Making the Business Case for Corporate Sustainable Development

Vol. 3 No. 1

Year: 2008

Issue: Jun-Aug

Title  : Making the Business Case for Corporate Sustainable Development 

Author Name  : Robert W. Taylor 

Synopsis  : 

Can a business case for sustainable development be made? A more common approach is to rely on business ethics to make the case for sustainable development and not to rely on basic business principles — will the business make a profit and sustain itself financially? In order to move towards corporate sustainable development, it is necessary to make a business case for sustainable development. This can be done through the use of two conceptual tools: triple-bottom-line thinking and understanding the economic dimensions of eco-system services. This paper looks at the various business responses to environmental problems; analyzes the global drivers for corporate sustainable development; fits sustainable development into business strategy; and structures specific approaches that result in both corporate sustainable development and business competitive advantage..