CSR and sustainability

With the integration of social and ecological aspects into economic corporate activity, the definition of CSR uses the same three dimensions (environment, society, economy) that guide the idea of sustainable development. The concept of sustainability originally comes from forestry and essentially means that no more trees may be cut down per year than will grow back. In economic terms, this is aimed at preserving capital. If more trees were felled and utilized per year than could grow back in the same time, then we would be living off the substance. This is exactly the case with the extraction of non-renewable or only slowly renewable resources, such as fossil fuels for our energy supply or rare earths, which are necessary for use in our digital devices, for example. In general or in terms of humanity, the idea of sustainable development is about nothing less than ensuring that current generations do not realize their prosperity at the expense of future generations. It is about generational justice.

Due to its origins, the term sustainability is associated with the environment. However, since sustainable, future-oriented development as a whole not only concerns the environment, but also encompasses social and economic dimensions, it is also referred to as the three pillars of sustainability (ecology, economy, society). There therefore appears to be a certain proximity between the concerns and requirements of both CSR and sustainability, which - at least in everyday practice - has led to the terms sometimes being used synonymously. In its initiative “CSR - Made in Germany”, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs sums it up: “Corporate Social Responsibility”, or CSR for short, refers to the social responsibility of companies in terms of sustainable management.”

This clearly shows the link between CSR and sustainability and the mining sector. Insofar as the extraction of raw materials is carried out by companies, the question of environmentally friendly, sustainable mining as an essential part of corporate responsibility is immediately obvious. A basic knowledge of the idea of sustainability and the issue of sustainable development is therefore particularly important for people who work in the raw materials sector and have to take responsibility for their actions. Not least because the idea of sustainability is not only an internal concern of companies, but extends far into social and political spheres, often with global dimensions. Unit 8 therefore deals with the basic terms and concepts of sustainability.