Sustainable Development

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING NOTES MIGHT BE PRO-CONSUMERISM BS. THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU'LL NEED THEM FOR IB DESIGN TECHNOLOGY, NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE TRUE.

What is Sustainable Development?

• Historically, there has been a close correlation between economic growth and environmental degradation.
• As economic wealth increases, environmental quality decreases.

• Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

• Sustainable development is concerned with satisfying human needs for resources, in the present and future without compromising the carrying capacity of the planet.
• For example, consider a forest of 1000 trees that grows by 100 trees every year. Cutting down 100 or fewer trees would allow the forest to stay the same size or even grow, meaning that future generations will also have access to the forest.
• However, cutting down 200 trees would result in the forest shrinking by 100 trees every year. In 10 years, there won't be any more forest!

Triple Bottom Line

• The triple bottom line is an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational success.
• Traditionally, the success of companies has been measured through profit. The triple bottom line suggests three categories: economic, environmental and social.

• It is often referred to as the three P's.
  • Planet (environmental)
  • People (social)
  • Profit (economic)

• The triple bottom line is a strategy for sustainability.
• It focuses on the social and environmental benefit a product can bring, alongside profit.
• The fundamental principle is that without the environment, there cannot be people, and without people, there cannot be an economy.
• To be sustainable, an organization must consider these other factors as well.

• Organizations that embrace the triple bottom line approach can make significant positive impacts on the lives of others and the environment.

Planet

• A TBL-company considers:
  • reducing its ecological footprint as much as possible.

• These efforts can include:
  • reducing waste
  • investing in renewable energy
  • managing natural resources more efficiently
  • improving logistics

People

• A TBL-company considers:
  • employees
  • the labor involved in a corporation’s work and
  • the wider community where a corporation does business.

• How much does a company benefit society?
  • A triple bottom line company pays fair wages and takes steps to ensure humane working conditions at supplier factories.
  • A triple bottom line company also ensures that its workings do not disturb other people, such as those that might be living near a factory or plant.

Profit

• A TBL-company considers:
  • that ‘profit’ isn’t diametrically opposed to ‘people’ or ‘planet’. In fact, it depends on it in the long term.
• While every business pursues financial profitability, triple bottom line businesses see it as one part of a business plan.

Decoupling

• Decoupling is defined as disconnecting two trends so that one no longer depends on the other.

• Through the act of decoupling (using resources more productively and redesigning production systems), it is technically possible to deliver the same or equivalent goods and services with lower environmental impact while maintaining social and equity benefits.
• Decoupling as a strategy for sustainability entails breaking the link between resource use and economic growth.
• This allows companies to achieve economic development while reducing environmental impact.

Decoupling Examples

• Recycling is a form of resource decoupling. New products can be made without proportionally damaging the environment for resources as recycled materials can be used instead.
• Renewable energy generation is a type of decoupling as well, as energy can be generated without releasing harmful greenhouse gasses.
• Energy efficient buildings help reduce energy usage through the use of energy-efficient technologies such as different heating systems.
• Circular economy initiatives are also ways of decoupling, as they emphasize recycling, waste reduction and resource efficiency across industries.

Legislation

• Legislation is defined as laws considered collectively to address a certain topic.

• International and national laws (legislation) are used to promote sustainable development.
• They encourage companies to focus on something other than shareholder value and financial performance.
• However, adopting a corporate strategy that has the support of shareholders/stakeholders can be difficult to achieve.
• Legislation encourages companies to value aspects such as transparency of corporate sustainability.

Uses of Legislation

• Legislation provides a motivation (perhaps not willingly) to industries to clean up manufacturing processes:
  • conform with current or forthcoming government legislation (laws)
  • avoid penalties.
• Manufacturers react to the legislation by:
  • cleaning up their act or
  • ignoring it (this can occur especially if legislation is not enforced).
• Sometimes manufacturers don’t want to pay to clean up production; this cuts into profits.

Sustainability Reporting

• Sustainability reports are annual reports produced by companies highlighting the steps they take to improve sustainability and the impact they've made.
• A sustainability report is defined as a company report that focuses on four aspects of performance: economic, environmental, social and governance.

• The reliability and acceptance of sustainability reporting requires accurate data gathering to be maintained over a lengthy period of time.

Benefits for Governments

• The information can be used to assess the impact on the economy, society and the environment.
• Transparency: see what issues are being tackled.
• With the information governments can target areas of concern and help drive progress on sustainability.
• The government can check companies performances on legislation.

Benefits for Manufacturers

• Can drive innovation within an organization.
• Can enhance the branding/reputation of an organization.
• Can result in cost savings.
• Can lead to more efficient management.

Benefits for Consumers

• Potential cheaper products or services.
• Potential for more innovative products or services.
• Builds trust by consumers in that organisation.

Product Stewardship

• Everyone involved in making, selling, buying or handling (electronic) products takes responsibility for minimizing environmental impact of the equipment at all stages in the life cycle.
• Stewardship in general is defined as the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property.

• Product stewardship is an environmental management strategy that means whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product takes responsibility for minimizing the product’s environmental impact throughout all stages of the products’ life cycle, including end of life management.

Results of Product Stewardship

• Product stewardship has led to the creation of many innovations that reduce the environmental impact of products.
• Some examples are:
  • Organic foods
  • Genetically modified food
  • Green cotton
  • Forest stewardship
  • Bio-plastics

Stages of Product Stewardship

• Product stewardship at H&M includes the whole cycle and encourages all stakeholders to take responsibility for their garments.
• While the stages might be similar for other companies, the way they reduce environmental impact differs from product to product.

Design

• Designing for circularity and a long lifespan.

Material Choice

• Maximizing resource use by working with recycled or other sustainably sourced materials.

Production

• Sustainable Impact Partnership Programme (SIPP): raise environmental and social performance with business partners. H&M rewards high-achieving and ambitious partners with more orders, training opportunities and long-term contracts.
• Reducing water usage and chemical use.

Product Use

• Encouraging users to use products for as long as possible with:
• The “Clevercare”-label: provides information about garment care, such as encourages washing at lower temperatures and hang drying instead of tumble drying.
• The “Take Care concept”: offering guidance and hands-on support for smart repairs and easy modifications. Also a range of products to support this behaviour change, including eco-friendly detergents, sewing kits and deco-patches.

Product Re-use and Recycling

• All H&M stores around the world encourage customers to bring unwanted garments and textiles for recycling, re-wear or reuse. Customers can use the in-store garment collecting scheme to return garments from any brand, in any condition. As a reward, they offer a voucher towards their next H&M purchase.
• “Afound”: a brand with the mission of giving unsold products a new life.