6 Priority Topics for People Curious About Sustainability
Discover the Topics That Are Top of Mind for Stakeholders
Sustainability is a huge area with a lot of elements. At NBS, we wanted to know where to focus our attention. What’s on managers’ minds? What sustainability information do people most want?
To answer these questions, NBS’s Marketing Communications Officer, Adanma Onuoha, analyzed the sustainability terms that people were searching on the Internet.
She found six priorities within the general area of sustainability. People want to know what these concepts are, why they matter, and how they relate to businesses and everyday life.
These priorities are relevant for companies as well. They suggest what areas might be top of mind for your stakeholders: where they might seek education and action.
We’ll be exploring these topics in 2021. Subscribe to our newsletter to get involved.
6 Priority Questions Related to Sustainability
What is sustainability?
- Sustainability comes from the idea of “sustainable development.” But since that term was coined in 1987, people have found it confusing.
- The classic definition is: “Development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future generations” (WCED, 1987).
- In a previous NBS article, we spell out what sustainability can mean for businesses.
- Over time, people are becoming sufficiently knowledgeable to recognize different types of sustainability — including both social and environmental.
How do we practice sustainability?
Just knowing what sustainability means isn’t enough. Today, managers are asking “How can we incorporate sustainability into our daily lives and businesses?” One answer comes from case studies and success stories from other organizations.
What is biodiversity?
People want to know what biodiversity means, why it’s important, and how it’s threatened.
Arguably, the environmental issue presenting the greatest challenge to humans is the loss of resilience that comes from biodiversity loss. This topic is often overlooked in the global environmental conversation, so it’s encouraging to see it rise to top of mind in 2021.
What is a sustainable business model?
Managers want to learn both how they can integrate sustainability and how to make it work financially.
NBS looks at the business model in terms of the business resilience that comes from sustainable practices. Resilience enables companies to bounce back from shocks and thrive over the long term.
What is the circular economy and how does it work?
People often say that a circular economy embodies sustainability. As noted in this NBS overview article, a circular economy keeps products and resources in the economic system through reuse, repair, and recycling. As a result, it enables growth and reduces resource use and waste.
There’s a lot of current action on the circular economy (e.g. the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan). Managers want to know how these changes will affect their companies and industries, and how they can get involved.
What are innovative solutions to food waste?
It makes sense that people are concerned about food waste. A third of all food produced globally is wasted, at an estimated cost of $1 trillion. Luckily, this is an area where real change can be made, and where easy, cost-effective actions do exist.
NBS is publishing a series of articles called “The Basics” to encourage conversations and actions about sustainability and provides essential knowledge about core business sustainability topics.
A version of this article was originally published by the Network for Business Sustainability. B The Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.
