Sustainable management helps establish a measurement parameter regarding how companies use their financial, human, and operational resources, and how they handle tangible resources such as inputs, materials, and even waste.
When we talk about sustainability in management, we also refer to the way we analyze which business practices are in place regarding the culture of organizations and whether they consider, for example, the environment, the community they coexist with, or their employees.
As a business school whose purpose is to train business leaders capable of positively impacting organizations, society, and the planet, at Westfield Business School, we believe in management with purpose. Therefore, in this article, we will address the topic of sustainability in management and its importance in the continuity of business.
What is Sustainable Management?
Sustainability is maintaining a perfect balance between economic, social, and environmental factors, creating economically viable and environmentally friendly solutions while contributing to social well-being.
Therefore, sustainable management, also called business sustainability, is a way of managing resources within a company to make them efficient for both the company and the environment and society.
Sustainable management should aim to:
- Create positive work habits for the well-being of employees and the productive maximization of the company.
- Constantly evaluate the management of financial resources.
- Assess the consumption of environmentally derived inputs such as electricity, water, gas, paper, and others.
- Responsibly manage waste to maximize the use of elements that have the conditions to be reused.
- Promote social relations by establishing permanent contact with the surrounding community to receive concerns about the company’s activities in the area and correct processes that may potentially affect them.
Why is Sustainability Important in Companies?
1. Companies whose business model is B2B help other companies become more sustainable. When a B2B organization is sustainable, it adds value to its clients and users through environmentally friendly products, thus helping them achieve their sustainable development goals.
2. Sustainability improves the image of companies. Being a brand concerned with social and environmental criteria directly influences customers’ and users’ perception of the company, transmitting trust and security to opinion leaders.
3. It generates greater well-being. Companies with a clear orientation toward sustainability generate well-being not only for their clients and users but also for society in general.
4. It helps reduce costs in product production. By implementing processes that promote social and environmental ethics, resources are maximized and reincorporated into the production chain.
Westfield Business School and Saving the Amazon Partnership: An Example of Sustainable Management
At the end of 2022, we at Westfield celebrated the achievement of our partnership with Saving the Amazon, an NGO dedicated to combating the climate crisis through tree planting with indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest, fulfilling our vision of triple impact (people, planet, and organizations). Today, more than 500 trees have been planted in the Amazon.
How Does the Partnership Work?
At Westfield, we committed to making donations to the NGO so that our graduates (starting with the 54th cohort) have a tree planted in the Amazon, receiving a certificate that provides them with:
- The name of the tree species planted.
- The indigenous reserve where it is located and the exact coordinates where it was planted.
- A biannual follow-up for three years so they can observe the tree’s growth process.
In this way, we contribute to the planet in the fight against the climate crisis by supporting the reforestation of the Amazon rainforest. We continue to promote initiatives with social, environmental, and economic impact, involving our students so they also become aware of the sustainable impact they, as professionals and human beings, should provide to care for the future of humanity and the planet.
Finally, if you enjoyed this content and our partnership with Saving the Amazon, we invite you to explore our academic programs, where we promote your growth as a person and professional in a particularly supportive environment. Contact us for more information!
