‘I want a sustainable business’

Pandemic or not, we often hear the phrase, “I want a sustainable business.” A conventional connotation for being sustainable is either being able to leverage one's operations or a company’s ability to withstand problems and promote business continuity. Some consider a sustainable business as caring for the environment or the 3Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle as expounded by Gev Eduljee. But what does having a sustainable business mean? John Elkington defined sustainable business with his triple-bottom-line framework as going beyond the traditional measures for-profits such as return on investment, shareholder value, market share, among others,. of an organization but more so considering stakeholder engagement (people) and environmental concern (planet). Thus, a sustainable business includes integration of activities between people, planet and profit for the well-being of stakeholders.

Now, this may be difficult not just for large enterprises but also for micro, small and medium enterprises. The culture of giving that we have come to know starts when we have “extra” money or resources; that’s when we decide to give or share. Remember, the bible passage on The Widow’s Offering? (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-14), Jesus does not say that we give everything we have. Instead, He encouraged us to give generously, to be a cheerful giver, where we honor God with his provisions, sharing our resources for the betterment of others, and entrusting Him to meet our needs.