Creating sustainable futures/CSF102/Impacts assessment/Articulating

Using the information you have generated from the impacts assessment and prioritisation exercises, you should be in a position to articulate a set of clear sustainability challenges. These challenges reflect the current situation. Often they can seem a bit overwhelming. You might think about it as taking a long look in the mirror and honestly laying out all the things that will need to change to achieve sustainability.

As an example of a set of challenges here is a list that a land development company produced after going through the process.


 * Our business is highly dependent on the degradation of ecologically and agriculturally productive land for development.
 * We are highly dependent on the dispersive use of hydrocarbons as a fuel and raw material.
 * We are dependent on an economic and physical system that systematically converts virgin material into unusable waste in both the short and long term.
 * We are dependent on using materials that have toxic effects in the ecosystem and on biological organisms.
 * We support and are dependent on an unsustainable supply chain and business model.

As you will see in next micro course Strategic Planning for Success, these challenges were effectively addressed by setting strategic goals that addressed each of the issues, and the company in question has become a pioneering, award-winning sustainable business leader.

You might think of this challenge setting process as being like an alcoholic or drug addict seeking help. Until they are prepared to admit their illness and face up to it, it is almost impossible to provide effective, long-lasting therapy and treatment to cure them.

So identify three challenges and put in order for the current organisation/business or project you are focusing on. Post these in the WE notes below, with Challenges as the heading.