Sustainable Development: What It Really

Means
Sustainable development—everybody’s talking about it, but what do those
two words really mean? Let’s take a couple of minutes to see what
sustainable development is all about.

The idea first emerged in the late 1980s as a response to the world’s growing
social and environmental problems. With globalization, the inequality gap
between rich and poor countries is widening every day, and the projections
for population growth are alarming.

How are we going to feed a total of nine billion people in 2050?

How can we offer everyone access to clean drinking water,

healthcare, and education?

How can we protect biodiversity and take concrete action against

climate change?

How can we make sure that industrial development means progress

for everyone?

The proposed solution was a new kind of development, or rather a variation

of the traditional model, called quite simply SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
The term was officially defined in 1987 as part of the preparations for the Rio
Earth Summit. Sustainable development is development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.

Does that sound a little abstract to you? Let’s put it this way:

“Sustainable development means that growth must be

accomplished with respect for nature and humankind.”
And where is sustainability achieved? Right here at the crossroads of
economic goals, social responsibility, and environmental protection.

Now, are you wondering whether a company can combine respect for the
environment, social equity, and commercial success? Well, the answer is
YES. Not only that, but sustainable development creates value. Here’s how:
  Upgrading Production Tools: Using less energy and water is good
for the environment and for the pocketbook.

 Eco-Design Products and Packaging: Using just what’s necessary

saves materials and reduces shipping costs.

 Employee Engagement: Paying attention to employees, improving

their quality of life at work, and helping them develop their skills all
serve to strengthen their engagement. Stronger employee
engagement means better overall performance.

 Accessible Products: Creating products that are accessible to the

world’s poorest populations means opening new markets—the ones
whose populations are going to grow the fastest between now and
2050.

 Monitoring Working Conditions: Ensuring good working conditions

offered by suppliers and subcontractors minimizes risks that could
damage the company’s image.

As you can see, sustainable development affects just about everything. More
and more companies today understand that they have important economic,
social, and environmental responsibilities and are committed to making a
difference. The ones that seize this opportunity to create value will find that
their success is, in a word, sustainable.

Achieving a Net Zero Economy in 2022:

Pioneering Sustainable Solutions
Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases
(GHG) emitted into the atmosphere and the amount removed. Achieving "net
zero" means that a country, business, or individual emits no more GHG than
what they can absorb or offset, typically through methods like carbon
capture, reforestation, or renewable energy. The goal is to limit global
warming and mitigate climate change impacts by reducing overall carbon
emissions.

The Net Zero Economy Index 2023 reveals that to achieve global climate
targets by 2050, the world must cut carbon emissions by 17.2% annually.
This ambitious goal demands extensive efforts to lower greenhouse gas
emissions across all sectors. It necessitates innovative solutions and policies
in sustainability to significantly advance towards a nature-positive future.
High-Emitting Sectors: Key Areas for
Innovation
We believe that it is precisely in the high-emitting sectors where some of the
most important work is being done. Here are some groundbreaking
examples:

Construct Sustainably

As construction companies, you play a key role in shaping our environment.

Moving towards net zero means reducing the carbon emissions generated
during the construction process and throughout the building's lifecycle. By
adopting sustainable practices and technologies, you can help India achieve
its climate goals while also gaining long-term economic benefits. Here are
some practical steps:

 Use Energy-Efficient Materials

Fly Ash Bricks or Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks: These

reduce the carbon footprint compared to traditional clay bricks.

Low-Carbon Cement: Opt for cements that use alternative fuels and
lower-energy production processes (e.g., Portland Pozzolana Cement).

Recycled Steel and Wood: By using recycled or sustainably sourced

materials, you can minimize the need for new resource extraction,
reducing emissions.

 Energy-Efficient Building Design

Green Building Certification: Follow green building guidelines such as

the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) or LEED certifications, which
promote energy-efficient designs.

Passive Design Techniques: Leverage natural ventilation, sunlight, and

shading to reduce the need for heating, cooling, and artificial lighting.
Simple design choices like placing windows to maximize airflow can
reduce energy consumption significantly.

 Renewable Energy Sources

Solar Power: Install solar panels on construction sites and buildings to

use renewable energy, cutting down on electricity drawn from fossil-
fuel-based grids.
 Onsite Solar Power for Construction Equipment: Use solar-powered
tools and temporary lighting to reduce diesel or electricity
consumption during construction.

 Water Management and Efficiency

Rainwater Harvesting: Collect rainwater for use in construction and

reduce reliance on external water sources.

Greywater Recycling: Use treated wastewater for purposes such as

dust suppression, curing concrete, or landscaping.

 Efficient Waste Management

Reuse and Recycle Construction Waste: Implement practices to reuse

materials like concrete, steel, and wood, reducing the need for new raw
materials.

Minimize Waste on Site: By carefully planning your material usage and

construction timelines, you can avoid excess waste, which contributes
to emissions when disposed of in landfills.

 Sustainable Transportation for Materials

Use Locally Sourced Materials: Transporting materials over long

distances adds to emissions. By sourcing materials locally, you can
reduce fuel use and support the local economy.

 Adopt Electric or Hybrid Construction Equipment

As India’s construction sector grows, transitioning to electric or hybrid

construction equipment can significantly cut down emissions from
diesel-powered machinery.

 Incorporate Green Spaces

Green Roofs and Walls: These features not only reduce the
building's energy demand but also absorb CO2 and improve air quality.

Landscaping with Native Plants: Choose native plant species that

require less water and maintenance and help improve biodiversity.

Sustainable Restaurant

Restaurants can significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions by

adopting sustainable practices in sourcing, operations, and energy use. This
can also lead to cost savings, enhance customer satisfaction, and align with
India’s sustainability goals. Here are practical steps for restaurants to be part
of the sustainable development movement:

1. Source Locally and Seasonally

 Support Local Farmers: By sourcing fruits, vegetables, and

meats from local farms, you reduce the transportation emissions
associated with importing food.

