🌱 Is sustainability value its own pillar of business value; or is it interwoven into the five existing types? This question has been on my mind since a recent observation of comments on Barry’s post yesterday with Maryse Meinen where she discussed the missing “sustainability” business value in an application he was working on and how sustainability drives long-term impact.
I then brought her toward my post of yesterday with “Maryse Meinen 🍀 perhaps it’s time to add one more value around sustainability too! 💚💚💚💚🐉”.
Her response: “Sarah Gruneisen 🐉 splendid idea! Sustainability value: contributing to a future world that is more socially, environmentally and economically sustainable 🍀💚🌱”
Let’s dive into why this matters and how it reshapes our understanding of business value.
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A Sub-Pillar of Existing Value Types?
One perspective is that sustainability value isn’t a standalone category but rather something that permeates and enhances the five established types of business value.
💎 Commercial Value: Sustainability efforts often reduce costs (e.g., energy efficiency) or unlock new markets for eco-conscious customers.
🧝 Market Value: Companies with sustainable practices often outpace competitors in brand perception and customer loyalty.
🧝🏻♀️ Customer Value: More customers now prioritize sustainability, making it a key driver of their satisfaction and trust.
🔥 Efficiency Value: Streamlining processes to reduce waste inherently ties to sustainability.
🥚 Future Value: At its core, sustainability ensures long-term resilience and innovation.
In this view, sustainability acts as a multiplier, amplifying the impact of each value type while aligning them with long-term priorities.
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Or Its Own Pillar?
Alternatively, sustainability value could stand as its own pillar, distinct from the others, because of its unique scope and importance:
🌱 Holistic Impact: Sustainability encompasses not just economic or customer outcomes but also environmental and societal considerations.
🌍 Future-First Thinking: While future value focuses on resilience, sustainability explicitly prioritizes ethical, environmental, and social goals.
💪🏿 Cross-Functional Relevance: Sustainability impacts every part of the business, from engineering to supply chain, marketing, and beyond.
By defining sustainability as a separate pillar, companies signal that it’s not just an afterthought —> it’s a strategic priority equal to profitability, customer satisfaction, and innovation.
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The Hybrid View
What if sustainability is both a sub-pillar and a foundational layer? It could act as a guiding principle across all five value types, while also having distinct metrics and initiatives.
For example:
1. A logistics project might optimize delivery routes (efficiency value) and cut emissions (sustainability value).
2. A product feature might enhance customer loyalty (customer value) and support a circular economy by offering repairs or reuse options.
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Whether you see sustainability value as its own pillar or an enhancer of the existing ones, the key is recognizing its growing role in defining success. Just like a dragon cares for its lair to ensure a thriving ecosystem, businesses must integrate sustainability into their strategies to create enduring impact.
⁉️ What’s your take: should sustainability value stand alone as a pillar, or is it better seen as a layer within the five existing business value types?
Let’s share perspectives and examples of how sustainability drives value in our work!
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