Companies operating in different industries and in different countries will have different sustainability focus. The sustainability focus is dependent on the business impact of their operations on the Community, Environment, Marketplace and the Workplace as well as stakeholders' expectations and corporate strategy. As such, it is highly unlikely for any two companies to have identical sustainability programmes.
Initiatives in the Workplace dimension are fairly similar across industries, and the figure overleaf reflects the common focus areas in this dimension regardless of industry.
The following diagram shows common sustainability issues impacting companies and industries across the value chain.
Injustice or unfairness concerning public interest
Mistreatment of the indigenous people
Wellbeing and security of society
Negative impact on the businesses of smaller and
domestic-based companies due to the availability
of better products and production techniques
Reduction of resources
Harm done towards the ecological surrounding
Utilisation of power
Dishonesty in carrying out responsibilities
Incorporating and engaging the society and the public
To involve the shareholders, consumers, lawmakers and other parties affected in the decision making process
To encourage the learning process
To cut down on usage of materials
To use again materials that have already been used
To reprocess materials in order to create new materials
Plan to address risks or opportunities related to the change in environment/weather
Gaseous discharge from a particular activity
The effective usage of power and resources
Plan or strategy to control the company's impact on the ecological surrounding
Environmentally friendly promotional strategies with connections to sustainability related entities
Effectiveness in creating goods / conducting services
without having too much detrimental impact on the
environment (less pollution, using less resources, etc)
Effluence that downgrades the quality of the environment
Utilisation of wrapping materials during production
Utilisation of unprocessed goods during production
Water utilisation during production
The management and monitoring of waste produced by human in a responsible manner
Utilisation of packaging material from sustainable sources
Avoid expenditures that expedite processes as it may be illegal
Keeping away from affairs of the state and government
Maintenance of the product and company name / reputation
Employment of children, exploiting people under the age of 14-16 (differs by country), for work purposes
Consciousness towards customer's needs
Maintenance of good consumer connections
Adhering to moral principles when promoting products
Expenditure to accelerate processes (may be legal or illegal depending on jurisdiction)
A movement that contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers.
Liberties and freedom of people
Organisng and controlling creativity and new ideas
Anti-corporate activism
Adherence to the regulations of the country
Values and principles that dealers have to adhere to
Maintaining honesty and integrity when transacting
Garnering support from the government in a responsible manner to ensure all stakeholders' concerns are met
Bias and inequality in treatment / decision making
Assimilation of people from various backgrounds ( race, religion, age, gender, etc )
Satisfactory standards for wellbeing and protection of employees
Reasonable amount of required time spent for profession within regulatory limits
Activities that increase employee wellbeing and consciousness towards a particular issue
Wellbeing and security
System based on performance and value of employees
Earnings of employees based on merit and value
Value and honour the liberties and privileges of the working force
Good management of the workforce
Liberties and privileges of the workers and the setup and management of an association
Illustrative example of different focus areas by industry (non-comprehensive list of issues)
