What is Sustainability?
Definition
Sustainability describes a means to maximize the longevity of an individual, organization, or project. The idea includes multiple types: environmental, social, financial, and human.
Example used in a sentence
Chris’ goal is to create a sustainable lifestyle.
Why is this definition important?
This is one of the most important definitions to consider in the climate discussion, since “sustainability” is a term that can be used in many different contexts and none of them are more important than another. It is important to consider all aspects of sustainability in business and organizational decision-making as they all can impact the unit in different ways.
Source: Goodland, Robert: Sustainability: Human, Social, Economic and Environmental, World Bank, Washington D.C. Exert of Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change, 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Note: This is a working definition that was developed using internal research methods and analysis and was published after undergoing the Pike Origin Peer Review Process.