Sustainable Development or Sustainability, An Environmental Management System For Companies - Part 1

Companies evolve and sometimes dissolve. The life span of companies is based in its sustainability, the stronger the foundation to sustain the company the longer its life span. Development and progress occurs when sustainability is present.

Sustainable Development or Sustainability may have been the most and well used term at present, specifically in organizations, governments and companies that participates after the United Nations released the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development that warns not only governments of every country but also companies and organization to use the present natural resources wisely.  With this, everyone started using the term “sustainable development’ as a major concept in preserving the natural resources and at the same time progress and develop for the good of everyone.


According to the concept of Sustainable Development in UN Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development clearly states that “Sustainable Development is a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.”  This is further differentiated and explained well by Michael Ben-Eli in his online published work entitled “Sustainability: The Five Core Principles” which can be found in sustainabilitylabs.org.  In his work he clearly describes the principles that represent the whole principles of sustainability in which he states it into five different domains namely The Material Domain, The Economic Domain, The Domain of Life, The Social Domain, and The Spiritual Domain.  These five domains help more in understanding how the principle of sustainability should work, checked and acted upon.   Just reading the five principles make it easier to picture out what sustainability should be.

To dig deep into the meaning and principle of Sustainable Development in relation to companies and businesses Michael Ben-Eli provided short descriptions of each principle that acts as a guide in pressing into the realm of sustainability.  It is a much more vivid insight in dealing with the term. 

To fully picture out the scene, this research takes some of the ideas verbatimly from Michael Ben-Eli’s short description to provide the full essence of the principle as detailed.

The Material Domain is the first principle which says “Contain entopy and ensure that the flow of resources, through and within the economy, is as nearly non-declining as is permitted by physical laws.” In this domain it speaks of the control and use of resources which directly affects an organization like TGI Friday's Restaurant in UK. Basically the restaurant's needs which they use in preparing and providing dishes and food for their customers comes from the resources bound locally in UK. More, the restaurant is bound under the laws and regulations of the UK government.

UK is one of the countries that were present during the UN Conference on Environment and Development or most commonly known as the Agenda 21. During the conference it was clearly stated to all members present that they are compelled to this excerpt “Developing national policies and strategies to encourage change in unsustainable consumption patterns.” In most common words, UK has included the discussed matter into their legislative matter in order to address the call of the conference and thus make companies like TGI Friday's to comply with it. Thi includes gathering of resources, making use of it, and proper disposal to help in sustaining materials that comes from natural sources.