Self-sustainability, Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals : What's the difference and why it matters to you

Self-sustainability

Self-sustainability and self-sufficiency refer to states when an individual or organisation needs little or no help from, or interaction with others to survive, and/or thrive. These states are defined by personal or collective autonomy. On a greater scale, self-sustainability is a type of sustainable living in which nothing is consumed other than what is produced by the self-sufficient individuals or organisations within that ‘community.’ While we could argue that most countries are not self-sustaining, there are a number of communities that are, to varying degrees. It has been acknowledged however that there are numerous common problems that face communities the world over- poverty, climate change and more, and this has led to a global agenda for sustainable development. There are still many who argue for self-sustainability and an ‘every man for himself,’ approach to national and international development and relations, but the trajectory is very much toward the coordination of efforts to work toward solutions for positive impact globally. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is not just about environmentalism, it is also about social equity and economic development. This is at the core of sustainable development which the Brundtland Commission defined in its final report, ‘Our Common Future’ as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is therefore a holistic term and the approach is one that takes into consideration economic, social and environmental factors in efforts toward lasting prosperity. These are essentially the three pillars of sustainability. 

The first- economic development is about giving people what they want without compromising quality of life, especially in the developing world, and reducing the financial burden and “red tape” of doing the right thing.

The second- social development has numerous facets but perhaps most importantly is awareness of and legislation protection of the health of people from pollution and other harmful activities of business and other organisations. 

The third- environmental protection is for many, the primary concern of the future of humanity. It defines how we should study and protect ecosystems, air quality, integrity and sustainability of our resources and focusing on the elements that place stress on the environment. Research by Trivium Packaging in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, surveyed participants for their preferences related to sustainable packaging and 74% said they would pay up to 10% more for sustainable packaging. In the UK 71% of those surveyed in an Ipsos MORI poll saw climate change as being on a par with the pandemic in terms of impact, but sustainability is about more than just environmental factors as stated earlier.. 

Sustainability is also no longer just a concept that is talked about, but is becoming increasingly important as impact investors, conscious consumers and responsible leaders put their money, time and support behind products, goods and services that are considered more sustainable. This is spurred on even more as nations sign up to sustainability linked actions and goals, increasing pressure to implement sustainability strategies and hit sustainability targets. Finance is becoming one of the main drivers, with financial sustainability - i.e. all financial decisions taking sustainability goals such as climate change, into account, being seen as the ‘carrot and the stick’ that can make achieving all other goals possible. An increasing number of businesses are now taking steps to incorporate sustainability into their operations as well as their performance measures, as more funding decisions are being based not just on financial factors alone. Companies with high Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating have a lower cost of debt and equity, and that sustainability initiatives can help improve financial performance while fostering public support.  

Consumer backing for sustainable practice has been a persuasive selling point for organisations to essentially brand themselves as having sustainability credentials in some way and good sustainability practices. In some sectors, sustainability has shifted toward more financial underpinnings, and some, for example, the NHS in the UK are working toward embracing both environmental and financial sustainability. 

Sustainability skills and environmental awareness is becoming more of a priority in many corporate jobs as more businesses seek to adhere to new legislation, with a rise in requirements for ESG (environmental, social, governance) reporting. Sustainability is now also increasingly taking on the added tenet of driving technological innovation for progress without compromise to the people and planet, so this a burgeoning area within markets and industries. More than 40% of larger companies are asking their suppliers and sub-contractors to report on their sustainability policies and practices, and the majority of senior executives consider having a sustainability strategy key for for being competitive, and there is an increasing shift in requirements from just compliance reporting, to impact. 

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) evolved from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which claimed success in reducing global poverty but acknowledging there was still much more work to do and other areas to cover. The SDGs were thus born with the following aims:

• No Poverty
• Zero Hunger
• Good Health & Wellbeing
• Quality Education
• Gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Clean Water & Sanitation
• Affordable & Clean Energy
• Decent Work & Economic Growth
• Industry, Innovation, & Infrastructure
• Reduced Inequalities
• Sustainable Cities
• Responsible Consumption & Production
• Climate Action
• Life Below Water
• Life on Land
• Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
• Partnerships

The SDGs are what collectively allow for us to arrive at global sustainability, but what we find is that most endeavours to date focus on behaviours, rather than impact. 

Why does all this matter?

Now more than ever, is because they will impact on every area of life, and increasingly so. As nations race toward deadlines for targets, there will be a greater emphasis not just on sustainability claims, but outcomes and impact. With this, will be additional requirements on businesses across the board to factor in sustainability into their practices, with a move toward not just ESG reporting but impact reporting and SDG alignment. Whilst the aim is for communities to develop to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining, global aims of sustainability means that it has moved into the mainstream, with everyone being a stakeholder and an actor within the sustainable development movement. Already a significant force in business, finance and the consumer market, sustainable approaches will evolve and continually expand influence in stewardship of resources and capital, and this, impacts on everyone.