Sustainability, in a broad sense, is the capacity to endure. It is composed of three, closely integrated, dimensions: social, environmental and economical. A sustainable world can only be achieved when all three dimensions, or pillars, are addressed simultaneously and with equivalent effort.

Social sustainability is the first pillar of sustainability. It refers to responsible global citizenship. This means that every member of society must prioritise the welfare of every other member of society. This can be achieved by aiming for peace, security and social justice. 

Social disruptions like war, crime and corruption divert resources from areas of greatest human need; they damage the capacity of societies to plan for the future and generally threaten human well-being. Inequality of human rights can hinder human development, while a lack of security can antagonise and swiftly escalate the occurrence of war and suffering. 

Environmental sustainability is the second pillar of sustainability. It refers to responsible utilisation of resources. This means that we must manage our impact on the world’s land, seas, and air, as well as ensuring appropriate limits of human consumption.

Climate change, extinction of species, disruption to long-existing natural cycles, and an increase in biological invasions are just a handful of symptoms of mankind’s disregard for the environment we live in, and which we are just a small part of. Coupled with unfettered human consumption that threatens to destroy our natural resources, the consequences of our actions, if left unchecked, will harm not only us, but future generations as well.

Economic sustainability is the third pillar of sustainability. It refers to the recognition of, and appropriate reform towards, the fact that economic activity has social and ecological effects.This means that we must curb and manage developed countries’ consumption while raising the standard of living of the developing world, without increasing its social and cultural, and environmental impact.

The consumption levels of the developed world are unsustainable, and will in the not-so-long run lead to eventual depletion of resources. Consumerism in developing countries is increasingly headed towards this end, which hastens the inevitable environmental degradation, not to mention the social and cultural ills that spawn on the fast track to economic success. 

The problem with promoting sustainability and sustainable practices is that the three pillars are interrelated and affect each other considerably. It is therefore important that measures which are taken to improve the level of sustainability take into account this fact, and approach the issue appropriately by addressing all three dimensions simultaneously. This is what we aim to do.