A Preliminary Investigation into the Environmental and Social …
427
the repair ability or resilience of the ecosystem. The economic—your objective aims
to increase the efficiency of production and consumption with to expand savings
in natural resources through technological innovation—eco-efficiency. And the last
dimension is the social dimension—a sustainable society supposes that there is social
justice and that all citizens have the minimum necessary for a dignified life.
But why is sustainability important to people?
Sustainability is commonly studied together to the concept of sustainable development (system of mass consumption and concerns about nature), both linked to
self-destruction—resulting from economic growth.
After all, aims to satisfy primarily expectations in terms of productivity, encouraging the consumption of goods and services, and, the quality of life (resulting from
economic development) decreases and we find ourselves in a food crisis, economic
crisis, social, environmental and to maintain future generations, therefore, the ecological system wouldn’t support the forces exerted by the market, considering the current
use of productive resources. Regarding the use of resources, another important point
is the product life cycle, with phases ranging from development (start/project), introduction to the market, product growth and maturity until its decline. But what does
the product life cycle have to do with sustainability? Have you ever wondered to think
about how things are produced? What productive resources will be used? What is
your organizational structure? How will your planning, investments and your release
on the market? Anyway, how will the product’s life cycle, during and after the end
of its useful life?
Every product (product or service) generates some negative impact on the environment, in any of the phases of its existence, from the extraction of resources,
production, distribution, consumption and discard.
We are convinced that, today, the society is living in a complex crisis of values—
judging by the inability of judgment and decision, in relation to lifestyle, which
surprises every day with new “modus operandi”, it would be then a Crisis of values
or values in crisis?
Thus, sustainability doesn’t have necessarily a logical concept, however, this
(in) definition is attributed the meaning of “less polluting”, “ecologically correct”,
“socially fair”, that is, the need for human beings make use of natural resources
consciously, given their scarcity of them. Although the concept of sustainability is
defended from a political perspective, in general, the economic aspect receives more
significance than the environmental and social aspects, the latter being often ignored.
That explains the fact that decision-making values business opportunities (economic
dimension) and uses environmental capital only in an exploratory way, which in turn
“forces” organizations to be environmentally responsible (environmental dimension).
Finally, unfortunately, the process of repairing nature takes place slowly, facing the
impacts of human capital (social dimension), as well as lack of responsibility and
commitment in the same.
In view of the crisis and transformation, due from the triple “threat”, this study
verified the equalization of the social and environmental dimensions in the Triple
Bottom Line, once, in its initial stages, only the economic dimension has been evident.
The methodology adopted was that of a qualitative approach, with a theoretical essay
427
the repair ability or resilience of the ecosystem. The economic—your objective aims
to increase the efficiency of production and consumption with to expand savings
in natural resources through technological innovation—eco-efficiency. And the last
dimension is the social dimension—a sustainable society supposes that there is social
justice and that all citizens have the minimum necessary for a dignified life.
But why is sustainability important to people?
Sustainability is commonly studied together to the concept of sustainable development (system of mass consumption and concerns about nature), both linked to
self-destruction—resulting from economic growth.
After all, aims to satisfy primarily expectations in terms of productivity, encouraging the consumption of goods and services, and, the quality of life (resulting from
economic development) decreases and we find ourselves in a food crisis, economic
crisis, social, environmental and to maintain future generations, therefore, the ecological system wouldn’t support the forces exerted by the market, considering the current
use of productive resources. Regarding the use of resources, another important point
is the product life cycle, with phases ranging from development (start/project), introduction to the market, product growth and maturity until its decline. But what does
the product life cycle have to do with sustainability? Have you ever wondered to think
about how things are produced? What productive resources will be used? What is
your organizational structure? How will your planning, investments and your release
on the market? Anyway, how will the product’s life cycle, during and after the end
of its useful life?
Every product (product or service) generates some negative impact on the environment, in any of the phases of its existence, from the extraction of resources,
production, distribution, consumption and discard.
We are convinced that, today, the society is living in a complex crisis of values—
judging by the inability of judgment and decision, in relation to lifestyle, which
surprises every day with new “modus operandi”, it would be then a Crisis of values
or values in crisis?
Thus, sustainability doesn’t have necessarily a logical concept, however, this
(in) definition is attributed the meaning of “less polluting”, “ecologically correct”,
“socially fair”, that is, the need for human beings make use of natural resources
consciously, given their scarcity of them. Although the concept of sustainability is
defended from a political perspective, in general, the economic aspect receives more
significance than the environmental and social aspects, the latter being often ignored.
That explains the fact that decision-making values business opportunities (economic
dimension) and uses environmental capital only in an exploratory way, which in turn
“forces” organizations to be environmentally responsible (environmental dimension).
Finally, unfortunately, the process of repairing nature takes place slowly, facing the
impacts of human capital (social dimension), as well as lack of responsibility and
commitment in the same.
In view of the crisis and transformation, due from the triple “threat”, this study
verified the equalization of the social and environmental dimensions in the Triple
Bottom Line, once, in its initial stages, only the economic dimension has been evident.
The methodology adopted was that of a qualitative approach, with a theoretical essay