Sustainability at staffitpro

Separating waste - and then the sustainable vest is clean? Unfortunately not, because sustainability encompasses much more. 

The origins of this idea go back to the 18th century and come from Hans Carl von Carlowitz in connection with forestry. Roughly summarized, the principle of sustainability ensures that a natural system retains its essential characteristics over the long term. Over the centuries, this concept has been refined. However, to this day there is no official definition, with several variations describing the same thing in essence. An exemplary one is the following - it comes from the United Nations: 

"Sustainable development is development that ensures that future generations are not worse off in meeting their needs than those living at present".

(Souce: Lexikon der Nachhaltigkeit | Definitionen | Nachhaltigkeit Definition). 

Means for us: The (continued) existence of our earth and civilization should be preserved in the long term.  And this in all superordinate areas that belong to it and in the interest of all. But how do we imagine this?

The United Nations summarizes this vision in 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In addition to ecological dimensions, they also include economic, social and even technological ones. They were designed in line with the further development of the Millennium Development Goals drafted in 2000. In the course of the Sustainable Development Goals, which were renewed in 2016, the aim is to lay the foundations for ending grievances worldwide - ideally by 2030. Desired outcome? Global prosperity through the development of sustainable economies characterized, for example, by conscious consumption and production patterns. Issues such as climate policy, poverty reduction and sustainable development are therefore directly linked.

The 17 goals serve as a guiding principle according to which actors such as governments can act sustainably. In this country, those responsible wanted to set a good example. That is why, a few years ago, Germany was one of the first countries to report on national implementation of the goals. This was followed by a German Sustainability Strategy adopted by the German government, based on the 17 goals. 

However, in March 2020, the Forum Environment and Development pointed out that this strategy was currently insufficiently suitable for the timely fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This is regrettable and shows that there is still much need for clarification and action. After all, the United Nations also says: The goals can only be achieved if no one is left behind and everyone pulls together.

Companies, too, can orient their actions to the 17 goals. Sustainability is thus also becoming increasingly important in the organizational context. The CxO Sustainability Survey (2023) even identifies sustainability as a top priority for companies (source: CxO Sustainability Survey 2022 | Deloitte Germany | press release). However, there is still a lack of implementation, especially in Germany, they say. Ultimately, companies should reconcile these aspects according to a three-pillar model consisting of economy, ecology and social aspects - and thus act sustainably. More on this aspect awaits you another time.

In theory, all it takes is a quick glance at the news: From gender equality debates to waves of refugees to environmental catastrophes, we are reminded daily that things are going so wrong on Earth. What's more, our resources are limited and cannot be exhausted to the max. Thus, Earth Overload Day celebrated its sad comeback in Germany as early as May 4, 2023 - with a gloomy tendency. At the same time, it serves as a small reminder to establish sustainable action. So that we no longer slip from catastrophe to catastrophe and do not further intensify the state of exhaustion of our planet. Because the consequences, as we already know them from the negative headlines, would then be even more devastating - for each of us! Especially for future generations. Reason enough to act, right?

We have also looked at the 17 goals and find: They are great for orientation, so we have made them our anchor. Of course, we can't take care of all the issues at the same time. Sustainability is multi-layered, complex and accompanies almost every aspect of life. We're already doing well on some, such as Goals 5 and 10, "gender equality" and "fewer inequalities." But targets relating to clean energy, innovation and partnerships to achieve the goals are also on our agenda, as are climate protection measures. Sustainability is already very close to our hearts and will be even more firmly anchored in our DNA in the future. This is because we have the ambition to further expand our efforts in the coming years and to transfer them to other areas. We will of course be happy to take you along on this journey by reporting regularly on our activities.

If you're really curious now, there's good news: From LinkedIn posts to blog articles to projects - we'll take you with us. We'll show you how we're continuing to address our sustainability goals in the future, and we'll be happy to be your point of contact. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date, or get in touch with us. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Very multifaceted and a true affair of the heart - that's how we feel about sustainability!