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Environment & Climate vocabulary · Sustainability and Circular Economy

Sustainability

Meaning in environment & climate, with examples

/səˌsteɪnəˈbɪləti/nounCore term

In environment & climate, sustainability means: Meeting today's needs in a way that does not harm the environment, society or the economy for future generations. In companies it also means managing environmental and social impacts.

In Turkish: sürdürülebilirlik

How it is used

A very broad term used in companies, universities and government. Firms have sustainability teams, sustainability managers, sustainability strategies and sustainability reports. The adjective is sustainable: sustainable products, sustainable finance. Because the word is so wide, good writers say exactly what they mean.

Example sentences

  1. She joined the company as head of sustainability two years ago.

  2. Our customers increasingly ask about the sustainability of our supply chain.

Common collocations

  • sustainability strategy
  • head of sustainability
  • commitment to sustainability
  • environmental sustainability
  • sustainability goals
  • sustainable developmentEconomic and social progress that meets the needs of people today while protecting the environment and natural resources that future generations will also need.
  • ESGShort for environmental, social and governance: the three groups of non-financial factors that investors and lenders use to judge a company's risks, impacts and quality of management.
  • sustainability reportA report, usually published every year, in which a company describes its environmental, social and governance performance, targets and impacts.
  • circular economyAn economic model that keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling, instead of making, using and throwing away.
  • greenwashingMaking misleading claims that a company, product or investment is better for the environment than it really is, for example through vague labels or selective data.

More terms: Sustainability and Circular Economy

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