Practical Sustainability Strategies, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 18Standards and Guidelines for Managing Sustainability (CSR)

NEED FOR A SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY

The need for managing corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a rising necessity nowadays, and the business world needs practical tools and guidelines to integrate sustainability into operations.

The reasons why sustainability is extremely urgent are numerous. Firstly, as pointed out by the Living Planet Report 2010 released by WWF, the Ecological Footprint (the measure that defines the extension of land needed to produce and dispose the goods produced) has doubled since 1966, leading humanity, in 2007, to consume the equivalent of 1.5 planets [1]. Furthermore, the gap between poor and rich and problems related to health, education, and social justice are increasing [2]. In addition to this the situation will probably get worse, if we do not take serious measures, since the planet will be inhabited by 9 billion people by 2050, according to the projection on current growth of the United Nations.

Sustainability management should go beyond the usual practices, and all the possible actors should take a more proactive and effective way of approaching it. Including sustainability management into the core business of companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governments are the only way to have a more sustainable and balanced planet. If all organizations integrate sustainability into their day to day business, there will be good chances of facing (and maybe solving) the ...