Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet theirs.

It has three main pillars: economic, environmental, and social. These three pillars are informally
referred to as people, planet and profits.

A clever and powerful way to explain and define the sustainability problem that we all face as humans
and as a society are the three pillars of sustainability which are the only clear way to define our system
and ensure the world as we know it for future generations.

All Pillars Must Work Together

The past has shown that it is not enough for any organization to find one way to operate within certain
limits. Ultimately, the needs of the environment, the business and the public are all intertwined.
Sustainability is a quest for the long-term survival of communities, businesses and the ecological
systems that surround them and nourish them.

To thrive as a sustainable and stable society, these three pillars need to be strong. It’s always important
to keep this in mind, now more than ever to ensure that, in the twenty-first century, we are able to
ensure the health and well-being of future generations.

If any one pillar is weak then the system as a whole is unsustainable. In essence, sustainability implies a
responsible approach that minimizes the negative environmental impact, while trying to maintain
balance between all 3 ‘pillars’.

The Economic Pillar

Economic sustainability is the ability of an economy to support a defined level of economic production
indefinitely.
The economic pillar represents all things economy. From consumers to consumption, this pillar
represents the large population that is becoming very keen on having a high-consumption lifestyle. The
best way to keep this pillar as viable as possible is to establish a system that has fair distribution and
effective use of resources as a whole. Many organizations and countries are working on ways to bring
about economic stability. Economic growth needs to be as balanced as possible for the other two pillars
to be viable.
Furthermore, it means making money and growing the company without negatively impacting the other
two pillars, people and planet or environment.
The Social Pillar

The social pillar is all about being a global citizen. This pillar represents all things related to human
rights: social injustice, poverty, inequality (in all shapes and forms), and many more. Social sustainability
is the ability of a social system, such as a country, family, or organization, to function at a defined level
of social well being and harmony indefinitely. To make this pillar as strong as can be, a system
establishing and supporting things like peace and social justice is the first step. It’s associated with the
concept of social responsibility. If you run a business, you need to know how it impacts people’s lives,
including your employees.

Problems like war, endemic poverty, widespread injustice, and low education rates are symptoms a
system is socially unsustainable.

The Environment Pillar

Environmental sustainability is the ability of the environment to support a defined level of
environmental quality and natural resource extraction rates indefinitely. This is the world's biggest
actual problem, though since the consequences of not solving the problem now are delayed, the
problem receives too low a priority to solve.

It’s said a lot but it’s worth saying again: we only have one planet to live on. Natural resources are taken
for granted time and time again, and many societies forget that these resources are not as unlimited as
we may think. As climate changes, natural disasters occur, and natural resources begin to run out in
parts of the world, this pillar strives to support renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, organic
farming, and recycling (among many other initiatives and ideas). Basically, keeping the earth as free
from waste and pollution as possible, in order to make our system and society as sustainable as possible.

Why Are the Three Pillars of Sustainability Important?

Keeping all three pillars stable and sustainable should be the ultimate goal for all societies. While it’s
always important to focus on certain pillars during certain times, all pillars should be focused on.

These three pillars also work hand in hand with each other. If the social pillar is incredibly weakened
because of something like war, the economic and environmental pillars are, no doubt, going to be
weakened as well. Through war, pillaging of land could occur—and the economy will likely falter or
change as a result of the war. As you can see, the pillars all need to be as strong as possible and, quite
often, one weak pillar can result in all of the pillars become weak—and then, the system as a whole is
unsustainable.

It’s always important to analyze the three pillars of sustainability. To find a way to make the whole
system strong and as sustainable as possible, the three pillars have to be strong.

Seeing the overall system this way makes it clear that environmental sustainability must have the
highest priority, because the lower the carrying capacity of the environment, the lower the common
good delivered by the social system and the less output the economic system can produce.

