Author:

Victor Udo

Co-Authors:

Peter Jansson

Institution:

Bucknell University

Abstract

The Covid 19 pandemic, ongoing climate change challenges and the demand for racial justice and equity has resulted in heightened interest in sustainable development and global sustainability. Progressive organizations are integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact investments, disclosures and reporting into their management to achieve balanced stakeholder (employees, customers, investors, and others) results. Organizations consist of employees, leaders and investors who work effectively with other stakeholders to deliver service to their customers. Employees retain the culture and values of the organizations. For any organization to meet their ESG targets, employees must be incentivized to demonstrate sustainability values and behaviors. Bucknell University for instance is integrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) along with sustainability acumen into employee’s performance appraisal processes. What behaviors will enable organizations to meet ESG targets and contribute towards global sustainability? This paper presents a framework of behavioral values that will help organizations contribute to equitable global sustainable development (EGSD) and overall sustainability. A framework that can help organizations drive global sustainability behaviors is focused on these elements: Reducing consumption, Recycling of materials, Reuse of assets, Restoring treasures, Replenishing ecosystems and Resourcing of supplies (6Rs). The first three of the 6Rs (reduce, recycle, and reuse) are primarily focused on preservation and waste elimination. The last three (restoring, replenishing, resourcing) are critical to equity and overall global sustainability – social sustainability, technological sustainability, and environmental sustainability. Technological sustainability focuses on the culture of tools, infrastructure, and knowledge utilization to optimize limited global resources. This will enable implementation of the 6Rs behavioral framework for social and environmental sustainability.