- Sustainability is a concept more closely linked to business management, while sustainable development is more cross-cutting and theoretical.
Before looking at the differences between sustainability and sustainable development, let’s see what each of these concepts consists of.
What is sustainability?
Sustainability refers to a system’s ability to maintain balance over time through the preservation of natural, social and economic resources.
The operator is also the second most sustainable company in the world according to the prestigious ranking compiled by Time and Statista, with a score of 81.02 out of 100, making it both the world’s leading telecommunications company and the top Spanish company in the index.
The company integrates the main aspects of sustainability into its strategy to transform its relationship with customers and the operating model and to commit to long-term value.
What is sustainable development?
The question of what sustainable development is can be answered by saying that it is a development model that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the abilities of future generations.
The pillars of sustainable development on which this model is based are environmental, social and economic.
The concept of sustainable development became popular after the publication of the Brundtland Report in 1987 and with the approval in 2015 by the UN of the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 global goals that are part of the 2030 Agenda that seek to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity.
What is the relationship between sustainability and sustainable development?
Based on the respective definitions of both concepts, we can see that they are very similar issues.
This is because if a balance is not achieved between the three pillars of sustainable development, sustainability will not necessarily be achieved.
Similarities and differences between sustainability and sustainable development
The relationship between these two concepts has some similarities, but also some differences.
The areas of application are also common, as they refer to social, economic and environmental issues in both cases.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, both concepts complement each other.
In terms of differences, we could point out that while sustainability is the goal of balance between the three pillars we have been discussing, sustainable development is the process of achieving it.
In terms of scope, the difference could be summarised as sustainability being a broader and more global concept, while sustainable development is more limited to specific actions and their practical applications to achieve that end.
