#sustainability

I’m Not a Socialist; I’m a Democratic Capitalist

Caterina Sullivan

Sep 24, 2018
3 min

I’m Not a Socialist; I’m a Democratic Capitalist

Each month, Strategic Sustainability Consultants CEO Caterina Sullivan publishes an op-ed on her website. This month, she covered the topic of being a democratic capitalist. As someone who is so strongly passionate about economic, social and environmental sustainability but a staunch economic conservative, I find myself never really fitting in with my friends when it comes to political persuasion. For my right-wing friends, I am too left, and for my left-wing friends, I am to

What Does Sustainability Mean for Manufacturing Companies?

Caterina Sullivan

Aug 13, 2018
2 min

What Does Sustainability Mean for Manufacturing Companies?

Manufacturing companies are often thought of as being one of the dirtiest industries when it comes to environmental sustainability. The World Bank puts manufacturing and construction's share of total fuel combustion globally at approximately 20%. Many manufacturing companies also use non-renewable resources and contribute to air, water and soil pollution and contamination through run-off of hazardous waste. There are a number of manufacturing companies which are fighting agai

Caterina Sullivan

Jul 30, 2018
2 min

What is Brand Purpose, and Why is it More Important than Sustainability?

Corporate sustainability is the act of aligning your business practices to meet economic, social and environmental sustainability targets to ensure a more efficient, effective and responsible business. However, while corporate sustainability is necessary for an organisation to continue to be successful for years into the future, it is not the most important aspect of business. Corporate sustainability must be preceded by brand purpose. Brand purpose is what is at the core of

Should Your Business Share Your Political Views?

Caterina Sullivan

Jul 23, 2018
3 min

Should Your Business Share Your Political Views?

Some people will argue that politics has no place in business because that is how it has always been done. However, not 50 years ago, companies were taking political stands without even realising it. In 1970, for example, Datacomp advertised a computer "so easy to use that even a woman could use it. In 1974, Weyenberg Shoes advertised a pair of shoes at which a woman was looking longingly while lying on the floor. The advertisement was captioned "Keep her where she belongs...

Why Aren't Sustainability Silos Beneficial?

Caterina Sullivan

Jul 9, 2018
2 min

Why Aren't Sustainability Silos Beneficial?

We have previously discussed why sustainability must be a core focus of business, not just a side function of an organisation, and the importance of integrating sustainability at every level. As important as it is to approach business and sustainability holistically, it is just as important to approach the concept of sustainability itself in the same way. At Strategic Sustainability Consultants, we look at the concept of sustainability on three levels: economic, social and en

Why is Collaboration Between Businesses Necessary for Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Jun 12, 2018
2 min

Why is Collaboration Between Businesses Necessary for Sustainability?

Competition is the heart and soul of our capitalist society. And market competitiveness is healthy. It means that businesses are becoming more innovative to make their product and service the best. It means that consumers have more options. It means that we are able to find quality products for reasonable prices. It means that there is some focus on the consumers and ensuring that people are happy with their purchase decisions. It also means businesses are becoming more focus

How Does Sustainability Impact Food Safety and Quality in Your Business?

Caterina Sullivan

May 21, 2018
2 min

How Does Sustainability Impact Food Safety and Quality in Your Business?

Previously, we have covered what it means to eat sustainably. In this article, we touched on the impact of food on economic, social and environmental sustainability, how you can switch to a sustainable diet and what your food and beverage company can do to improve sustainability. The growing movement for socially and environmentally sustainable food is shifting the entire industry. It is not just the few businesses who are looking to source local and organic suppliers who use

What is a CEO's Role in Activism and Advocacy?

Caterina Sullivan

May 14, 2018
2 min

What is a CEO's Role in Activism and Advocacy?

Recently, we discussed the effects of activism and advocacy on corporate sustainability. In this article, we cover the CEO's role in activism and advocacy. In a recent study, Edelman Trust Barometer found almost two thirds of respondents wanted CEOs to show initiative when it comes to policy change instead of waiting for government. The study also found that 69% of participants in the survey said that trust should be the first priority for CEOs, more so than ensuring high-qua

What are the Five Most Important Trends in Sustainability for Executives?

Caterina Sullivan

Apr 30, 2018
3 min

What are the Five Most Important Trends in Sustainability for Executives?

A business' commitment to sustainability often falls into the hands of company executives. This responsibility requires these executives to understand the top trends in sustainability. Below, we have listed the five most important trends and why they are important to understand for your company. 1. Financial returns Firstly, it is important to understand the financial returns brought about by a commitment to sustainability. There has been evidence to show that when done corre

What Effects Have Activism and Advocacy Had on Corporate Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Apr 23, 2018
3 min

What Effects Have Activism and Advocacy Had on Corporate Sustainability?

Activism and advocacy are often lumped together under the same umbrella when it comes to economic, social and environmental change. However, the two terms mean something different and have different effects on how we do business. The connotation of the word activist can often be viewed negatively - for many, the image of a loud, angry protestor comes to mind. However, that is not necessarily the image of activism. The difference between activism and advocacy can be found in t

How Can Entrepreneurs Work Towards Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Mar 19, 2018
3 min

How Can Entrepreneurs Work Towards Sustainability?

