Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Sustainable Development

This essay explores the significance of sustainable development in business organizations and how it contributes to gaining a competitive advantage. It begins by defining sustainable development and its importance, referencing key authors and studies that highlight its impact on economic growth and business success. The essay then presents arguments supporting the adoption of sustainable practices, emphasizing how it can enhance competitiveness, improve environmental performance, and align with ethical considerations. It also acknowledges contra-arguments, discussing challenges and barriers to sustainability, such as financial constraints and the need for better coordination among governmental bodies and businesses. The essay recommends that governments and industries adopt a comprehensive view of sustainable development, focusing on stakeholder engagement, socio-economic development, and transparency. It concludes by highlighting the benefits of sustainability reporting and its role in helping organizations navigate complex environmental and economic challenges. The paper also discusses the barriers to sustainability like economic, social, and political barriers.

Running head: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Organizations that embrace sustainable development are competitively
disadvantaged over those that do not
Introduction
Economic growth of a country has been used along with other words such as
development, modernization, westernization and industrialization. The focus of the paper is to
discuss how sustainability helps business organizations from gaining advantages over the other
organizations in a country. According to the authorCarley& Christie (2017) sustainability or
sustainable development was defined by the author as a development which meets the present
goals without compromising the ability of the future generations in meeting their own need.
There are last developed countries in the world which has been recognized as the poorest and are
the weakest in the international community.
Their low level of socio economic development is characterized by weak human and
institutional capacities along with a low and undistributed income and financial resources. Di
Fabio, (2017) argues that quality education is the only catalyst for poverty eradication and
sustainable development whereas World Health Organization, (2016)points out that the
improvements in the science, technology and better innovations will act as a catalyst for
eradicating poverty and sustainable development.
In the present era majority of the business organizations are working in order to
incorporate sustainable development goals into their business plans and strategies. Most of the
business organizations are working with the traditional system of cooperation which can be
found in the international organizations and nongovernment organizations. This is the main

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reason why they are unable to meet the monumental challenges. A present issue arises with the
change in the climate or inequality is affecting the developing countries. However it can be
recommended that the increase in the industries and private sectors in a country will improve the
human life and economic condition that will help the country in developing sustainability for the
future generations.
Arguments
According to the author Kolk, (2016)sustainability in business organizations are
important as because it allows the business organizations to achieve success in the near future.
He also proposes a study and research proposal where a number of studies show that businesses
adopting sustainable strategies and practices improve their competitiveness and enjoys a better
economic result in the long runLLP, (2019). However the author Carley& Christie (2017)
recommends that governments must or should work with the companies and business in a new
and innovative way which will help the private organizations in promoting their wellbeing and
collective actions.
Melloni&Stacchezzini, (2016) argues that major mining companies uses advanced
measures and adopt comprehensive environment protection measures because they are sensitive
to their personnel on the sustainability issues and are trying to improve their environmental
performances which makes mining sustainable. Another author Crowther (2016)argues that the
medium and large companies whose environmental obligations consist in strictly conforming to
the prescribed legal provision. Also it has to be kept in mind that mining has brought about
economic development in the rich mineral areas.

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Sustainability can be promoted by defining clear goal as it will give a road map which
can be followed by the managers of the company. The core belief of the company should be
consistent with the mission and belief in being sustainable. It should be followed with assigning
people and leaders who will be responsible in bringing the changes in the organization.
According to Welford, (2016)the leaders should be able to advocate thee employees at every
level. This should b followed by allocating right resources which are in terms of people, time,
money, and tools. The last step of promoting sustainability is by encouraging the sustainable
supply chain, enhancing the production process and keeping on improving in order to show case
the green reputation of the business organization.
Contra-arguments
In the words of Broman &Robèrt, (2017)green business or business ethics and corporate
social responsibility involves the commercial provisions of the goods and services in a manner
which helps in minimizing the environmental benefits which are beyond the requirements of the
law. Business ethics helps in determining the business model that will thrive even in the
adversity. However Aras &Crowther (2016)defines that business ethics is taking the right course
at the right time. Acting ethically takes into account all the factors which helps in doing a
business. These include production, business processes, and company behavior with other
companies. Christie (2017) provides an example of a multinational company which has a five
core value that properly defines the business ethics of the company. The values include integrity,
understanding, excellence, unity and responsibility. Tata Steel has been taking responsibilities
for tackling the challenges of sustainability which follows naturally its business processes.

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According to the author Broman &Robèrt, (2017)supply of minerals and energy is
critical to the global society however this supply chain is pretty much associated with the
environmental impacts and social impacts leading to the concerns of the generational and
intergenerational equity. Watts (2017)states that between thee year 2011 and 2016 the mining,
minerals and sustainable development projects was carried out along with proper research,
analysis and consultation. The mining and minerals industry has been put under tremendous
pressure in order to improve its social, development and environmental performances. Due to the
increase in the pressure from the governments of the countries the companies are asked to b more
transparent which are subject to the third party audit or review. Keeping this in mind here a
question arises that “Can mining besustainable ?” The author Christie (2017) describes that most
important environmental requirement for a mining project is the comprehensive environment
programme or EIA which has started n thee year 1994. However Robèrt, (2017)states that there
are various laws and regulatory instrumental works which takes place only due to inadequate
coordination and cooperation among the government.
Sustainability has been assumed considerable importance in major mining nations of the
world which includes countries like Canada, Australia, South Africa and Papua New Guinea.
These are the countries which takes a comprehensive view of the sustainable development in
mining which takes place away from the environment and also includes other important
dimensions such as the local stakeholder engagement, socio economic development in th mining
project areas. Therefore in Australia the major mining companies have been set up different
foundations and groups in order to take up the socio economic development projects in the
mining areas. Aras &Crowther (2016)says that in popular and developed mining nations all the
regulatory mining and other environmental laws are meant to lessen the impacts of the mining.

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The laws which are provided by the government mainly include the provision for the mine
closures, associated reclamations and rehabilitation of the mined land.
Recommendations
It is recommended that both the government and the mining industries should take
comprehensive view of the sustainable development which will be covering all the dimensions
focusing less in the environment. This mainly includes the stakeholder engagement and
consultation, local area and socio economic development and transparency in accountability and
communications. Also the government should be providing thee industries with the best
technical advisory services which should be made available by the government in the respective
areas of mining. Also it is recommended that mineral development should be made available in
the region where the mining will be carried out. Lai, Melloni&Stacchezzini, (2016) refers that
mineral development basically includes two things which are best and updated infrastructural
facilities and land carrying capacity (BLUE SYSTEM, 2019).
Few of the barriers to sustainability are that the economic and financial barriers where the
business organizations focuses much of the economic growth rather than focusing on the
people’s rights and welfare Charles, Schmidheiny& Watts (2017). Social barriers mainly include
the population growth which is also paired with the unsustainable patterns of productions and
consumption. Political barriers mainly include the inadequate economic, social and
environmental methods of various types of policies and projects.
Conclusion
In order to conclude the above research paper it can be said that sustainability reporting
builds on existing business management tools and modernized new concepts and therefore it

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helps the firm to apply them in a broader context in a response to a high and complex social,
environmental and economic environment. Various challenges which are faced by the
organizations which should be detected by the company in order alert the management to acquire
the business opportunities which are related to new markets, services and products.

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