4 Concepts Cont.

Sustainability

u Sustainability
Sustainability as as
a keya key concept
concept in in
business education
business education is about
is about encouraging
young people to
encouraging be change
young people to be
agents (or
change change(or
agents makers)
changeto create
makers)a
better world for a ll generations to come.
to create a better world for all
generations to come.
u It is about embracing the
challenges and taking the
responsibility for protecting the
planet and its people, and
certainly not only the profits of
large corporations.
ATL Activity 1:
Research Skills

u Investigate the various methods that

Lego uses sustainability in its business
operations. Lego's website is a good
starting point.
u Be prepared to share your findings
with the rest of the class.
What were your findings?

u I would like each

person to share 1 thing
they learned about
Lego’s sustainability
practcies.

u The order will be

alphabetical (first
Findings from the lego website:
name!) A-Z
- Aim customers: children
- Committed to protect the environment (plans new
solar park expected to cover its total energy consumption) -> many
different aspects of ways to improve sustainability
- Value people, partners, and suppliers
who make LEGO play experiences possible
ATL Acitity 2: Reading
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Questions

u Why is plastic pollution such a growing and worldwide problem?

u What solutions are recommended in this short video?
Extension activity

u Go to the link in discussions. Read through the article and answer the following questions.
u 3. What is the Pacific Trash Vortex and how many tonnes does it weigh?
Another name for the Green pacific Garbage Patch, and weighs 87,000 tonnes
u 4. Where is the Pacific Trash Vortex located?
Located in the Pacific Ocean; between Hawaii and Califonia
u 5. How many garbage vortexes are there on the planet’s oceans and what are they known as? Gyres
u 6. How many kilometres does the Great Pacific Garbage Patch cover? 1.6 million square kilometers
u 7. In 2019, how many tonnes worth of lost fishing nets were recovered from the vortex over
a clean-up period of 25 days? 40 tons
u 8. Who started (founded) the "Ocean Cleanup Project" and how old is he (at the time of the
video)? Boyan Slat, 24 years old
u 9. How much plastic waste could be removed from the oceans using Slat's flotation device,
over a period of 5 years? 50%
u 10. A study from the United Nations has predicted what will happen by the year 2050?
There will be a great volume of plastic waste than fish in our oceans , if nothings is done
about the global problem
Let’s go
over the
answers!
Sustainability and the Triple Bottom Line

u In
In a businessmanagement
a business management context,
context, the sustainability
the term term sustainability refers
refers to the abilitytoofthe
an ability
of an organization
organization or an economy
or an economy to continuetoitscontinue
business its business
activities activities
indefinitely. Thisindefinitely.
means that
This means that
its operations todayitsdooperations today
not jeoparadise thedo not jeopardise
opportunities the generations
for future opportunities for
future generations.
u British author and entrepreneur John Elkington (1994) is a world-leading
authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development. Elkington
coined the term the triple bottom line (or the three 3Ps of sustainability) to
refer to the three pillars (aspects) of sustainability that businesses need to
consider:

- Social sustainability (people)

- Environmental sustainability (Plant)
- Economic sustainability (Profit or Prosperity)
Social
u Social sustainability focuses on the extent to which an organization or
Social sustainability focuses on the extent to which an organization or economy can meet
economy
the needs can
of themeet
currentthegeneration
needs ofwithout
the current generation
jeopardising without
the needs jeopardising
of future generationsthe
needs of future generations.
u For example, population growth around the world results in greater levels of
consumption and depletion of the earth’s natural resources. Social sustainability
enables people of the current and future generations to enjoy a decent quality
of life.
Environmental

u
Environmental
Environmental sustainability (or ecological
sustainability sustainability)
(or ecological
refers to sustainable
sustainability) useto
refers ofsustainable
the planet’s natural
use of resources
the
so that the current level of consumption does
planet’s natural resources so that the current level not
jeoparadise
of consumption the resources
does notavailable for future
jeopardise the resources
genrations. Without ecological sustainability,
available for future generations. Without ecologicalbusiness
activity will eventually
sustainability, businessdeplete the planet’s
activity natural
will eventually
resources.
deplete the planet’s natural resources.

u Examples of unsustainable business activities

include overfishing and deforestation. At a more
micro level, many retailer have implemented a
policy of "opt-in receipts" (where printed receipts are
only given to customers if they request one -
otherwise they can be emailed to customers
instead).
Government
Intervention
u Therefore, environmental
sustainability requires the
efficient and rational use of
the earth’s resources. For
example, many countries
have introduced a charge
(or tax) on the use of non-
biodegradable plastic carrier
bags.
u These countries include:
Belgium, Denmark,
England, France, Germany,
Holland, Hong Kong,
Ireland, Switzerland, and
Wales
Economic

u Economic sustainability is about

using resources, both natural and
manufactured, efficiently and
responsibly. It is able encouraging
businesses to focus their strategies
on long-term rather than short-term
profitability targets, and the long-
term consequences of economic
activities. This also has a direct
impact on people’s jobs and
careers in the future.
Sustainable Banana
Farming in Australia
ATL
Activity
#3:
Critical
Thinking
Skills
Greenwashing