“What is the Business Case for Sustainability?” vs “What is the Case for Sustainability in Business?” is about the framing of each question.
I remember my days back at the Presidio Graduate School being asked by a Prof, “What is the Business Case for Sustainability?” – and thinking, “Really?, we have to JUSTIFY this?”.
Might “What is the Case for Sustainability in Business?” be a better framing of the age-old question?
From an holistic, systems thinking perspective, these two questions reflect different orientations towards sustainability and its role in business, both in scope and focus.
"What is the Business Case for Sustainability?"
This question frames sustainability in the context of EXISTING business goals and systems, seeking to justify sustainability practices based on their potential to improve business performance. The focus is often on how sustainability initiatives can enhance profitability, reduce costs, manage risks or open up new opportunities (e.g., improving efficiency, brand reputation, regulatory compliance etc.). The assumption here is that sustainability MUST demonstrate its value (to the Business) by aligning with conventional business metrics like financial returns and growth.
- Perspective: Business-centered
- Primary Focus: Business benefits (e.g., ROI, risk reduction, competitive advantage, etc.)
- Core Question: How does sustainability serve the interests of the business?
"What is the Case for Sustainability in Business?"
This question shifts the lens, asking why sustainability MUST be integrated into the core of business operations, regardless of immediate financial returns. The focus is broader, considering the role of business in supporting sustainability on a global scale - acknowledging interconnected systems such as ecosystems, social welfare and long-term economic stability. It asks businesses to embrace sustainability as a necessary condition for enduring success, addressing environmental and social challenges for the sake of systemic health, which ultimately affects the viability of all businesses.
- Perspective: Sustainability-centered
- Primary Focus: The long-term necessity of sustainability within business systems (e.g., ecological impact, ethical responsibility, future viability, etc.)
- Core Question: Why must businesses embrace sustainability for systemic well-being?
The first is reactive, justifying sustainability within business, whilst the second is proactive, embedding sustainability as a core necessity for business survival as well as societal and planetary well-being.
Thoughts?
#RegenerativeBusiness #RegenerativeEconomies #Regeneration #Sustainability
🌍 Crafting Impactful Marketing for Climate-Focused Companies / PhD Candidate
2moLeadership should be taught about that 👏👏