Agenda
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What is Sustainability?
What is Sustainable Production?
What is Sustainable Consumption?
What is the Ecological Footprint?
Evaluate your own EF
How can SCP become a part of your
lifestyle?
• SCP in your community
Sustainability
• Please name this term in your native
language
• What does it mean for you
• Is it a well-known concept in your country
The term Sustainable Development can be defined
several ways
Meeting the needs of the
present without
compromising the ability of
future generations to meet
their own needs
The simultaneous pursuit of a
triple bottom line:
 Economic prosperity
 Environmental quality
 Social equity
A better quality of life for everyone
now and for generations to come
Triple Bottom Line
People
+
Planet
+
Ethics
+
Ecology
+
Profit
Economy
A Conceptual Model of
Sustainability
Another perspective is to identify where there
can be value creation for stakeholders that
creates enterprise value.
Economic
Enterprise
Value
Stakeholder
Value
Ecological
Societal
ROI
Eco-efficiency
EVA
Resource
productivity
Employee wellbeing
Right to
operate
etc.
Poverty
alleviation
Ecosystem
protection
Business
opportunity
Natural
resource
conservation
Social equity
and justice
Biological
diversity
Cultural
preservation
Economic
growth and
prosperity
Access to
education &
health care
shareholders
customers,
suppliers
Sustainable
value creation
and growth
society
employees
CEOs of major corporations recognize the importance of
sustainable development to business
The challenge of sustainable growth is
not a philosophical issue. It is a nutsand-bolts business reality. We made it
the primary objective of our company,
because we believe sustainable growth
will be the common denominator of
successful global companies in the 21st
century.
Chad Holliday, Chairman and CEO, DuPont
I think it’s fair to state the case in
rather stark terms that in the future,
companies that are not sustainable—
in the fullest sense of that term—will
not be operationally or financially
successful. It is doubtful they will
even survive.
William S. Stavropoulos, President &
CEO, Dow Chemical
Sustainability – or the capacity for continuance – is a concept of critical
importance to all of us... Business has the skills, resources and knowledge to
make a difference. The challenge is to grasp the opportunities it presents,
openly and responsibly.
Paul Drechsler, Executive Director of ICI PLC & Chairman and Chief Executive of
Quest International
The challenge of sustainable development arises
from these two major converging trends
Decline in resource availability and
ecosystems
Diminishing
margin for
action
Sustainability
Impact = Population x Consumption x
Technology
World population is increasing to unprecedented
levels.
These trends are leading to a decline in the health
and capacity of natural systems worldwide.
• Biologists: greatest extinction rate in 63 million years
• Global 50% drop in freshwater available per person
• 13 out of 17 fisheries collapsed or endangered
• Forest losses equal to area of UK/year, plus reduced
diversity, acid rain etc.
• 30-80% topsoil losses significantly reduce diversity,
absorptive capacity, and agricultural productivity
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
are rising.
Carbon Emissions from Fossil Fuel and Cement
7000000
Central and South America
Africa
6000000
Far East
Centrally Planned Asia
Middle East
Centrally Planned Europe
Million Metric Tons of Carbon
5000000
Oceania
Western Europe
4000000
Germany
North America
3000000
2000000
1000000
0
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
Source: CDIAC
Surface temperatures have warmed over the past
century.
WORLD
RESOURCES
INSTITUTE
At the same time, millions of people worldwide are
struggling to meet their basic needs.
Distribution of Total World Income
• 1.3 billion people live in
absolute poverty, with
incomes less than $1/day
(World Bank)
Richest
Fifth
11.7%
• 841 million people in
developing countries suffer
from basic protein-energy
malnutrition (UN Food and
Agriculture Organization)
• Nearly 1 billion people either
cannot work or are employed
in jobs where they cannot
support their family
(International Labor
Organization)
82.7%
2.3%
1.9%
Poorest
Fifth
1.4%
(UNDP, Human Development Report 1992)
Please read the question and tick the most relevant box
5: Strongly agree / 4: Agree / 3: Neutral / 2: Disagree / 1: Strongly Disagree
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1. Most environmental problems can be solved by advances in technology.
2. Most environmental problems can be solved through the production of wealth
in a free market.
3. Most environmental problems can be solved by a better redistribution of wealth
4. Most environmental problems can be solved by changes in our life style.
5. Human beings have the right to exploit Nature for their own profit.
6. Human beings have a duty to preserve the environment for future generations.
7. Environmental sustainability is the most important concern for human society.
8. Human welfare is the most important concern for human society.
9. The rights of other living organisms are subordinate to those of human beings,
10. It is OK to sacrifice environmental quality if this benefits human society as a
whole.
11. Human beings are the “crown of all creation”.
12. Human beings are the “cancer of the Earth”.
13. Human beings are merely a “cog in the machinery of Nature”.
14. ‘Human beings and Nature are One’ a single living wholeness.
