The UN approach to sustainability

A good example of an approach based on deontology would be the United Nations’ approach. For this institution, the idea of sustainable development is not new. In 1987, it commissioned a report that is still regarded as one of the seminal documents defining the ethical approach to sustainable development.

Commonly referred to as the Brundtland Commission report, the Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future examined the threats faced by the world and suggested how we should move forward ‘towards sustainable development’.

Achieving social sustainability in the supply chain implies that individual organisations should not only review and assess their own business practices, but also consider the practices of the other members of the supply chain. In the next section, let’s delve deeper into the implications of questionable practices.