 Seasonal Menus: Use seasonal produce, which requires less

energy to grow and store, reducing your carbon footprint.

2. Reduce Food Waste

 Portion Control and Menu Planning: Carefully plan portion

sizes and menu items to avoid excess food waste.

 Composting: Set up a composting system for organic waste.

This reduces the methane emissions from food waste in landfills
and can even be used to enrich gardens or local farms.

3. Switch to Energy-Efficient Equipment

 Energy-Efficient Kitchen Appliances: Invest in energy-

efficient stoves, ovens, and refrigerators, which consume less
power. Look for equipment with a 5-star energy rating.

 Induction Cooktops: Consider using induction cooking, which is

faster and more energy-efficient than traditional gas or electric
stoves.

4. Renewable Energy for Operations

 Solar Panels: Install solar panels on the roof of your restaurant

to power kitchen appliances, lighting, and air conditioning. Solar
energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels and saves on electricity
bills in the long run.

 Solar Water Heating: For water heating, install solar water

heaters to reduce electricity use.

5. Water Conservation Practices

 Water-Efficient Fixtures: Install low-flow faucets and toilets to

reduce water usage in kitchens and washrooms.
  Rainwater Harvesting: Collect rainwater for non-potable uses,
such as cleaning floors and flushing toilets, which reduces
dependency on municipal water supplies.

6. Sustainable Packaging and Waste Management

 Eco-Friendly Packaging: Replace single-use plastic and

Styrofoam containers with biodegradable, compostable, or
reusable packaging. Look for materials like bagasse (sugarcane
waste), bamboo, or paper.

 Minimize Packaging: Encourage customers to bring their own

containers for takeaways and deliveries, or offer incentives for
reusing packaging.

7. Energy-Efficient Lighting and Cooling

 LED Lighting: Switch to LED bulbs, which use significantly less

energy and last longer than traditional lighting.

 Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning: Ensure your air

conditioning units have high energy-efficiency ratings, or
consider using ceiling fans to reduce energy consumption.

8. Sustainable Design and Construction

 Natural Ventilation: Design your restaurant to maximize

airflow and reduce the need for air conditioning.

 Green Building Materials: When renovating, use low-carbon

materials like bamboo or reclaimed wood, and opt for non-toxic
paints and finishes.

9. Promote Plant-Based Menu Options

 Introduce Plant-Based Meals: Meat production is a significant

source of carbon emissions. By offering plant-based dishes, you
can reduce your restaurant’s overall carbon footprint.

 Sustainable Seafood: If offering seafood, ensure it's sourced

from sustainable fisheries to avoid overfishing and maintain
ocean ecosystems.

10. Digital Transformation

 Paperless Operations: Shift to digital menus, billing, and

inventory systems to cut down on paper waste.
  Online Food Delivery with Sustainability in Mind: Use
electric vehicles or bicycles for food deliveries to reduce
emissions.

Textile Industry

 Fabric Nano: This biotech startup has found a way to sustainably

synthesize bioplastics and fossil fuel-free chemical ingredients at scale.
They produce these chemicals 100 times faster than normal
petroleum-based products. Their breakthroughs could mean that cell-
free manufacturing could finally transcend niche to become
commonplace.

Innovative Energy Solutions

 Human-Powered Steps: Making electricity from human-powered

steps is a concept that has been around for a while but without a lot of
market uptake. However, new technology developed by two Swiss labs
means that for the first time, we can create electricity from wooden
flooring. Wood is one of the most sustainable and popular building
materials, but its electro neutrality has meant that it has been
relatively ignored for energy harvesting. These scientists found a way
to modify it with silicon and nano crystals, relatively environmentally
friendly procedures, making it triboelectric.

Lab-Grown Wood

 MIT Research: What if you could grow wood in a lab? Researchers at

MIT have not only discovered how to replicate wood by isolating
tunable plant tissues but also to grow it in specific shapes, thereby
reducing waste. Even though wood can be grown sustainably, this new
technology has the capacity to transform our use of biomaterials and
combat deforestation.

Sustainable Fashion

 Global Ecommerce Brand: Making affordable fashion sustainable is

the goal of this global ecommerce brand. Everything is handmade to
order in Spain and Portugal. Most importantly, they only make what is
ordered, totally reducing unsold production waste. For every item
ordered, they encourage you to resell something you no longer want.
They also offset their carbon footprint and donate material scraps to
independent fashion brands. With an annual average growth rate of
100 percent, this pioneering stockless fashion brand is on the rise.
Nature-Positive Business Solutions

 N Caves: This UN-funded research project is laying the groundwork for

environmental and ecosystem accounting with pilots in Brazil, China,
India, Mexico, and South Africa. The project is developing the tools,
language, and structure for how we can measure the value of
ecosystem services.

 Invest: This initiative has created a set of modeling tools to evaluate

the impact of investments in natural infrastructure in cities. The
software models the links between nature and the well-being of
populations, demonstrating the way investors can become allies to
nature.

Investing in Nature

 Costa Rica: Costa Rica is the first tropical country to have halted and
actually reversed deforestation. By taxing fossil fuels, the government
has financed a $500 million payout to landowners, saving more than 1
million hectares of forest and replanting 7 million trees. Costa Rica has
been recognized as one of the most successful due to political will and
a passion for and recognition of the importance of their environment.

As you can see, sustainable development affects just about everything. More
and more companies today understand that they have important economic,
social, and environmental responsibilities and are committed to making a
difference. The ones that seize this opportunity to create value will find that
their success is, in a word, sustainable.