Premise
Sustainability is a long-term societal goal which is at the intersection of three key dimensions: environmental, economic and social. This concept has been used to guide decisions at the global, national, organizational, and individual levels.
However, specific definitions of this term are difficult to agree on as they have varied over time with literature and context. It is regarded though that sustainability is a “normative concept” which means it is based on what people value or find desirable, i.e., “the quest for sustainability involves connecting what is known through scientific study to applications in pursuit of what people want for the future.
While it is lacking in a singular definition, sustainability, as a concept, is still useful. Scholars have argued that this “fuzziness” in defining sustainability can actually be liberating because this means that “the basic goal of sustainability, i.e., maintaining or improving desirable conditions, can be pursued with more flexibility.”
In the context of the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, to be sustainable, companies must do five things: (1) they must operate responsibly in alignment with the Ten Principles (2) take actions that support the society around them (3) push sustainability deep into their corporate DNA and commit at the highest level (4) report annually on their efforts and (5) engage locally where they have a presence.
To better appreciate the concept of sustainability within the framework of the Global Compact, it may be best to understand how it works and “see” it in action. Thus, for this fifth edition of the annual GCNP Sustainability Summit, the chosen theme is “Sustainability in Action: Insights, Trends, Practices and Reporting.”
Objectives
1. To get insights from sustainability practitioners and thought leaders on how sustainability works in the business world;
2.To learn sustainability trends in terms of challenges and opportunities;
3. To highlight and showcase company sustainability practices and achievements; and
4.To appreciate the importance and “how-tos” of sustainability reporting.
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