Hey Everyone! You’ve probably heard the word sustainability here and there, and lately, we’ve been using it more and more. People and businesses have been shifting to more sustainable practices more and more.
Forbes called 2020 the year of sustainable business. Northface Construction is following suit, and we’re starting a new video series about sustainability to showcase other companies taking that step to be more sustainable in 2021 & beyond.
Today we’re talking basics with the three pillars of sustainability. The first is social, second is economic, and the third is environmental. In this series, we will be taking field trips to local businesses that are demonstrating some of these pillars, social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability.
The Social Pillar
For a business to be socially sustainable, they may work on social issues within their business, and they will also look towards their community. They may be doing charity work and giving back to people in need. Local charities like Habitat for Humanity are places businesses can get involved in to help their local community.
In their business, they could be working towards a great work-life balance for employees, focus on equity, wellness, and diversity, and other social factors that boost employee morale. They could share tips on how they work sustainably and share that on social platforms for others to learn and follow their lead.
The Economic Pillar
Creating more jobs in a way that keeps things streamlined and limits the waste of time and resources is an excellent example of promoting economic sustainability. They may focus on hiring to retire or hire to re-hire. Promoting employees from within the business, or giving them an option to come back if they ever leave to pursue other opportunities is an incredibly sustainable business practice. It saves on time and resources that go into onboarding new employees.
The Environmental Pillar
Environmental sustainability, simply put, involves leaving the environment better off than when you found it. Businesses may promote recycling and compost over garbage in order to be more sustainable. They may focus more on repairing equipment and tools rather than buying new every year. In our world of construction and home remodeling, businesses who can find a use for every material and maybe donate wood or other materials instead of throwing it away are making a significant impact on sustainability.
We are so excited for you to follow along with our new series as we continue to showcase these organizations devoted to upholding the pillars of sustainability. If you know anyone or any business that might be a good one to feature in our sustainability series, leave us a comment, or message us here and let us know about it. We would love to visit with them!