Explain ‘Sustainability’ 

Sustainability is the ability of the business to continue to exist and conduct operations with no effects on the environment that cannot be offset or made good in some other way. The best working definition is that given by the Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Norwegian prime minister in the Brundtland Report (1987) as activity that, ‘meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ 

Importantly, it refers to both the inputs and outputs of any organisational process.

• Inputs (resources) must only be consumed at a rate at which they can be reproduced, offset or in some other way not irreplaceably depleted. 
• Outputs (such as waste and products) must not pollute the environment at a rate greater than can be cleared or offset. 

Recycling is one way to reduce the net impact of product impact on the environment.

The business activities must take into consideration the carbon emissions, other pollution to water, air and local environment, and should use strategies to neutralise these impacts by engaging in environmental practices that will replenish the used resources and eliminate harmful effects of pollution.

A number of reporting frameworks have been developed to help in accounting for sustainability including the notion of triple-bottom-line accounting and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Both of these attempt to measure the social and environmental impacts of a business in addition to its normal accounting.