Chapter One

Introduction to
Sustainable Management
Lecture :01
Learning Outcomes
After reading the chapter we can able to-

1.Understand the clear concept about Sustainable Management

2.Understand about the Earth Summit

3.Can get a clear idea about Asian Century

4.Understand about the concept of Green Economy

 Sustainable Management
• The term sustainability is used to broadly indicate initiatives and actions aimed
at the preservation of a particular resources. However, it refers to four distinct
areas: human, social, economic and environmental – known as the four pillars
of sustainability.
• Sustainable management is the joining of sustainability and management
practices to create a balanced business model, benefitting current and future
generations.
• Sustainability management comprises the organizational practices that
ultimately lead to sustainable development. It involves economic production
and consumption that eases environmental impact and facilitates the
conservation of resources. The constant stress on our natural resources has
incurred heavy production costs for enterprises across the globe. Sustainability
managers extend their focus on preserving natural resources and the ecosystem.
 The objectives of sustainable management

1. Management of the global economy: Sustainability management allows

organizations to cut fuel costs and ease the health impacts of water and
air pollution.
2. Securing a sustainable future: Sustainability management facilitates
sustainable development and is a constructive approach to securing a
sustainable future. That being said, widespread adoption in the private
and public sectors is paramount to success.
3. Ensuring long-term growth: Sustainability has become a priority across
different sectors. Businesses have acknowledged the importance of
adopting sustainable means to survive in the future.
 Benefits of sustainable management

1.Increased social responsibility.

Systematizing your sustainability efforts makes your organization more socially
responsible by consistently tracking your progress against predefined goals. In
addition, a management framework encourages you to take more conscious action
to fulfill your responsibilities toward the environment and contribute to social
welfare.
2.Reduced environmental impact.
A sustainability management framework outlines the key actions you must take to
meet your targets. This means you're strategically planning for a positive
environmental impact, like reducing your carbon footprint, recycling at a bigger
scale, and removing single-use plastics, among other aspects.
 Benefits of sustainable management

3.Improved economic performance.

Sustainability can directly impact your company’s profitability. As a result,
investors are increasingly considering ESG ( Environmental, Social and
Governance) factors for taking up any projects. So building your environmental
value can translate to economic gains too.
4.Compliance with regulations and laws.
Environmental regulations and climate-related laws are subject to change at any
time. Therefore, violating these norms can be detrimental to your business.
However, with a management framework, you can effectively maximize
compliance with sustainability regulations and stay ahead of the curve to face
regulatory changes.
 Benefits of sustainable management

5.Enhanced reputation and brand image.

Consumers worldwide are more inclined toward eco-conscious brands.
Accenture’s study proved this by revealing that 60% of people make more
sustainable and environmentally friendly purchases. If you follow a sustainability
strategy, you can position yourself as a mission-driven company and strengthen
your image. On top of enhancing your reputation, it can also drive more sales.
6.Save big with energy-efficient resources.
An added advantage of implementing a sustainability management framework is
the reduced costs of standard utilities and equipment. In addition, you can use
energy-efficient lighting, recycled supplies, and eco-friendly packaging to save
more on your operational needs.
 Different dimensions of sustainability management
Social: This strategy prioritizes social good over everything else and encourages
people to contribute positively to society for future generations. It doesn't pay as
much attention to a company's growth as it does to building good relationships.
Economic: This strategy focuses on commercial capital and uses sustainability to
create social equality. It emphasizes the need for sustainable economic growth and
increased profits by efficiently using all available resources.
Integrated: This is an integrated strategy combining all other approaches. It seeks
to create a holistic view of sustainability within an organization, creating
opportunities for environmentally conscious business transformation.
Environmental: This strategy focuses on human welfare and nature over
economic outcomes. It aims to eliminate the threats of climate change for future
generations while maintaining strong profitability for a business.
 Implementing sustainability management in your organization in
5 steps
1.Auditing and benchmarking current performance.
Start by reviewing where you stand to outline the scope for transformation toward
sustainability. Then, conduct in-depth research and analysis to identify
improvement areas and optimization opportunities. Finally, spend some time
understanding and mapping how your organization might be advancing the threats
of climate change.
2.Setting sustainability goals and targets
Once you've audited your existing position, it's time to look to the future and
define your sustainability goals. A spray-and-pray approach will not work for
building sustainable operations and workflows. Instead, you need specific and
company-centric objectives to act as the north star for your collective efforts.
 Implementing sustainability management in your organization in
5 steps
3.Identifying sustainability drivers and opportunities
The next step is identifying the biggest drivers of sustainability within your company. This calls for
internal inspection and review to pinpoint potential opportunities for positive change, like reducing
energy consumption, minimizing waste, eliminating plastic usage, and more. Take inputs from
employees and all stakeholders to brainstorm innovative opportunities for your sustainability efforts.
4.Developing a sustainability management plan
Once you’re done with all the legwork, you can draft your sustainability management strategy.
Again, creating a team responsible for drafting, testing, launching, and maintaining this strategy is
best. Make your management plan easily accessible and hands-on to maximize its ROI. You should
also create an iterative design for regular updates based on your progress.
5.Measuring and reporting on sustainability performance
Creating a plan is just the first step; the more important part is monitoring and evaluating your
performance.
Thank you