Sustainable development has been defined in many ways but is essentially the economic, environmental and social well-being for today and tomorrow. Sustainable development is, according to the Sustainable Development Commission:
“Development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Looking to the future
Over the years development has often overlooked its wider and future impacts. Whether it’s global financial crises generated by irresponsible banking or global warming resulting from man’s reliance on fossil fuels, we are now experiencing the damage created by unsustainable approaches.
By comparison, sustainable development considers wider implications and looks to the future. Sustainable approaches took to finding better ways at doing things, both in the present and the future.
As the Harvard Business Review writes in its paper titled ‘Why Sustainability is Now the Key Driver of Innovation’, there is “no alternative to sustainable development.”
Bamboo Distributions is an exemplar of sustainable development in business strategy
Protecting the environment is a key strategy of Bamboo Distribution’s business policy. Subsequently Bamboo developed an Environmental Management System which complies with the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
EMAS was developed in 1993 by the European Commission. It is a voluntary environmental management tool, which allows business to “assess, manage and continuously improve their environmental performance.”
Bamboo Distribution’s Environmental Management System is incorporated into all of its business operations. Bamboo encourages sustainable development, both in within the local community and nationally, through business example by:
. Managing electronic equipment through recycling and reuse and by doing so eliminating landfill reliance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the environment.
. Managing and minimising environmental risks
. Maintaining regulatory compliance records
. Providing quarterly reports on environmental performance
. Assessing the environmental performance of key suppliers and cooperating with business partners and clients to accomplish higher environmental standards.
Environmental compliance
One of the first steps any organisation must take to create successful sustainable development is to comply with the law.
As environmental law varies from country to country and is regularly amended, compliance can be complicated.
Whilst it might be tempting for a company to comply with the lowest environmental standards for as long as they can, as the Harvard Business Review writes, the smarter businesses adhere to the most stringent of environmental practices, and even do so before they are legally implemented.
“This yields substantial first-mover advantages in terms of fostering innovation,” states the Harvard Business School paper.
Bamboo Distribution can certainly be considered a smart company, which does not merely comply with the required sustainable legislation, but takes a proactive stance in practising stringent sustainable measures.
If you are striving to become a company that looks to the future and not just the present through sustainable development, have a look at how Bamboo Distribution combines experience, innovation and commitment to put sustainable development at the core of all its business operations.
