Should Business Be Concerned About Sustainability? Why or Why Not?

Should business be concerned about sustainability? Why or why not?

Sustainability is the capacity to endure. A sustainable business is any organization which is actively participating in those activities that are environmentally friendly or green to ensure that all its processes, products, and manufacturing activities sufficiently solicit environmental worries and at the same time is profitable. In other words, it is a business that "meets the needs of the present world without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs." (Brundtland 1987).

Business economy is rapidly progressing and environmental concerns are now a supreme issue for all organizations as they are responsible a great deal for environmental problems. Resources on the planet are scarce. Therefore, indefinite growth of whatever type of business cannot be sustained by finite resources. Great damage has already occurred to coral reefs, species extinction, persisted deforestation and global emissions of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide continue to climb at an alarming rate which will eventually prove fatal for humanity. All these are due to unethical behavior of businesses. Businesses need to be profitable to survive. There are innumerable benefits to using resources more sustainably.

Business need to address to the pressing concerns of the environmental issues that is look for opportunities to improve, for example: by working with important suppliers to assess and improve their sustainability, or shifting to more sustainable suppliers, diminishing or excluding hazardous chemicals and processes that generate unsafe by-products, , installing more energy-efficient machines, or using renewable sources of energy, designing the packaging which can be reused or recycled working with other businesses that can use its waste or supply by-products that it can use as raw materials, eliminating unnecessary activities - e.g. replacing some business travel with conference calls, installing water efficient machines in manufacturing plants, reusing waste water and using water sources such as rainwater for washing cars and irrigation, designing new products to become more efficient - e.g. using low-emission vehicles, exploring different delivery methods such as rail, planning routes and deliveries to minimize 'empty miles' (miles driven when vehicles are empty).

By using a sustainable approach, the business reputation is improved as well as its corporate image and along with this the products and services it offers. Customers have a preference to liaise with sustainable suppliers responsible businesses as part of their own commitment to sustainable development, while consumers will prefer to buy from responsible organizations. A good reputation will evidently help the business attract and retain employees, and be profitable in the long run. Investors will be keener to work with businesses