Rank: Forum user 
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Can anyone point out the wider responsibilities of organisation concerning sustainability and how a company would/can approach managing these responsibilities. Thank you
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Very timely question Latchy. IOSH are currently working on a global project through the ‘Center for Safety and Health Sustainability’ to put H&S into the sustainability arena. Traditionally the 'S' word was limited to environment; linked to sustainable supply materials, energy production etc. IOSH have added ‘people’ as a resource that should be considered in the equation. Injury prevention, ill health minimisation, damage to plant and equipment etc all result in a more than necessary cost to the essential resources of people and property. We are putting the emphasis on proactive interventions as well –so positive safety management, health promotion, return to work should all be part of the measurement of a sustainable organisation. You can find out more about the project on the IOSH website (word search sustainable) and also on http://centershs.org The organisation we are working with is called GRI –Google them and you should find out a lot more on the whole subject of sustainability. They now publish typical reports on their website.
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Rank: Forum user
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Steve Granger wrote:Very timely question Latchy. IOSH are currently working on a global project through the ‘Center for Safety and Health Sustainability’ to put H&S into the sustainability arena. Traditionally the 'S' word was limited to environment; linked to sustainable supply materials, energy production etc. IOSH have added ‘people’ as a resource that should be considered in the equation. Injury prevention, ill health minimisation, damage to plant and equipment etc all result in a more than necessary cost to the essential resources of people and property. We are putting the emphasis on proactive interventions as well –so positive safety management, health promotion, return to work should all be part of the measurement of a sustainable organisation. You can find out more about the project on the IOSH website (word search sustainable) and also on http://centershs.org would you consider the best approach of managing the responsibilities to be intergrated ( with enviromnetal management) or strategic ( focused on the long term and what the organisation is about)? The organisation we are working with is called GRI –Google them and you should find out a lot more on the whole subject of sustainability. They now publish typical reports on their website.
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Rank: Forum user
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LATCHY wrote:Steve Granger wrote:Very timely question Latchy. IOSH are currently working on a global project through the ‘Center for Safety and Health Sustainability’ to put H&S into the sustainability arena. Traditionally the 'S' word was limited to environment; linked to sustainable supply materials, energy production etc. IOSH have added ‘people’ as a resource that should be considered in the equation. Injury prevention, ill health minimisation, damage to plant and equipment etc all result in a more than necessary cost to the essential resources of people and property. We are putting the emphasis on proactive interventions as well –so positive safety management, health promotion, return to work should all be part of the measurement of a sustainable organisation. You can find out more about the project on the IOSH website (word search sustainable) and also on http://centershs.org The organisation we are working with is called GRI –Google them and you should find out a lot more on the whole subject of sustainability. They now publish typical reports on their website. Would you consider the best approach of managing the responsibilities to be intergrated ( with enviromnetal management) or strategic ( focused on the long term and what the organisation is about)?
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Rank: New forum user
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Hi I am new but I have just been looking into sustainability and what it means to businesses as part of my MSc project.
It is my opinion that sustainability is a term that means many different things to many different people from those who believe the impetus is on environmental protection and conservation to those who concentrate on the dictionary defined solution and all the definitions between. I think successive national and supra national organisations and agencies have attempted to define the term but it could be argued that the race to define the area has caused ambiguity that clouds what sustainability is meant to be. Academics even argue that the accepted definition does nothing to clear the murky water surrounding the terminology.
The accepted UN definition is;
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland Report, 1987)
From what I can see, sustainability is propped up by three pillars, There is the environmental pillar, ie looking after the environment and protecting it for future generations. There is the economic pillar for example which I see as reinvesting back into the community the some financial gains of an organisation. Finally I believe that the Social pillar is probably one of the most important areas of sustainability, I suppose you could say it links into companies CSR's. I think it important we educate and inform organisations that sustainability is not just about looking after the environment in the traditional sense but investing for the future.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Quote “IOSH have added ‘people’ as a resource that should be considered in the equation.”
To be honest as far as I was concerned people have always been part of the equation, so seems a bit of an odd statement (IMHO), IOSH didn’t invent this concept its been around a while.
I agree with DWsafety, with the 3 areas. The organisation I used to work for was part of the BCSA (British Constructional Steelwork Association), which promoted sustainability, its members could volunteer to sign up to their social responsibility on sustainable development, and were assessed as to the level they achieved (this was several years ago now). Some of the scoring criteria included formal training programs either in house or via things Like IIP (Investors in People) for employees. The People element also extended to the community, both local community to the organisation but also the industry community they were with. With this the organisation I was in supported local environmental projects, but also sporting teams, and other cultural groups (music), thus contributing something to the environment, health and wellbeing of the community. The organisation also invited school children in to visit and provided work experience, to show them the world of work in a particular sector. They also actively sent out engineers and commercial people to universities etc to promote the sector and its benefits to the nationwide /worldwide community.
In addition to this, promotion of schemes like ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS18001 or at least the continual improvement elements of them. Cutting waste is not just raw materials in a process, but wasted effort, wasted energy, wasted employee skills etc are just as important in my view. Continual improvement is important not just for economic reasons, but also for sustainable development.
Don’t let my opening comment make you feel I’m against IOSH's efforts, far from it. I think it is good for IOSH to embrace sustainable development within its remit (though I do hope it is not just to sell training courses). I feel it will sit nicely with IOSH’s “Life Savings” initiative, to show how organisations may be able to save money for their businesses and help the community. Sustainable development also includes promoting business growth, so future generations can have employment and community’s don’t just survive, but positively thrive. I for one will be very interested in this new initiative from IOSH.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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dw -I like the pillars, but I see H&S as being part of all of them.
Social and economic easy to see, but also consider the re-engineering energy, new raw materials, replacement shipping requirement and the carbon footprint caused by what.... unecesary wastage as a result of poor work practices, uncontrolled and unscrupulous suppy chains etc
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Rank: Super forum user
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Sustanability = the ability to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
It is a balance of economic, social and environmental needs.
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Rank: New forum user
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Steve Granger wrote:dw -I like the pillars, but I see H&S as being part of all of them.
Social and economic easy to see, but also consider the re-engineering energy, new raw materials, replacement shipping requirement and the carbon footprint caused by what.... unecesary wastage as a result of poor work practices, uncontrolled and unscrupulous suppy chains etc Yes I agree. I suppose I am placing H&S under CSR but If you look at it it fits more broadly into the Whole Social and Economic equation too.
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