The benefits of good concepts
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Existing resources remain in circulation.
The Industrial Revolution established a rapid pace of technological advancement. The resulting innovations mean that many now have access to products from around the world at affordable prices. The task now is to gradually redesign products in such a way that as little waste as possible is produced, and in the long term it is even necessary to resort to recycling as little as possible. After all, raw materials lose their intrinsic value as soon as they are recycled. Smart design takes this into account and plans the life cycle of a material in cycles. This means that reuse or different use of products is planned from the outset. Smart design brings cost advantages: Maximum resource efficiency makes producers less dependent on scarce resources and saves costs. -
Solution-oriented instead of problem-focused.
Goal and solution orientation lead to proactive initiatives and forward-looking action. The widespread problem focus in this country often leads to reactive, operational measures. There is often a lack of systemic understanding of the interdependencies. Consequently, the solution addresses the occurring problem and not the drivers behind the problem, which is neither efficient nor effective. -
Protection of public goods.
Tranquility, drinking water, clean air, fertile soil and safety are examples of public goods that are invaluable to us all. Business models that rely on diminishing the public good in any way cause harm to the community and associated costs to restore the baseline state that was undamaged. Often it is no longer possible to repair the damage caused, e.g. in the case of a reactor accident, oil tanker spills or human-induced global warming. There is also a cost to communities when people have to put their health at risk to feed their families in conditions that are unworthy of human beings. The phenomenon in which business models outsource these costs to others, thereby making them profitable in the first place, is known as externalization of costs. An important indicator of whether a business is designed with sustainability in mind is therefore whether social or environmental external costs are generated by the business activity, taking into account the entire supply and value chain. -
Increased transparency
due to the data and evidence-based decision making enabled and documented through the use of the framework. -
Improved external perception
of administrations and companies, NGO projects or eco-social ventures using the sustainability framework.
