Many people think about environmental matters when they hear this word. But sustainability is about more than conserving energy, recycling, cutting back on water waste, etc. I’m a fan of how UCLA Sustainability approaches the term: “Sustainable practices support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality.”

In fact, there’s a four-pillar approach to sustainability that my organization, and others, either abide by or are inspired by. I use the four-pillar approach with one key difference: I think human sustainability, which the source I referenced earlier defines as the goal to “maintain and improve the human capital in society” by investing in “health and education systems, access to services, nutrition” and more, applies to the other pillars. So, my take on the four-pillar approach swaps out “human sustainability” for “diplomatic sustainability,” which I’ll explain more later.

I believe other organizations, be they multinational corporations or family-owned businesses, can use a holistic approach to sustainability, such as the one I’ll discuss below, to gain better outcomes for society.

  1. Social Sustainability: Getting Involved In The Community
  2. Economic Sustainability: Making Sustainable Living Practices More Accessible
  3. Environmental Sustainability: Focusing On More Controllable Steps
  4. Diplomatic Sustainability: Getting Everyone Involved In Sustainability Conversations

Read the full article about sustainability by Christopher Dipnarine at Forbes.