LEADERSHIP
Sustainability from ecological and business view
By Dr . Kellen Kiambati
Sustainability is a universally accepted practice across many businesses because of taking cognizance of the long term benefits , continuous efforts by government and shareholders to have responsible social and environmental actions as well as consideration of the necessary balancing of sustainable values and business viability . Therefore , environmental and sustainable practices often become a Marketing Department matter just like it is even with all other units in an organization .
Recognizing the need to go green is one thing ; but actually going green is a totally different ball game . The ability of a business to embrace sustainability can vary significantly according to the industry sector , the organization ’ s size , geographical location , and business objectives .
“ Businesses are looking for a balance between cost and reward . But are they ready to view reward as a multi-dimensional concept in which layers of sustainability align with monetary reward ? Nowadays , most governments recognize the social and environmental impacts of business . ”
It is not unexpected that , for many entrepreneurs , the principal objective of business is to make profit . Consequently , going green can seem very costly and time-consuming . As a result , being sustainable , by playing a broader social role , can be a rather frightening concept .
In order to make sustainable business work in practice and ensure the delicate balancing act works , there is need to change mindsets from selfinterest to social responsibility , identify and overcome barriers to sustainable business , explore the drivers of change towards a sustainable approach and consider implementing a multi-stage approach to sustainability .
It is clear that consensus on the perfect balance between self-interest and social responsibility is yet to be reached . Many companies wage an ongoing battle between what they wish to do and what they must do in order to financially survive .
However , what is still underestimated is the fact that going green also brings many benefits for businesses , such as the creation of new markets , cutting costs ( i . e . energy or waste ), the attraction of new employee talent and development of new relations with stakeholders .
Forward looking organizations are continuously moving well beyond the mere legal kind of forced compliance to proactively taking on innovative sustainability concepts such as human sustainability and triple top line reporting as part of a practice that embeds sustainability across all areas of an organization where it can provide long term benefits and deliver successful business outcomes .
As a matter of fact , they are now capturing on their balance sheets matters sustainability . They are developing a highly committed and capable workforce using cultural , structural and human resource techniques .
The fundamental role of a sustainable business is to benefit society by valueadding products and services . But what motivates a business to change ? And will businesses ever try as hard for triple top line , as they do for the triple bottom line ?
Businesses are looking for a balance between cost and reward . But are they ready to view reward as a multi-dimensional concept in which layers of sustainability align with monetary reward ? Nowadays , most governments recognize the social and environmental impacts of business .
Pressure exerted on the business community , means business executives are well aware of their corporate social responsibilities , they recognize that their actions should move toward more green enterprises .
If organizations treat the environment without proper consideration and abuse natural resources without adopting a long-term focus , they will ensure global destruction . ■
Kellen Kiambati holds an MBA in Strategic Management from the Kenya Methodist University and a PhD in Business Administration . She is a member of the IHRM Kenya . She can be reached via :
Kellenkiambati @ gmail . com
36
MAL 44 / 21 ISSUE