So, what is sustainability anyway?
The environment has always been an important resource to assist in human livelihood; we utilize it and take necessary materials from it to help provide for ourselves and others. In recent years, the topic of sustainability has entered a variety of conversations covering topics such as energy usage, personal waste, pollution, and corporate emissions. But what exactly is sustainability? And why is it, as a consumer and business, important? Sustainability is defined as the use of harvesting materials in a way where they do not get depleted or permanently damaged. Using sustainable practices and efforts can ensure that the environment can provide resources for future generations. Implementing this value of environmentally friendly practices can be a powerful tool when moving forward in a growing industry.
As the conversation about sustainability starts to grow, it is crucial to recognize why it is important. Learning about what is going on in the world right now regarding environmental depletion can help raise awareness and action about preservation needs. Human activities can have a direct effect on the climate crisis and advance global warming effects. As a society, awareness of what is happening is important to be able to hold those accountable for their destructive behavior. The last few years have had abnormal trends in temperature, ones I’m sure most people have noticed. 2023 was the hottest year on record causing a multitude of heatwaves due to the excess heat trapped in the environment (Lijing). Carbon emissions is something to be aware of in terms of sustainability. Excess heat getting trapped in our environment causes problems for everyone across the globe. Whether it be out of site out of mind, turning on the air conditioner is not a solution for these record temperatures. Reluctancy to slow down and decrease the amount of pollution that goes into the atmosphere can cause serious health problems for everyone as we are near the 1.5 degrees Celsius heating threshold.
Why should businesses care?
There are seventeen social development goals (SDG’s) presented by the United Nations to help guide people in categorizing sustainable change. The seventeen SDG’s represent different areas that need improvement when it comes to environmental challenges. Everyone, all over the world, faces these challenges at some point in their life. Reflecting on the SDG’s can provide guidance for companies and individuals to see which areas they could focus on improving. All seventeen are great motivators for companies to refer to as they expand into the growing market. Currently the market is shifting towards the need for a cleaner process of production methods. For businesses, it is a smart idea to acclimate themselves now to new sustainable practices within their production as this can help promote change by “reduced energy consumption, lower waste disposal costs, and more efficient use of resources, resulting in significant cost savings” (Forbes). This directly reflects the values consumers have promoted, as sustainability certifications are gaining popularity within buyer behavior. Showing consumers that businesses are willing to represent resilience and can adapt to the growing market, allows for sustainable initiatives to flourish using corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environment social governance (ESG).
At empatiX we can assist in the shift towards sustainable practices and knowledge. We can provide ample feedback on what trends need to be followed to ensure business growth. Sustainability is something to incorporate and take pride in and it helps us, as a company, better understand the world around us and all its moving parts. Reach out to empatiX Consulting to hear what we have to say about sustainability endeavors businesses should look out for!
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