Presentation made during ‘How to conduct courses on Environmental Management and Sustainability’ at NITK

1. Dr. Prasad Modak
Ekonnect Knowledge Foundation
Journey towards
Sustainability -
An Evolution

2. Outline of the Presentation
• Some Historical
• An Introduction to Sustainability
• Sustainability Evolution in Tiers
• Opportunities and Challenges
2

3. How did it all begin?

4. Before Sustainability…
Compliance as the Focus
4
Public Health Engineering
Sanitary Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Science
Environmental Health & Safety
Environmental Law

5. Expansion, Extension,
Integration & Specialization
Responding to Sustainability
5
Environmental Planning
Environmental Economics and Finance
Environmental & Social Development
Environmental Policy
Environmental Communication
Environmental Management
Carbon Management

6. SUSTAINABILITY
Introduction to
6

7. Sustainable Development
7
“Sustainable development is
development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs.”
~ Brundtland Commission, “Our Common Future”

8. 8
People
ProfitPlanet

9. © Environmental Management Centre The Concept of Sustainability
Running for Sustainability
Risk or Opportunity?
9

10. © Environmental Management Centre The Concept of Sustainability
Benefits
• Be compliant
• Reduce risks
• Reduce costs
• Maximize performance
• Establish Brand
• Better Stakeholder
Management
(Neighborhood, Staff,
Supply Chains)
• More effectiveness in
Discharging CSR
• Framework for
Transparency
Improves
Outcomes
Optimizes
operations
Sustainability
in an
Organization
Reduces
Adverse Env
and Social
Impacts/
Risks

11. © Environmental Management Centre The Concept of Sustainability
Shades of Sustainability
11

12. Evolution of Sustainability
12

13. Four Tiers of Sustainability
13
Tier 1
• Compliance to Env Laws and Social Standards
• Establishing Environmental and Social Governance
(ESG)
Tier 2
• Minimizing Footprints (Water, Energy, Carbon)
Tier 3
• Greening of Supply Chains/ Green Purchasing
• Stakeholder Engagements
• Social Inclusion
Tier 4
• Embedded Sustainability
• Sustainability as Business Driver
Going Beyond
Compliance
Extending
Boundaries
Mainstreaming
Meeting laws of
the land, Market
/ Investor
requirements

14. 14
Compliance –
Meeting Laws of
the Land and
Requirements of
the Market /
Investors
Compliance with
procedures
Generate and
Maintain
Associated
Documentation
Investing on
mitigation
measures
Deploying
qualified staff
Monitoring and
Reporting
Tier 1:Compliance
Minimum Eligibility Criteria
for Sustainability

15. 15
Beyond
Compliance
– Practicing
„Smart‟
Sustainability
Water &
Energy
Conservation
Green
Buildings
ISO 14000 &
18000
Certification
Practicing 3Rs
Carbon
Disclosure
Responding to
Climate
Change
Tier 2: Beyond Compliance
Conserve resources
Reduce Wastes/Emissions
Reduce risks and
vulnerability
Join International
Initiatives

16. “In a free enterprise, the community is not
just another stakeholder in business but in
fact the very purpose of its existence”.
– J.R.D. Tata
Expanding Frontiers
16

17. 17
Extending
Boundaries
CSR
Green Jobs
and Social
Inclusion
Green
Purchasing
Assistance to
suppliers for
EHS
performance
Contractor
Skill Training
and EHS
Management
Extended
Producer
Responsibility
Tier 3: Extending Boundaries
Green Purchasing
Greening of Supply Chains
Supporting Communities in
Project Catchments
Practicing CSR

18. 18
Embedded
Sustainability
Green IT
Green Schools
Green Offices
Eco-cities
Smart Cities
Renewable
Energy
Distributed
Generation of
Power
Sustainable
Mobility
Solutions
Conservation
Finance
Climate
Insurance
Impact Funds
Tier 4: Embedded SustainAbility
Sustainability as the
Business driver
Mainstreaming
Sustainability
Sustainability Awareness
Programme
Sustainabillty Reporting

19. 19
To make sustainability an everyday, enduring part of the
organization, it needs to become embedded in the
organizational culture.
Dr. Stephanie Bertels
Simon Fraser University and NBS
Embedded Sustainability

20. Sustainability @Corporate? 201X?
20

21. Ecosystem Pays.. Will it continue to Pay?
21

22. 22

23. CHALLENGES
23

24. Sustainability
Challenges
Businesses
Greenwash
Considered as
marketing
gimmick No tangible
outcome
Hard to define
Lack of metrics
for footprint
calculation
Regulators
Lack of policy
framework
No incentives to
spur innovation
Lack of qualified
personnel
Considered as
‘cost’ without
Social Return
on Investment
No life
cycle
thinking
Top
management
not involved
Supply Chains
not considered
Not a
business
‘strategy’
Consumers not
interested
Lack of proper
communication
Lack of structured
framework to
stimulate markets
24

25. 25

26. 26
People
ProfitPlanet
Social inclusion
Green jobs
Low Carbon
Living
Green buildings
Smart cities
Green economy
Conservation Finance
Business practices with low
environmental and social impacts
INNOVATIONSUSTAINABILITY

27. 27
People
Profit
Planet
Values
Social inclusion
Green jobs
Low Carbon
Living
Green buildings
Smart cities
Green economy
Conservation Finance
Business practices with
low environmental and
social impacts
SHARED
RESPONSIBILTYSUSTAINABILITY
Ethics
Equity
Transparency

28. Do you want to be that odd man green?
28

29. Let us walk together …
Be part of the Process
Thank you

30. Thank you