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Corporate Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility:

Corporate Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility:

The word sustainability seems to have many different meanings floating about these days. Politicians use it when talking about keeping the government from running into debt. Environmentalists think of sustainability from the perspective of maintaining resources and reducing pollution. Farmers think about having enough water and fertile soil to grow healthy crops. Everyday folks think about sustainability from the standpoint of paying the bills and keeping food on the table. But what does it mean to use this term in relation to a modern corporation? What exactly is “corporate sustainability?”

To answer these questions…

To answer these questions, we need to understand how to drive sustainability into the fabric of the organization such that it becomes systemic. Every system within the organization must include parameters to encourage better decision-making regarding not just economic concerns but also environmental and social concerns. This is what mainstreaming sustainability means—making sustainability part of a company's DNA.

The tools and concepts included in this book can be used to help guide a corporation along the path toward mainstreaming sustainability. This includes setting the initial vision; engaging with various stakeholders to understand their concerns and to develop a strategy; communicating with suppliers, governing bodies, or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure full collaboration; complying with rules and regulations while striving to perform beyond those requirements; and measuring performance along the way to ensure that policies and decisions are supported and revised if necessary for optimum performance.

The goal of sustainability is exactly that: a goal. It may never be fully achieved, and even when a company is close to achieving that goal, it may only be for a short time. The late Ray Anderson of Interface coined the phrase "striving for Mount Sustainability." Sometimes it feels like a long climb to the top, with narrow curves and boulders along the way. Tension will always exist between the three areas of responsibility—environmental, economic, and social—that may be difficult to completely satisfy all the time for everyone. But striving for that balance is key. It is that tension that keeps every person in the organization on his or her toes, looking for the best solution to every challenge. Sustainability leadership needs to come from the top, but it also requires buy-in from everyone in the organization – something every employee strives for every day.

About the Author & Instructor: Suzanne Farver, ALM, JD

About the Author & Instructor: Suzanne Farver, ALM, JD


Suzanne Farver, ALM, JD taught Corporate Sustainability Management, a popular course on campus and online at Harvard University Extension School, for seven years before moving to California and taking on the chairmanship of the Presidio Graduate School board. Presidio Graduate School awards MBAs and MPAs in sustainability and was featured in The New York Timesas the MBA program to attend “if you want to change the world.” During her tenure as chair, she led the school to a new partnership with Amity University, a large non-profit university noted for its excellent programming and global reach.

A seasoned sustainability professional with a lifetime of experience in non-profit management, Suzanne’s background includes serving seven years as executive director of the Aspen Art Museum, where she developed a sound business plan for what was then a struggling organization. She has served on many non-profit boards including chairing the finance committee for both the Rocky Mountain Institute and for Presidio Graduate School. She has a strong track record of working with groups, building consensus, and emulating vision.

Suzanne holds an ALM in Environmental Management from Harvard University Extension School, where she was first in her graduating class. She also has been awarded a JD from the University of Denver and a BS in economics from Grinnell College, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and served as president of Mortar Board. In 2019 Presidio Graduate School awarded Suzanne with an honorary MBA in Sustainable Studies.