The relationship the environment pillar has with the other pillars is clear: the other pillars simply cannot
survive without the environment pillar being in prime health. That’s why it’s so important to think of
things like pollution, fossil fuels, and recycling. Keeping the environment stable and healthy will also
keep the economic and social pillar sustainable.
If one pillar falters, they all falter. And if the environment pillar, the pillar with probably the highest
priority, becomes incredibly weakened, the economy and social pillars have no chance of keeping the
structure from crashing down.
GRANT & JOWARD

OTHER INFO/EXPLANATIONS (HALO-HALONG REFERENCES ‘YAN)

Imagine you’re looking at a structure that has three pillars holding up the front of the building.
If that structure didn’t have those three pillars, it would collapse. Even if that structure lost just
one pillar, it would collapse. The building or structure relies on those three pillars to keep the
building sturdy. Therefore, if one of those pillars (social, economic, or environment) were to be
weakened in any way, sustainability as a whole would falter—and then, as a whole, the system
would be considered unsustainable.

The Three Pillars Of Sustainability 

First, before we explain the difference, you have to keep in mind the three pillars of
sustainability : economic development, social development, and environmental protection.
Here’s a brief explanation of each:

 Economic development: It’s about providing incentives for businesses and organizations

that incorporate sustainable practices. They can’t be sustainable if they’re not profitable.

 Social development: It’s associated with the concept of social responsibility. If you run a
business, you need to know how it impacts people’s lives, including your employees.

 Environmental protection: Our planet is our home and we don’t have another one. So, we
should take care of the environment to ensure the future of humanity.

The Three Pillars of Sustainability

The three pillars of sustainability are planet or environment, social or people, and profit or
economics.

1. Planet (ENVIRONMENTAL)

Let us first discuss the first pillar, which is the planet, and use agriculture as an example.
Imagine a piece of land that has been farmed for palm oil for decades. Ideally, farmers should
take breaks in between harvests because the land’s quality will be compromised if it is
overused. If overused, it will take several years before the land can be useful again, which
means future generations won’t be able to use it for a while.

2. People (SOCIAL)

People sustainability, on another note, includes giving priority to the welfare of a given set of
workers of a company. Let’s say, for example, Target (a company) gives bi-annual skills training
to its workers that they can use in the future. The skills that they acquire can be useful to the
operations of Target in the future.
Also, it may include providing workers with more flexible working hours and a more conducive
working environment. Doing so makes the workforce happier, which will eventually lead to a
more productive company.

 3. Profit (ECONOMIC)

As for the economy, which is referred to as profit, sustainability means using a particular set of
resources in a responsible way that will allow them to be used on a long-term basis.
Furthermore, it means making money and growing the company without negatively impacting
the other two pillars, people and planet or environment.

For example, a diesel power plant operates 24 hours a day in a city using diesel engines that
emit black smoke and produce a very distracting sound. Though it is making profits because of
its non-stop operations, the smoke it emits surely pollutes the air, while the noise can cause
long-term disorders to the residents. Sustainability should mean balancing the profit and its
impact on the surroundings.

The great thing about sustainability is that if the people and the planet are taken care of, profits
will also be achieved.

Why Are the Three Pillars of Sustainability Important?

Keeping all three pillars stable and sustainable should be the ultimate goal for all societies.
However, you’d be surprised at how many well respected non-profit worldwide organizations
favor stabling or strengthening one pillar over the other. While it’s always important to focus
on certain pillars during certain times, all pillars should be focused on.
Focusing on, say, the economic pillar is great—but if the environment or social pillar is
weakened in the process of its strengthening, it’s not a great outcome.
These three pillars also work hand in hand with each other. If the social pillar is incredibly
weakened because of something like war, the economic and environmental pillars are, no
doubt, going to be weakened as well. Through war, pillaging of land could occur—and the
economy will likely falter or change as a result of the war. As you can see, the pillars all need to
be as strong as possible and, quite often, one weak pillar can result in all of the pillars become
weak—and then, the system as a whole is unsustainable.
It’s always important to analyze the three pillars of sustainability. To find a way to make the
whole system strong and as sustainable as possible, the three pillars have to be strong.
Therefore, there should be more emphasis on the pillars as a whole, instead of just emphasis on
certain pillars during certain times.

