Spring 2009 issue of Horizons

Guest FEATURE Clark Davis, HOK

A Green Convergence: Linking Environmental and Organizational Sustainability The current global economic crisis is challenging organizations in unprecedented ways. Understandably, corporate leaders are focused on improving efficiencies, controlling costs and minimizing risk to effectively navigate this downturn. As priorities shift to align with market realities, the term "sustainability" takes on a broader value and significance. Beyond its environmental implications, sustainability resonates most strongly when its meaning is expanded to encompass organizational resilience in challenging times. At its core, sustainability is about being responsible with resources – people, land, energy, water, materials and capital. Our favorite definition of sustainability is: “meeting our society’s needs in ways that don’t compromise the ability of future generations to meet theirs.” This means reducing our impact on the natural environment, finding renewable sources of necessary materials and energy, and reducing waste in everything we do. This connection is a powerful one.

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u spring 2009 issue