Business Tips
Click on the links opposite to view the Sustainable Development tips for each business sector
Offices
Buildings, whether homes or offices can have a significant impact on the natural environment as well as the people who use them. Reducing the negative impact of the built environment through more sensitive design, the use of new materials and monitoring and feedback systems are essential if we are to create more sustainable buildings and more sustainable communities for the future.
Find out more about buildings and sustainable development
Power
By 2050 demand for energy is expected to double or even triple as populations increase and developing countries expand their economies. No single energy source will meet this demand and reduce global carbon emissions to an acceptable level. We will need to use a mix of options focused on using energy more efficiently and lowering its carbon intensity. This evolution in our energy infrastructure is likely to be characterised by new technologies in the field of renewables, bio-products, carbon capture and storage, advanced vehicle technologies, and mass transportation among others.
Find out more about energy and sustainable development
International Energy Agency (IEA)
Trouble in the Air. Global Warming and the Privatised Atmosphere
Water
The pressures on freshwater supplies would seem to predict future water shortages, which will make it difficult for water-intensive business to site their activities in arid regions and will increase water-related costs everywhere. Therefore there is an urgent need to improve water-use efficiency and improve water management through closed-loop systems and elimination of water discharges wherever possible.
Find out more about energy and sustainable development
Waste
Polluting emissions of most types are rising worldwide and improvements in the developed world may be overshadowed by the waste from industrialisation and rising consumption in the developing world. Waste and emissions represent lost value, business costs and a threat to present and future human generations as well as to ecosystem health. Innovation to avoid waste, the use of renewable resources and development of industrials models in which waste are captured and treated as an input into other processes can reduce costs and increase revenues.
Find out more about waste and sustainable development
Raw Materials
The last decade of growth in many countries has proven that value can rise while material and energy throughput decreases. But while overall industrial efficiency is improving, total materials throughput and waste generation continues to grow. Efficiency enhances competitiveness and reduces environmental liability. As efficiency is sought by business and imposed by regulations on both production and consumption, competitive advantage will accrue to those who serve the market demand for efficient products made from fewer, more benign raw materials.
Find out more about sustainable product and service design
Logistics
Movement of people and goods is essential to economic and business development. Mobility permits the division of labor, urban growth, trade in raw materials, fast and cheap cargo trade and quick transfer of employees. Access to less polluting and more efficent mobility is both a challenge and an opportunity for business.
Read more about sustainable development and mobility
Training Program
The credibility of an organisation will become damaged when it becomes evident that a company is not 'walking the talk'. SD is therefore not just the responsibility of environmental specialists or communication professionals. It requires contributions from people across all functions of an organisation. Companies can only succeed in the long-term if they recruit and motivate people who are able to respond to and shape the challenges of the future. Society's expectations of business are changing, and an increasing number of applicants pre-assess the social and environmental performance of companies before choosing an employer.
Learn more about capacity building and sustainable development
Daycare
Organisations thrive with diverse teams of men and women and with a range of experience. Young parents are sometimes prevented from actively pursuing full time careers because of new family responsibilities. Other employees appreciate help to create a balance between private and working life. Companies which understand these needs and put in place programme to improve the facilities offered to employees will ultimately lead to greater performance.
Learn more about employment practices and sustainable development
Wildlife Centre
Ecosystems provide both resources and services such as clean air and clean water. An investment in nature always pays off, not in profit but in credits from the community.
Learn more about ecosystems, biodiversity and sustainable development
R&D Innovation Centre
R&D will become more and more integrated into the entire supply chain of a company. The future is likely to be characterised by custom-made goods/services. Furthermore, the trend will be for mutual involvement with businesses, governments, NGO's and customers addressing each other from the perspective of involvement and care. Research can also lead to innovative technologies and products which serve the needs of customers more effectively while simultaneously using few resources, creating less waste and pollution.
Learn more about innovation, technology and sustainable development
Advertising
The increasing awareness among global consumers about environmental and social issues offer business opportunities. Consumers are demanding more from their purchases, in terms of environment, social responsibility and others ethical considerations. Ultimately, companies that understand the changing values of their customers and target their communication more appropriately will be more successful.
Learn more about sustainable development and marketing
Health & Safety
Companies are facing new challenges in terms of cost, employee and customer expectations and political frameworks driven by health-related concerns. Spending on health is outpacing economic growth in most developed countries, forcing governments to find new funds or to pass a larger share of the cost of healthcare onto individuals. This threatens sustainable development at its core and the economic vitality that underlies healthy societies. Business can assist their employees and customers to make decisions to improve their health and prevent accidents.
Learn more about health and sustainable development