Going deeper
Thinking deeply in terms of the three pillars of sustainability requires systems thinking. You
start seeing the world as a collection of interconnected systems.
The largest system of them all is the biosphere we live in. It contains the human system, which
has two main systems: social and economic. When groups of people, from a tribe to a nation,
agree to form a government they form a social contract to increase their general welfare. This
contract binds the social and economic systems of the group of individuals together. The people
(the social subsystem) are working together under a central government to maximize their
economic system's output.
Seeing the overall system this way makes it clear that environmental sustainability must have
the highest priority, because the lower the carrying capacity of the environment, the lower the
common good delivered by the social system and the less output the economic system can
produce.
For the most part, the overwhelming pillar that encompasses all of the other pillars is the
environment. If the environment pillar falters and weakens greatly, it has terrible consequences
for the society and for the other two pillars.
The conditions we live in, in the very basic sense, matters. If our environment isn’t safe or is
polluted beyond repair, the pillar is weakened—and so are the other pillars.
The relationship the environment pillar has with the other pillars is clear: the other pillars
simply cannot survive without the environment pillar being in prime health. That’s why it’s so
important to think of things like pollution, fossil fuels, and recycling. Keeping the environment
stable and healthy will also keep the economic and social pillar sustainable.
By looking at the three pillars of sustainability in this way, it is easy to see that the environment
pillar, and environmental sustainability, has the highest priority in this day and age. The pillars
are intersected with each other and both the economic pillar and the social pillar need the
environment pillar to be thriving.
As you can see, there is a lot of information regarding the three pillars of sustainability.
Whether it’s the economic, the social, or the environment pillar, all three sections are
important and must be stable and strong to result in a sustainable system. Finding a way to
keep all three pillars as strong as can be is obviously a struggle. From economic recessions to
war, these pillars are always affected negatively—and always need all the help they can get.
Striving towards a sustainable system and a sustainable society is a high goal, but a goal that
can be met nonetheless.
If one pillar falters, they all falter. And if the environment pillar, the pillar with probably the
highest priority, becomes incredibly weakened, the economy and social pillars have no chance
of keeping the structure from crashing down.
Going even deeper
How do you analyze something as complex as all three pillars of the sustainability problem? Can
the problem be solved?
Yes. Solutions exist. The sustainability problem is no more difficult than monumental historic
problems like:
1. The shortage of food problem - This was solved ten thousand years ago by the invention of
agriculture.
2. The short lifespan problem - Prior to the Industrial Revolution in 1800, the average lifespan
of (for example) British people was 40 years. Today it's 78 for men and 82 for women. The
problem was solved by the incremental invention of practices like sewage works, clean water
sources, and better housing, along with inventions like germ theory and antibiotics. 2
3. The autocratic ruler problem - It was not so long ago that kings, warlords, chieftains,
dictators, and the like ruled the world. Might made right. The vast majority of the population
lived at the subsistence level. There was no middle class. The upper class aligned themselves
with whoever was in control at the top. It was a system as old as human history. But it changed
nearly overnight with the birth of modern democracy in the late 16 th century.
4. The Cold War problem - From the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in
1991, the free world held its breath in fear that nuclear war could erupt anytime. School
children cowered under their desks during nuclear attack drills, as the arms race caused both
sides to accumulate massive quantities of bombs. Mutually assured destruction (aptly
abbreviated MAD) seemed like the only way to achieve detente. The Cuban missile crisis of
1962 brought the US and the USSR to the brink of launching missiles to protect their interests.
But one side blinked and a holocaust was averted.
If these problems can be solved, so can the sustainability problem.
The first three problems were solved by invention of something new. But the last problem was
not. What was common to the solutions that allowed them to solve all four problems? If we
knew that it could help us solve the sustainability problem.