Social Sustainability Enshrines Our Rights for Spiritual Wellbeing

By Ethel Mendius

Sustainability is the key to a healthy present and a prosperous future. Social sustainability is an approach which tasks institutions to consider the social factors necessary for human well being.

What Is Social Sustainability?

Sustainable development is a popular but elusive goal, so it is important to identify different avenues of its pursuit. There are three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. Social sustainability is the pillar which considers the importance of social and cultural life in maintaining a healthy world.

According to researcher Dr. Laura Spence, “at its core, social sustainability means the aspects of sustainability that relate to people… the emphasis in social sustainability is on ensuring humans have what they need.” Needs can include material things, like access to food, healthcare and a decent livelihood, as well as more abstract concepts such as “dignity, equality, and peace and justice.” In essence, social sustainability is about enshrining human rights; it is the belief that every individual has the right to live with their needs accounted for and met.

Because of the breadth of issues considered, a commitment to social sustainability will yield many positive outcomes: “socially sustainable communities are equitable, diverse, connected and democratic and provide a good quality of life.” To understand this, we must consider how social sustainability is interlinked with the other pillars of sustainability.

Environmental Sustainability

Social sustainability is an interwoven goal with environmental sustainability, the most obvious aspect of sustainable development. Environmental sustainability means tackling environmental issues such as climate change by managing natural resources and decarbonizing our planet. While these goals are a prerequisite for human survival, “environmental sustainability should not be confused with full sustainability, which also needs to balance economic and social factors.”

These two pillars are often taken together, encompassing “the protection of people’s lives and health, the economic basis of their livelihood and their ecological, social and cultural environment as well as the sustainable use of natural resources.” The effects of climate change, a phenomenon caused by humans, also play out in the lives of individuals and across societies. The physical environment is a determining factor in social well being, and a healthy society is better equipped to tackle and prevent environmental problems.

Economic Sustainability

Social sustainability is closely linked with economic sustainability, which looks beyond economic growth and envisions a private sector that “must use, safeguard and sustain resources (human and material) to create long-term sustainable values.” Economic sustainability is about maintaining profit and reducing waste: “without acting responsibly and using its resources efficiently a company will not be able to sustain its activities in the long term.”

Social sustainability requires us to consider the social impact of industrial activity: “Social sustainability is about identifying and managing business impacts, both positive and negative, on people.” While economic sustainability is mostly concerned with business strategy, social sustainability asks businesses to consider their human stakeholders, such as workers and their families, as well as the broader social costs of their projects.

The Network for Business Sustainability identifies three areas to strive for to ensure a socially sustainable business for its internal stakeholders—those working for or otherwise connected to the business. These include health and safety practices, equality and inclusion and fair labor practices and working conditions. While these changes must be enacted and enforced at the corporate level, everybody should be aware of them as ideals so they know their rights and understand what policies are best for them.

Socially sustainable companies must also look beyond the workplace at outside stakeholders, “including the local community and even broader society.” They must actively support infrastructure and social amenities and liaise with the communities and governments in their remit to ensure they are meeting their social responsibility.

Future Generations

Social, economic and environmental sustainability are concerned with the well being of both current and future generations. Social sustainability has been defined as “the ability of a community to develop processes and structures which not only meet the needs of its current members but also support the ability of future generations to maintain a healthy community.” Every aspect of sustainability must be pursued with future needs and mind.

Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are designed to promote all the facets of sustainability, particularly in developing countries. Many of the goals, such as achieving gender equality, quality education, and sustainable cities and communities, are direct elements of social sustainability.

These goals explore the social dimension necessary to promote wellbeing: “Linking these social sustainability topics are the ideas of human rights and social justice: that everyone is equal and that opportunities should be fairly distributed.”

Dimensions Of Social Sustainability

According to Social Life, a social enterprise based in the UK, social sustainability is “a process for creating sustainable, successful places that promote wellbeing, by understanding what people need from the places they live and work.” Social sustainability must be considered when planning projects and developing communities.

Renowned economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen identifies five dimensions of social sustainability: “These are factors to be considered in determining if a business or a project is socially sustainable.” We will explore them below.

Quality Of Life

The first dimension, quality of life, is an expansive topic. It includes human health, affordable housing, job security and a healthy work life balance, as well as “education, training and skill development opportunities” for local communities.

In practice, this means jobs that offer fair pay, reasonable hours, and opportunities to progress within the organization. It also means active public and civic institutions ensuring these amenities are provided.

Equity

Sustainability cannot be, but is too often perceived, as “a luxury commodity.” Socially sustainable projects require “social impact thinking—particularly at the community level…introduced in the early stages,” with lower-income and minority race groups treated as equal stakeholders. While social equity will have the most impact on marginalized groups, “working to address the needs of underserved groups improves the social and economic climate for all.”

Diversity

Diversity must be honored when promoting social sustainability: “communities are diverse and this is something to be embraced for the community itself to grow and develop.” Diverse groups and viewpoints must be elevated in community development. Rescogita, a service company that promotes social sustainability, observe that just as biodiversity is “essential for human survival,” so too is diversity in human communities.

Social Cohesion

In many ways, social cohesion is the natural product of a diverse and equitable community. Social cohesion can take many different forms: “Sometimes it is people organized in informal groups that find answers to social problems; sometimes it is institutions that launch projects encouraging participation; sometimes it is networks of different stakeholders… that create partnerships to manage community projects.” Across the board, social cohesion means increased participation within the social structures of communities.

Democracy and Governance

The crises of today require “a democratic and participatory approach” to ensure just and sustainable solutions. Unfettered public participation ensures we are heading in the right direction and meeting the needs of every social group.

Democracy exists at the core of social sustainability and must be carried into the framework of environmental and economic sustainability, too: “A commitment to a robust conception of democracy and social sustainability is the best way to guard against replicating those injustices as the world transitions to a renewable energy system.” Clear participatory processes and transparent institutions are necessary in implementing and maintaining social sustainability.

Social Sustainability And Religion

The Spirituality and Sustainability Initiative (SSI) is an organization dedicated to promoting spirituality and sustainability through public events, activities, and research. They describe on their website how “spirituality plays a part in protecting and enhancing resilience and sustainability through numerous modalities. These may include mindfulness practices, participation in communities of faith, social action, service, art, and immersion in nature.”

Want to have a sustainable society? The answer is clear. Put spirituality at the core.

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