Given the scale and nature of environmental and
social problems, we need new mental models and
ways of thinking to solve them.
Problems cannot be
solved within the mindset
that created them.
Albert Einstein
A Crumbling Paradigm
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Industrial economic globalization:
 Has increased global inequity to its highest point
in history.
 Has accelerated the destruction of global
ecosystems.
 While dramatically increasing consumption, has
not increased levels of well-being and happiness
accordingly.
 Is dependent upon cheap, abundant fossil fuel
energy which is becoming scarce and expensive.
 Has an alternative!
Earth Crisis
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In the last 50 years we’ve changed the ecosystem more
than any other period in history.
Humans have increased the species extinction rate by
50 – 1,000 times.
In 2002 alone, natural capital was overdrawn by 23%
2.4% of total forests were deforested in the 1990s, we
now deforest at about 1% per year
40% of the global population suffers from water
shortages
3/4 of fishery stock is exploited
25% of coral reefs and 35% of mangrove forests are
gone
Globalization Conclusion
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Industrial economic globalization, dependent upon
cheap, abundant fossil fuels, is consuming
resources at an unsustainable rate, degrading global
ecosystems to the point of climate chaos, widening
the gap between rich and poor, and is failing in its
own goals of human development and well-being.
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We need an alternative.
“Sustainability can be defined as the infinite
lasting of vital human ecological support
systems and resources, such as the planet's
climatic system, systems of agriculture,
industry, forestry, and fisheries, and human
communities in general and the various
systems upon which they depend”
Wikipedia
What is Sustainable Consumption?
• What do you think is Sustainable
Consumption?
– 5 points on what SC means to you
– Share with rest of the group
Suggested scope of
“Ethical Consumption” or “Socially Responsible
Consumerism”
Animal killing and welfare
Carbon emissions/footprint/miles
Child and female labour abuse
Collective Bargaining
Community Relations
Consumption – Excesses/ Levels
Employment Security
Environmental Impact
Equal Opportunities
Fair Pricing
Fair Trade
Human rights
Non-polluting activity
Organic Products
Packaging Excesses
Pollution levels and control
Safety & Quality Issues - ISO
Sustainability
Wasteful use of resources
Working conditions/sweatshops
Definition of “The Ethical Consumer”
An ‘ethical consumer’ looks for products which,
above all, are both friendly to the environment
and also to the people who produce them. They
are aware of the consequences of production,
consumption and disposal. They have clear
expectations of how they expect a company to
behave and expect ethical companies to
conform to ethical standards.
Quote – Michelle Sohn (2005)– Brand and Business Strategist SA
What is the Ecological Footprint?
• Ecological Footprint is the
land and water area that is
required to support a
defined human population
and material standard
indefinitely, using prevailing
technology
What is the impact of our
lifestyle on the earths
resources?
Evaluate your Ecological Footprint
• How does your lifestyle affect the planet?
• Please estimate the impact you have on
the Earth’s Environment
SCP
• Sustainable consumption and production (SCP) is a
holistic perspective on how society and economy can
be better aligned with the goals of sustainability. SCP
can be defined as:
• “the production and use of goods and services that
respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life,
while minimising the use of natural resources, toxic
materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over
the life cycle, so as not to jeopardise the needs of future
generations.”
• SCP is an overarching objective of and essential
requirement for sustainable development.
How can SC become a part of your
lifestyle?
• What can we do to reduce our EF
– Your ideas in your life
– Share with the group
Economic Localization
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Helena Norberg-Hodge: “The essence of localisation is
to enable communities around the world to diversify their
economies so as to provide for as many of their needs
as possible from relatively close to home…this does not
mean eliminating trade altogether, as some critics like to
suggest. It is about finding a more secure and
sustainable balance between trade and local
production.”
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Michael Shuman: “Community self-reliance suggests
personal responsibility, respect for others, and harmony
with nature…addition of the word “community”
underscores that the ultimate objective is a social and
caring one.”
Sustainable Consumption in your
Community
• What can you do to encourage
Sustainable Consumption in your
community?
– For example, how can water be better
protected
– Or how can alternate sources of energy be
used
Global trends in sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainable
Livelihoods
Corporate Social
Responsibility
Eco-Efficiency
Government
Agenda
Business
Agenda
Cleaner Production
Compliance
EHS
Manage
ment
Stockholm
1972
Corporat
e
Sustaina
bility
RioStrategy
1992
Time
Jo’burg
2002
EU leadership
CSR in EU
Delors
Appeal
1995
Lisbon
Summit I
Lisbon
Summit II
1st EU
Communication
2002
2nd EU
Communication
2006
EU Multi-stakeholder
Forum
European Alliance
on CSR
2000
2005
Business
leadership
European Business
Campaign on CSR
2010
Business
Roadmap
EABIS-2003
Creation
CSR Europe
1st European
Business
Convention on CSR
Launch of European
Marketplace & Roadmap
for competitive and
sustainable enterprise