A process is simply a series of steps performed in order to accomplish some outcome.

An organization
may have hundreds of processes or only a few. Processes may be express or implicit. They can be simple
or complex. Regardless of such variables, organizations gain numerous benefits from identifying and
improving their processes.

Visualization. Identifying processes allows an organization to begin visualizing the range of activities
from beginning to end, helping employees discern what steps are necessary and who needs what along the
way.

Benchmarks. Until a process is identified and documented, your team has no clear basis for determining
whether they are meeting requirements.

Stability, regularity, and uniformity. Once you identify your processes, you can begin stabilizing the
steps, bringing greater regularity and uniformity.

Scalability. As you articulate your processes, you describe inputs and outputs. By identifying inputs, you
understand what is needed to scale a process upward or downward in response to changes in demand.
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Simplicity in execution and recall. Identifying and beginning to document your processes allows
employees to more easily recall the steps required, making processes simpler to execute.

Basis for improvement. Identifying and stabilizing your processes creates a baseline for modification
and improvement. When a process is ad hoc, it is much harder to determine where bottlenecks arise and
how modifications in method could increase effectiveness. Once a process is identified and stabilized,
however, your team can begin to experiment with an eye toward best practices.

https://riskalts.com/the-importance-of-processes/
Sustainability is the conscious and proactive use of methods that do not harm people, planet or profit
while also leaving a positive impact. The processes used to achieve sustainability must be reliable,
replicable and measurable; outcomes must be confirmable, especially by outside scrutiny. Sustainability
covers all three time frames: rectifying past mistakes; reducing or eliminating current problems; building
legacies for future generations. It is a human-driven process. Machines don’t run companies or processes,
people do; sustainability maximizes human talent by harnessing attention towards optimization and
process excellence. With respect to accounting and accountability, the focus is on appreciation, not
depreciation (aka positive impact). The goal of zero harm by definition leads to strategies that must
comply with legal and ethical standards. Incremental approaches work best. Speed is defined by the
ability to maintain positive rates of change.

Processes

Transparency — Open review and scrutiny is essential; one can claim not to be causing harm but this
does not account for unintended consequences. (e.g. if I say I’m not upsetting another person but the other
person feels upset, there is a discrepancy that needs to be remedied; the same applies to environmental
impact — if one does not know one is producing a toxin but scientific evidence confirms damage,
rectification is needed). For additional information see sustainability reporting, SASB, SROI, new
metrics.

Waste Reduction — Resource conservation is critical; depletion of non-renewable materials must be

avoided at all costs. Two frameworks that focus on this are Lean and Zero Waste.

Materials Reuse — One person’s garbage is another’s treasure; instead of focusing on disposal and
containment, we can learn to find ways to create new products. See by-product synergy, paper from
agricultural residue.

Positive Impact — Safety (zero harm, zero toxicity, zero strain) is tantamount! Beyond safety (going
above the zero standard) we must engage in life cycle management which involves managing for both
present and future generations. For details see Cradle to Cradle.

Quality Control — Quality cannot be evaluated without standards; standards not only define baseline
performance, they guide operational activities designed to meet and exceed those standards. Standards
must be documented in order to be controllable. When processes fail to meet standards there is a defect
which requires rework, redesign and/or re-engineering. For details see ISO 14000, ISO 26000,
Accounting for right-sizing/producing what is valuable, ASQ Sustainability Planning Assessment.

Value Creation — any organization (including non-profits) must deliver value; value is determined by the
level of demand that exists and organizations (like organisms) engage in behavior that responds and reacts
to environmental stimuli. Ensuring value is created requires double-loop learning, stakeholder
engagement and design of experiments. For tools see Ansoff Theory and Value Stream Mapping.

Evolution — Darwin’s theory of evolution — “survival of the fittest” — is often misconstrued into
dominance theories. In reality, it is more about the adaptation to changing environmental stimuli (both
physically and biologically). Survival occurs when the traits/characteristics that are best suited to the new
environment are passed on because those without the traits for the new environment become obsolete and,
ultimately, extinct. As an example, if oxygen were to suddenly disappear from the Earth’s atmosphere, all
that would survive are species and organisms that can exist without oxygen. Rapid environmental changes
cause species collapses. Gradual environmental changes cause adaptive reactions. The same occurs with
organizations. Resilience and agility are becoming organizational mandates. Research is also showing
that quality and innovation are necessary to sustain market value.

https://sustainablebrands.com/read/marketing-and-comms/defining-sustainability-a-process-and-strategy-
focus