People have, at times, referred to me as an 'entrepreneur'. I always have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I don't really mind the term as, by its dictionary definition, it sums me up quite well. However, there seems to be some negative connotations around the term 'entrepreneur'. In this article, we look at an entrepreneur as "a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit," which is how it is defined in the Oxford Dicti

What is the Difference Between Micro-Level Sustainability and Macro-Level Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Feb 18, 2018
2 min

What is the Difference Between Micro-Level Sustainability and Macro-Level Sustainability?

There are so many ways to analyse sustainability. Sustainability can be looked at through the lens of economic, social or environmental or the interconnectedness of those levels of analysis. Sustainability can also be looked at on a micro-level and a macro-level. But what do these levels actually mean? Similar to their economic counterparts, microsustainability focuses on sustainability at the individual, household or company level. Macrosustainability focuses on sustainabili

Does Your Business Need a Sustainability Manager?

Caterina Sullivan

Jan 21, 2018
2 min

Does Your Business Need a Sustainability Manager?

Over the past few months, I have noticed an increasing number of job advertisements online for sustainability managers for businesses looking to incite positive change through their business practices. After evaluation of some of the organisations advertising, I found not all of these businesses needed a sustainability manager due to a number factors such as size and industry. For many small businesses, a sustainability manager isn't necessary. Consultancy firms, such as Stra

Where to Next for Your Business' Sustainability Commitment?

Caterina Sullivan

Jan 8, 2018
2 min

Where to Next for Your Business' Sustainability Commitment?

The New Year offers a time for people to reevaluate what they're doing, alter their direction and ramp up their commitment to becoming the best version of themselves. This same process should be done each year for business sustainability commitments. On December 31, 2017, we celebrated the two-year mark of the 15-year timeline to the achievement of the Global Goals. Now in January 2018, we have less than 13 years left to achieve these 17 goals and their ambitious 169 targets.

How Important is Innovation in Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Oct 15, 2017
3 min

How Important is Innovation in Sustainability?

Innovation is a diverse topic which is frequently brought up in the business community in both the developed and developing world. At Strategic Sustainability Consultants, we define innovation as a new product, tangible or otherwise, or new method which shifts away from the business as usual approach. While innovation is frequently used in discussions on technology, we believe innovation is not strictly limited to technological innovation. We also believe innovation is arguab

Sustainable Fashion: What It Means for the Average Consumer

Caterina Sullivan

Sep 7, 2017
4 min

Sustainable Fashion: What It Means for the Average Consumer

Image credit: Jason Hargrove This is an article from May, 2016 The Cannes Film Festival 2016 is upon us yet again and I can’t help but notice frequent updates and postings on how impeccably dressed celebrities look when walking down the red carpet. Currently taking spotlight are Blake Lively and Aishwarya Rai. In the spirit of fashion, I thought now might be a good time to talk a little bit about sustainable fashion. Clothing is one of the primary needs of humans. From essent

How Does Cyber Security Work Towards Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Aug 27, 2017
2 min

How Does Cyber Security Work Towards Sustainability?

One of the primary trends in business since the industrial revolution is the growing use of technology to streamline processes and increase efficiencies. In the last 20 years, paper records have become increasingly obsolete with software and online storage becoming more readily available to businesses. In September 2015, 193 United Nations member states committed to achieving the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development in all countries around the world by 2030. One of the

How Can You Start Your Career in Sustainability?

Caterina Sullivan

Aug 24, 2017
4 min

How Can You Start Your Career in Sustainability?

Millennials are looking more and more towards having purpose in life, both in their professional and personal lives. In their professional lives, some young people will be looking to work for companies which have values around economic, social and environmental sustainability; others will be looking to work in the field of sustainability. The concept of embarking on a career in sustainability is somewhat new. To some, it is a completely foreign concept. Many career guidance f

How Can You Address Your Business' Sustainability through Product Packaging?

Caterina Sullivan

Aug 17, 2017
2 min

How Can You Address Your Business' Sustainability through Product Packaging?

As a consumer, I have bought products which have been small enough to fit in my palm but with packaging far bigger than a breadbox. Packaging of products can often be excessive. Large amounts of plastic can turn the conscious consumer off the product, even if the product itself is sustainable. The packaging of a product can be make or break. If two items of the exact same quality are being sold side-by-side for the exact same price, the average consumer will most likely purch

How Can You Capitalise on Your Decision to be Sustainable?

Caterina Sullivan

Aug 14, 2017
2 min

How Can You Capitalise on Your Decision to be Sustainable?

The great news is that you have decided you want to be a sustainable business. This is a fantastic step towards creating a better future for our planet and the people who live here. Your reasons for doing this are those of altruistic motivation; you genuinely care about sustainability. This doesn't mean it is wrong to capitalise off this decision! In this instance, you have complete permission to have your cake and eat it too - only if it has been baked with fair trade ingred