Sustainability???

Since completing my MBA at Pepperdine in April, I have begun the process of transitioning from my consulting work in Global Sourcing to the fields of Green Marketing and Sustainability. Although many University's are offering certificates and degrees in "Sustainability" it is still a relatively new field. The best way to immerse one self in this new "Sustainability" is through self-knowledge and on hand experience. 

The true goal of any person working in Sustainability is to link  business strategy to Customer Social Responsibility (CSR) resulting in true green sustainable business practices, differentiation and profits that improve both the social environment for the company's stakeholders. These stake holders are both current and future generations to come. They are not just the company's customers but also their suppliers, vendors, employees and all those in the general arena affected by them.  Company's need to establish an ecological ethic for managing & preserving the environment, the environmental Eco system through business practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations.
Achieving Sustainability depends on the company being open & well positioned to alternative business models, strategies and change. Sustainability does not start with the consultant it starts with a strong commitment from CEO and Top Management on down and without said commitment the consultant will not succeed.
People think that saving energy or water is sustainability but it is only one aspect of a sustainability strategy.  For a company's product or business strategy to be sustainable it needs to be linked to the social and environmental benefit of the community and shareholders that they serve. The shareholder is the one that judges the results and votes on the brands success or failure. Thus companies wanting to move beyond the traditional business categories of project management, finance, manufacturing and marketing need to create unique business strategies that will improve their "sustainability". One way to do this is to make Green Marketing, Sustainability, Eco- innovation and Upcycling all part of their business strategy. Doing so will allow them to ultimately develop new processes, products and uses for their materials and waste and which will allow them to close the recycling loop. Thus a company embracing sustainability and Eco-innovation can get ahead of the curve and benefit from a first-mover advantage resulting in better brand image and profits.

The same same goes for any individual seeking to practice sustainability in their individual lives. They must first focus on making the commitment to change both theirs and their families daily practices as they affect everyone. Once committed they can start with small green acts or changes in behavior such as recycling paper or cans or glass, air drying clothes or dishes, composting food waste and shutting off lights. Simple daily actions will lead to larger ones along with the feeling of being in control of ones immediate environment. http://earth911.com/news/2009/08/31/cheat-sheet-composting/?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150144727897465_16707323_10150205528002465
Sustainability is not a simple practice that you do in order to "claim" that you or your company is sustainable. You have to be willing to change your company or family culture and DNA, and with hard work sustainable practices will take root. Sustainability is the umbrella under which all the other practices can be gathered and organized. By that definition, energy or water is a component of a sustainability platform that also contains many other practices, the sum total of which leads to a better present and a better future for all of us.