Business Case for Sustainable Development

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, a membership organization of 150 global companies, has published a manifesto of sorts on the business case for sustainable development, a document it prepared in advance of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The 16-page document states “our vision of the relationships between responsible companies and the goal of sustainable human progress,” according to the foreword. It sets forth a number of bold statements, covering the marketplace, eco-efficiency, corporate social responsibility, partnerships, innovation, and the “radical change throughout the corporation” the organization says is needed to address the triple bottom line of financial, social, and environmental performance.