In the pursuit of progress and development, failing to implement sustainable practices is definitely not an option. And we are not just talking about sustainability as a mere marketing stunt or a PR tactic. Sustainability must serve as the guiding principle behind the continuing search for innovation and improvements in the society. It must be the ultimate outcome in a well-defined, long-term strategic development plan.

The importance of integrating sustainable development concepts in the socioeconomic strategy of different communities has been clearly manifested in a research conducted in the UK, which found a link between social deprivation and environmental problems. The research conducted by the UK Environmental Agency noted that deprived communities tend to suffer the worst air quality as well as other social and environmental problems. Researchers therefore identified a need to resolve environmental challenges alongside social and economic problems as part of future planning activities, particularly among different companies.study suggests, the concept of sustainability can no longer be dismissed simply as one of the options when addressing various concerns of the society – it may well be the only solution available in the pursuit of long-term development.

Sustainability is essentially the ability to cater to the needs of the present generation without compromising on the needs of the future generation. However, despite being an apparently simple concept, sustainability remains a vague concept to many companies that still could not fully appreciate its tangible benefits and importance to the progress of the society. As the adage goes, some old habits are hard to break, which is why it is with a sense of urgency that advocates of sustainable development must proactively find ways to increase awareness and seek to reinforce the culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility among different companies before it is too late.

While the research was conducted in the UK, it actually echoed the same fundamental problems being faced by different communities worldwide, particularly in Most companies actually fail to come up with a dedicated master plan for their sustainable facility initiatives and often rely on generally accepted practices that they adopt on a case-by-case basis. Although this is not altogether a flawed approach, these companies can actually further improve and benefit more from their sustainability programs by actually undertaking research and development projects on a smaller scale at first. Building on the results of the pilot projects, they can gradually expand their research and development activities to include other facets of their operations. I believe this is a more cost-efficient way of gradually developing and implementing a dedicated sustainability master plan, while serving as a catalyst for innovation.

On the other hand, it is equally important to be able to assess the success of any sustainability project. The big question is how. A good starting point would be to refer to pre-established rating systems as these can offer an excellent framework for evaluations, helping develop more reliable appraisal of the success of any project or changes being implemented.

While there is generally a lack of strategic direction and planning of sustainability initiatives, the good news is that there is a growing number of prominent companies that are proactively raising awareness about the rewards they have achieved and the success they have attained through their adherence to sustainable business practices. Facilities management companies, in particular, are increasingly playing an important role in the continuing thrust to promote sustainability and environment responsibility in the society.

In a country such as the UAE for instance, the increasing number of buildings, facilities and infrastructure being built across the country is accordingly creating a downward pressure on the resources, the environment and the social landscape. The absence of specialised skills and know-how in properly managing and maintaining these built facilities may only exacerbate the situation.

Effective facilities management creates a huge impact in terms of conserving resources, minimising energy consumption, promoting a healthy workplace or living environment, and reducing overall maintenance costs. It is therefore clear that proper, sustainable facilities management services will benefit a huge cross-section of our society, including the environment, businesses, residents and the public at large.