What is Corpoarate Sustainability?

Sustainability
The most widely accepted definition of sustainability was created by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (1987):

“Development that meets the needs of the people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

What is Corporate Sustainability?
Corporate sustainability encompasses strategies and practices that meet the needs of stakeholders today while protecting and enhancing the human and natural resources needed in the future.

Wall Street and the investment community now recognize that corporate value goes beyond traditional Financial performance metrics alone. Corporate performance in Environmental Stewardship and Social Responsibility are also assets, but often overlooked as having tangible value.

Corporations can no longer operate as if they are insulated from environmental and social matters and maintain the confidence of their investors, business partners, customers and employees.  Stakeholders now expect corporations to demonstrate leadership in matters related to:

Environmental Issues	Social Issues
Climate Change Greenhouse Gases Lifecycle Product Impacts Energy Efficiency Water Conservation / Reuse Natural Resource Use / Recycling	Workplace Diversity Employee Health and Safety / Benefits Corporate Ethics Corporate Involvement Corporate Philanthropy Vendor Management: Child Labor / Sweatshops

Businesses are realizing that responding to these stakeholder expectations, by adopting sustainable development principles, can play a significant role in improving financial performance as well as differentiating their ‘brand’ in a crowded, competitive marketplace.