idea that the best defense is a good offense. Instead of spending time and money on advertising, and fighting against critics of the corporation, investigate using these resources into solving the issues and eliminating or improving on the specific things that the critics are complaining about. This can allow the corporation to be ahead of almost certain impending regulations and tighter government standards designed to protect and preserve the environment and its valuable natural resources. As more light is shined on these sensitive situations, and public awareness is raised through the increased ease of spreading information, both positive and negative, corporations can stand to either "win" or "lose" big in the course of public opinion. Companies that look more to the future, and decide to make sustainability a priority, stand to gain a competitive advantage over their