Sustainability sucks!?!

Sustainability sucks? At least that´s the impression we get when thinking about the social, economic and ecologic problems we are facing and the things people do or don´t do to change the way the world moves.

Even single persons struggle with integrating sustainability into their daily life. Public transport to get to the office? Recycling? Car-Sharing?
When it is not even possible for private persons to make the step towards sustainable behaviour, how should this work out for a global company? Even more: Do we then have the right to demand this kind of attitude?

When looking at corporate homepages, the first thing that comes into view most of the times is a big and shiny button screaming “Corporate Social Responsibility”. The flash video next door talks about sustainability. In my opinion, these two terms seem to have evolved to the new and hip gadget in the world of corporate communication. The true motive rarely is an altruistic one, but the fear that some day society will deprive the company from taking action and drift over to competitors.

But how stable can this kind of market-led sustainability be? Is this not rather sustainability for a time, based on the fear for one´s existence? How should a CEO establish a sustainable business culture being at the same time concerned with satisfying the interest of stake- and shareholders? That implies generating good quarterly results throughout short term success. High employee turnover interferes with long term strategies. Additionally, the world grows more complex with every minute.
So is it possible for an entrepreneur to act sustainably at all? Probably yes, as long as the business is profitable. But what will stake- and shareholders say when the profit stays out?

So where are we supposed to start rethinking? Should it be done by everyone for himself or in corporations and politics, as they are more powerful and able to shape the public opinion? Sustainability can not be achieved by a small group of people. In order to successfully change something, we have to act in concert.
But how will seven billion people work together when this is not functioning even in small corporations? Politics and NGOs can influence the process, but important decisions are often postponed. And political cycles are as existent as economic ones, which means that they also stand in the way of sustainability.
Every single person is additionally limited by his own mortality. Measured against the period of time sustainability needs to be established, human life passes in a second. It seems as if we were trapped in a system of short term results that places obstacles to sustainability that until now have not been overcome.

And all that although human beings are able to plan their life. It is tragic that we are not able to handle that trait systematically, as we seem not to think beyond ourselves.
One person´s foresight most of the times is determined by the lives of his children and grandchildren. Is it possible that we as the “summit of creation” are as limited as that in our way of thinking and acting? Does nature stand between us and sustainable actions and are corporations therefore bound to fail when trying to act sustainbly?
Maybe the whole sustainability talk will become reality when someone invents collective thinking. Until then, paper will be printed from one side only.
Someday there will be someone somewhere who will announce the start of sustainable behaviour, I´m sure. That will be when people have reached immortality at the latest.