Essay on Sustainable Leadership: Theories, Implementation and Issues

This essay provides an in-depth examination of sustainable leadership, exploring key theories, models, and concepts applicable to organizational contexts. It begins by identifying the core principles of sustainable leadership, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder connections and corporate accountability. The essay then delves into the triple bottom line concept, analyzing its components of social equity, economic factors, and environmental considerations, and discusses how these factors can be implemented within organizations to foster corporate social responsibility and achieve sustainable practices. Furthermore, the essay highlights the practical application of these theories, offering insights into how leaders can align organizational needs with individual and community needs. The essay also addresses potential issues that may hinder the implementation of sustainable leadership, such as challenges in integrating social and environmental concerns with profit-making objectives. Finally, it concludes by summarizing the importance of sustainable leadership in creating long-term value for businesses and the necessity of mitigating the identified issues for effective organizational development.

Running head: SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP
Sustainable leadership
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

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Introduction
In the modern world, an organisation can be developed only if it has proper leadership
and thus, it is necessary that the requirements related to leadership be comprehended to
understand the effectiveness. At the same time, as stated by Conger (2015) sustainable
leadership approach is undertaken so that thoughtful actions and behaviours can be embraced
to recognise any form of connection that can be established between the stakeholders.
According to Antonakis and Day (2017), the importance of sustainable leadership can include
cooperate accountability as well as ensure that leaders in the private sectors remain socially
as well as environmentally responsible. The principle of sustainable leadership includes
understanding the interconnection between the stakeholders and thinking globally for the
future. The essay provides a highlight about the theories that can be attributed to sustainable
leadership and the implementation it may have on an organisational context. Along with this,
issues related to the application of these theories as well as sustainable leadership are
highlighted in the essay.
Main body
In order to understand the effectiveness of the sustainable leadership, it is necessary
that an analysis of the related theories be analysed in order to identify the importance of the
sustainable leadership. According to Bendell, Sutherland and Little (2017), it has already
been seen that sustainable leadership takes into account a proper relationship that exists
between the social and environment responsibilities. Therefore, the application of the triple
bottom line concept can be used in order to understand the actions and behaviours that can
embrace the global worldview. As stated by Rahim and Duncan (2019) the triple bottom line
takes into account the social, environmental and financial parts so that perspective of greater
business value is created.

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The triple bottom line consists of social equity, economic and environmental factors
with emphasis on the phrase people, planet and profit. In the words of Amanchukwu, Stanley
and Ololube (2015) the goal of the triple bottom line is to ensure that a proper relationship is
made between these three elements and thus, based on the relationship, alignment of the
social structure are established. For example, sustainable leaders can be accounted with the
fair and beneficial business practises that are undertaken that help in the conduct of a
business. As stated by Renz and Herman (2016) any leader dedicated to the application of the
triple bottom line approach can gain proper responses from the employees in terms of
maintaining corporate social responsibility.
At the same time, the link between the planet and the people are made by analysing
the socio-environmental relationship that exists. Mendenhall et al. (2017) is of the opinion
that the corporate social responsibility of the organisations is taken into consideration with
the aim that disposing of non-degradable or toxic wastes are done in areas that does not
contain living organisms. Thus, it can be said that ecologically destructive parties can deplete
the resources that are required for the profit making of the company. Therefore, as pointed
out by Johnson (2017) an analysis can be made about the manner in which an established link
can be identified with the profit making activity of the organisations.
The profit that is taken into consideration is the economic value that can be derived
from an organisation. Glatthorn et al. (2018) is of the opinion that a sustainable leader need to
ensure that profit aspect is one of the most important benefits that can be derived by a
company. The economic impact constitutes the environmental impact and likewise provides
an analysis of the people impact that exists between the organisations. Therefore, from the
words of Martin et al. (2017) it can be said that the application of the triple bottom approach
as a theoretical concept can be considered as helpful for maintaining the social as well as

