The term “sustainable business” seems to be bandied about quite frequently in the popular press these days and at the IOUF we take it as a positive sign for the future of our planet. As an educational foundation focused on social change, we fully support the concept of sustainable business and we are particularly supportive of those of our graduates who have chosen to pursue careers in this area.

The term is defined in various ways by various groups but general characteristics of a sustainable business are that:

· It has no negative impact on the global or local environment, community,  society, or economy and in fact it strives to meet the triple bottom line of  people, planet and profits;

· It incorporates principles of sustainability into all business  decisions;

· It supplies environmentally friendly products or services that replace existing  demand for non-green products or services;

· It is greener than traditional competitors;

· It has made an enduring commitment to environmental principles in its  business operations.

In essence, a sustainable business is one that meets the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

This means reducing the environmental impact a business has by such initiatives as

· reducing the amount of greenhouse gases it produces

· reducing paper consumption by sending electronic correspondence whenever  possible

· refurbishing equipment rather than replacing it entirely

· Changing production processes to eliminate waste

· Selecting non-toxic raw materials and processes

While the IOUF tends to attract learners who take the importance of sustainable business as a given in any circle, we are especially proud of the efforts graduate Bremley Lyngdoh has made in this area.

Dr. Lyngdoh is an international expert on the relationship between poverty reduction and environmental sustainability and he graduated from the IOUF in 2008 with a PhD in Sustainable Development. He is the founder and CEO of Worldview Impact and co-founder of the Global Youth Action Network. Both of these organizations have a strong reputation for working to improve both our environment and our communities.

In addition to these projects, Dr. Lyngdoh is a Fellow for the Intercultural Open University Foundation (IOUF), and he is the co-chair of the Caucus of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development Education.

If you have an interest in sustainable business and would like to work towards a PhD degree that actively incorporates your respect for our planet and its people, we invite you to contact us for more information about how we can help. We are all affected and we can each make a difference.