Industry Insight
What Is Sustainability and Why Is It Important?
Understand sustainability, from the Brundtland definition to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit, and how solar fits into the picture.
Understand sustainability, from the Brundtland definition to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit, and how solar fits into the picture.
Sustainability is a word you hear everywhere, but what does it actually mean, and why does it matter to a homeowner or business in Ontario? This article explains where the modern definition comes from, how businesses measure it, and how rooftop solar fits in.
In 1987, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development released a report known as the Brundtland Report. It produced the most widely used definition of sustainable development: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Since then, environmental and social responsibility have become a foundation for businesses, organizations and governments planning for long-term success.
After the report, many companies began to question and redefine success, moving from a focus only on profit toward a broader view that includes the wellbeing of the environment and people. Many sectors now consider sustainable development in their strategy, and just as importantly, they look for indicators that measure success holistically.
In the 1990s, British management consultant John Elkington coined the phrase "triple bottom line." It is a framework for measuring performance across three areas, not only financial results. It asks companies, associations and other organizations to focus on social and environmental concerns as seriously as they focus on profit, and it adds an ethical lens through which the business world can be held accountable. The three parts are often summarized as people, planet and profit:
The model helped turn sustainability from a vague ideal into something organizations can plan for and report on. Through frameworks like this, it becomes possible to earn a profit while also improving environmental quality and social impact in communities, locally and globally.
If there is one takeaway, it is this: we must look after the wellbeing of all life on the planet if we want enough left for future generations. By adopting ethically grounded models, businesses and individuals can help plant the seeds of lasting change and build a more just and sustainable future.
For a homeowner or a business, one of the most direct sustainability actions is changing where your electricity comes from. A rooftop solar system generates clean power on site for 25 years or more, lowers your exposure to energy price changes, and turns a roof into a productive asset. For a business, solar can also support people, planet and profit goals at once: it reduces operating costs, supports emissions targets and shows customers a visible commitment. Our commercial solar team works with Ontario businesses on exactly that, and our residential solar team does the same for homeowners.
Terawatt Solar uses ESA-licensed in-house crews and provides a free site assessment so you can see what a system would do on your property. To compare numbers, try the solar calculator, read Is Solar Worth It in Ontario?, then contact us to get started. Government programs change, so please check our incentives page for the latest information.
It is a framework that measures an organization's performance on three fronts: people, planet and profit.
Solar lowers operating costs, reduces reliance on grid power and provides a visible commitment to environmental responsibility. See our commercial solar service.
