The creation of a sustainability department almost always sparks an overwhelmingly positive response from employees. The reality is that workers are often ahead of the game when it comes to environmental concern -- they've been waiting for their employers to embrace sustainability and green business and are relieved to finally see concrete steps taken in that direction.

However, even though most are excited to see their company embracing sustainability, few know what sustainability is, what this department does or -- most importantly -- how to get involved. The following is a primer on sustainability and sustainability departments, enabling employees to inform themselves and their departments on how they can best contribute to their company's sustainable business future.

What is "Sustainability"?

There are many definitions out there. A good place to start is with this definition, from the United Nations:

"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, 1987)

In other words, we should live our lives and do business in a way that meets our needs, but doesn't muck up the ability of people in the future to do the same.

In the business community, sustainability is often referred to as the "triple bottom line" or the "integrated bottom line" and is often accompanied by the motto "People, Planet and Profit." These phrases each refer to a business that values environmental and social welfare, in addition to the financial bottom line. Most professionals in the field use these definitions only as starting points. You may find it useful to consider what it is about these definitions that works and doesn't work for you, and then come up with your own definition of sustainability, keeping in mind the underlying principles.

What is "Sustainable Business"?

Just like sustainability itself, sustainable business can be interpreted and defined in many different ways. A useful definition to start with comes from the Presidio School of Management:

"Sustainable Management (is) the ability to direct the course of a company, community or country in ways that restore and enhance all forms of capital -- human, natural, and financial -- to generate stakeholder value and contribute to the well-being of current and future generations."

Depending on market conditions, geography, activity, and supply chain, every sustainable business will look and behave differently. However, companies committed to sustainability share some characteristics:

1. They are financially successful companies that seek to create wealth;
2. They work to increase the well-being of their employees, customers, communities, and other stakeholders;
3. They seek to actively restore, conserve, and support ecological systems.

What is a Sustainability Department and What Does it Do?

The goal of a sustainability department is to make the company more sustainable -- that is, to help the company ensure its long-term future by protecting communities, restoring and conserving ecosystems, and creating competitive profit. For some businesses, a small number of modifications may result in an entirely sustainable operation. For others, the path will be longer and more complicated. In either case, the result will be a shift that affects the entire company, similar to integrative concepts like Total Quality Management (TQM).

A company's sustainability department may start projects of its own, but much of its work will be through partnering with other departments and business units. This is because sustainability is not an isolated competency, like marketing or operations can be. Instead, it's a business mindset applicable to all areas of business activity.

Sustainability departments can range in size significantly between companies. Many businesses have just one person dedicated to working on sustainability. For some, sustainability is half a person's job, a shared responsibility, or the domain of interns and consultants. Others have a full department with several people in it. No matter what staffing size your company chooses, you can expand the influence of the sustainability department by supporting their work and projects of your own.