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environmental impact that exists in the companies. In this regard, the implementation of the
theories related to the application of sustainable leadership can be taken into account.
The implementation of the triple bottom line theory can be related back to the
development of organisations in trying to be more active in fulfilling the social
responsibilities that exist. As stated by Cashman (2017) it is necessary to understand the need
of the society and the manner in which an alignment can be made with the needs of the
people so that subsequent development of the relationships can take place. Therefore, from
the words of Taylor (2018) it can be said that people, profit and planet can be divided
subsequently so that triple bottom line approach can be provided.
According to Conger (2015), the people concept can be considered as a way to view
the three dimensions that include the organisational needs, individual needs and the issues
with the communities. Therefore, it can be said that for the development of the people, it is
necessary that these three elements be taken into consideration. As stated by Antonakis and
Day (2017) the leaders need to identify the organisational needs in order to provide help in
fulfilling the requirements of an organisation and based on it the individual needs are met.
This can be attributed to the type of motivation that is provided to the employees. As stated
by Bendell, Sutherland and Little (2017) the community needs includes the application of the
corporate social responsibility that can help in maintaining the effectiveness of the society.
The profit-making activity can be considered as a healthy sales stream that requires
high focus on customer service. According to Rahim and Duncan (2019), the customer
service can be considered as an adoption of the strategies so that development of customers
and maintaining the loyalty of the customers can be made. At the same, time, as stated by
Amanchukwu, Stanley and Ololube (2015) the new customers can replace the old customers
so that development of the customer service can take place. In this regard, it can be said that

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profit-making abilities of an organisation can provide every customer with an opportunity to
be effective in the community.
At the same time, the division of the planet can be made based on the multitude of
subdivisions that exists. According to Renz and Herman (2016), the main motto for the
sustainable leaders need to be based on reduces, reuse as well as recycle. Therefore, it can be
said that the succinct division that exists in the organisations can be related to the leadership
abilities. Thus, it is necessary that a democratic approach to the sustainable leadership be
implemented so that organisations can continue with its development and leadership
practises. In this regard, as pointed out by Mendenhall et al. (2017) the issues relate to the
application of the sustainable leadership can be undertaken so that mitigation techniques can
be recommended.
The issues that can be associated with the development and implementation of
sustainable leadership include the lack of ability of the leaders to be able to implement
changes in an organisation. According to Glatthorn et al. (2018), it is necessary that the
implementation of the leadership approaches be understood so that organisations can
contribute to establishing a relation between the society and the environment. However, as
stated by Johnson (2017) issues may occur with the internal activities of the organisation that
may not be able to link the people with that of the interest in the society. In this regard, it can
be said that such an issue can bring about problems for the leaders and thus maintaining a
proper sustainable environment may not be taken into consideration.
At the same time, another issue can be the application of the triple bottom line
approach, as the link between the application of the profit as well as the planet cannot be
made. As stated by Martin et al. (2017) the issue can be associated with the lack of support
derived from the analysis of the environment. The corporate social responsibility can be

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considered as an issue for the sustainable leaders mainly because it requires bringing about
changes within the organisational department and mode of work undertaken. Thus, based on
this, it can be said that despite its importance, the sustainable leadership face such issues that
creates doubt among the people.
Conclusion
Therefore, based on the analysis it can be said that a proper conclusion can be made
which can be effective in understanding the importance of sustainable leadership and the
manner in which every organisation can continue to develop its relationship with the
environment. The application of the triple bottom line approach can help the organisations to
align the interests of the people by understanding the profit-making motive as well as the
effort to conserve the environment. It is also essential that the triple bottom line approach
evaluate the concept of sustainable leadership in a broader concept so that it can create
greater value for the business. However, maintaining sustainable business may lead to loss
for organisations and thus, it can be said that for the development of the organisations, the
mitigation of these issues needs to be made so that proper management of the issues can take
place.

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Reference
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