| It is becoming more popular to see a sustainability | | | | company and the best method of advancing the |
| policy in the corporate statement or the | | | | company's future, these principles are distilled into |
| company's website, but this eco-friendly | | | | a sustainability policy. This rather brief |
| statement should not be mere window dressing. | | | | restatement of the company's mission is the |
| The sustainability policy is a restatement of the | | | | foundation for the more robust Sustainability Plan. |
| company's new vision in light of the pressing | | | | This sustainability plan actually serves as a road |
| issues of the day. Instead of treating these social | | | | map going forward in a socially responsible |
| issues as an addenda to the real mission of the | | | | manner that makes allowance for a company to |
| company, the sustainability policy is a message to | | | | profit without fears of negative repercussions. |
| all stakeholders of the intention to bring these | | | | Preparing a sustainability policy is not as simple as |
| announced concepts into the daily operation. | | | | copying the policy of another company from the |
| Smaller companies are more fleet-of-foot and can | | | | Internet. The process requires the professional |
| adjust to change more adroitly than the larger | | | | insights of a Certified Sustainability Officer. Basic |
| company. Changing the direction of a large | | | | training for a sustainability officer is invaluable in |
| corporation means that everyone needs to be | | | | order to merge the needs of the business with |
| informed, and everyone needs to cooperate in | | | | the needs of the community. While |
| the new direction of the company. To gain the | | | | environmentalism has seemed to be anti-business |
| easy support of the stakeholders (shareholders, | | | | in the past, it is time to take the high ground on |
| management, workers, customers, and | | | | this argument and do the right thing while running |
| community), the sustainability policy is the tool | | | | a profitable business. |
| that is used to explain the new direction and to | | | | Smaller businesses might choose to go directly |
| show the value for the decision-makers for this | | | | into a sustainability plan, because the process of |
| change. | | | | decision-making and company direction is vested |
| Sustainability policies can be brief or may be | | | | in only a few key people. Small and mid-sized |
| several pages long, but this is actually an | | | | companies that are controlled by executive |
| opportunity to create or revisit the company's | | | | decision rather than a board can incorporate |
| mission statement and clarify its goals in light of | | | | Green and sustainable elements by planned |
| an environmentally-strained world and economy. | | | | improvements that include Green practices. |
| Going Green is a business decision that has been | | | | Therefore, the sustainability policy is often viewed |
| properly characterized as "The Triple Bottom | | | | as optional. Regardless of the size of the business, |
| Line." The Triple Bottom Line (3BL) is stated as | | | | the need to incorporate environmental |
| properly prioritizing: 1) Planet, 2) People, and 3) | | | | considerations into the daily operation is an |
| Profits. | | | | important and needful decision that should not be |
| The social dynamics of a company are now being | | | | ignored. |
| brought front and center in the public psyche. We | | | | After more than twenty years of anti-corporate |
| are hearing more discussion of Corporate Social | | | | sentiments and business bashing, businesses must |
| Responsibility (CSR), which is a broad social | | | | realize that it is time to "take over the argument" |
| concept inclusive of the environment, but goes | | | | and make it theirs. This is not only the smart |
| beyond environmental issues. This is explained in | | | | marketing option, but a needful obligation that has |
| the ethics of a business in the community it | | | | been too long left to those who have no |
| serves. It is "Doing the Right Thing" in business, | | | | understanding or appreciation of the role and |
| the community, and the world. | | | | importance of business in society. Therefore, the |
| This is a very arduous task, and the question is | | | | need to step up to these socially-driven issues is |
| often, "Where do we begin?" Well, it starts with | | | | not just a duty, but a chance to prove the value |
| an inventory of the company's status and | | | | of business to the community and the world that |
| purpose in the market and community. Once time | | | | it serves. |
| has been spent to discover the essence of the | | | | |