Definitions

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

CSR is about how companies manage their business to make a positive impact on society, taking responsibility for their impact on all stakeholders, including the environment.

 

Corporate Responsibility

This has the same meaning as Corporate Social Responsibility. It is becoming more commonly used as businesses seek to be responsible businesses, and assess their impact on society and the environment. This can be done through being responsible towards your workforce and suppliers, as well as communities you work in, and the wider environmental impact of a company's actions and how this affects society throughout the world.

 

Sustainable Development

In 1987, sustainable development was defined as "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" by the Brundtland Commission, who produced a report into how the human environment and natural resources were deteriorating, to the detriment of society and the economy.

 

Sustainability

Sustainability is about developing a way of life in which we act in ways to maintain our current state for our lifetime, and for future generations. It is used in particular reference to our reliance on natural resources to maintain our current lifestyles, and how these lifestyles can actually diminish these resources in a way that is harmful to everyone. It is often used interchangeably with sustainable development. Climate change is a good example of an issue related to sustainability. Human activity has been shown to be causing global warming, changing our climate systems, and causing both average temperatures and extreme weather events to increase. The impacts on the environment this will cause will have impacts on societies throughout the world. Many of these impacts will be negative, with many causing significant economic impacts that could be avoided by taking action now.