The Industrial Revolution marked a period of increased economic prosperity. Alongside industrialization, population distribution began to concentrate towards urban areas. Moreover, the end of the world wars that shook many countries around the globe led to population growth. However, these socio-economic developments also resulted in some negative consequences for the environment and society. These included the destruction of natural resources, rapid consumption of non-renewable energy sources, and the need to protect the fundamental rights of workers, one of the most important factors of production. These challenges raised awareness of the necessity to approach such issues with a new perspective. Consequently, sustainable development, initially defined and developed as a transnational concept, has over time become a goal and practice implemented at global, national, regional, and organizational levels. The concept of sustainable development at the organizational level is conveyed as corporate sustainability, which can be defined as "development that meets the needs of a company's direct and indirect stakeholders (partners, employees, customers, pressure groups, society, etc.) without compromising the ability of future stakeholders to meet their own needs." Therefore, corporate sustainability can be described, in its simplest form, as the application of the concept of sustainable development at the organizational level.
Dimensions of Corporate Sustainability
According to a report prepared by Soubbotina for the World Bank, a balance must be achieved simultaneously across interconnected environmental, economic, and social domains. This balance should benefit all groups in society, everyone in the current generation, and future generations. The report emphasizes that the continuity of the economy depends on society, and society in turn relies on the environment for its survival. Therefore, organizations need to integrate economic, social, and environmental approaches into a holistic perspective to achieve economic growth and sustainability in a changing environment. In order to realize the goal of corporate sustainability, organizations must maintain and strengthen their economic, social, and environmental capital foundations.
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