This book examines the social dimension of sustainability in the wine industry. Social sustainability focuses on people and communities. Contributors explore topics such as philanthropy, poverty, natural disasters, communication, and wine tourism from a global perspective using research and case studies in developed and developing countries. This edited book provides researchers, academics, practitioners and students with varied perspectives of social sustainability in the global wine industry.

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Publisher

Palgrave Pivot

Year

2019

Print ISBN

9783030304126

eBook ISBN

9783030304133

Topic

Business

Subtopic

Business General

Index

Business

S. L. Forbes et al. (eds.)Social Sustainability in the Global Wine Industry https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30413-3_1

Begin Abstract

1. Introduction to Social Sustainability

Azadeh (Azi) Nilipour¹

(1)

Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand

Azadeh (Azi) Nilipour

Email: [email protected]

Abstract

Sustainability is increasingly becoming a major discussion topic globally; yet, it is difficult to define the concept of sustainability. Sustainability is mostly introduced by its dimensions; traditionally known as economic, environmental and social. Of the three dimensions, social sustainability has not been well researched. Although social sustainability has been a necessary business component, businesses have just started noticing that their actions have an impact on society and the world on a larger scale (Ajmal, Khan, Hussain, & Helo, 2018). This chapter provides an introduction to social sustainability from both theoretical and practical points of view. To do so, sustainability is defined, traditional pillars and new dimensions of sustainability are reviewed, and a brief explanation of some key social sustainability areas in research and practice is presented.

Keywords

SustainabilityPillarsPhilanthropySocial enterpriseCause-related marketingCorporate social responsibility (CSR)CommunicationWine

End Abstract

Sustainability

Sustainability is a dynamic term that can be applied to various purposes, and although several different definitions can be found for sustainability in the literature, they all have the same core message. For businesses, sustainability is defined as (World Commission on Environment and Development—known as Brundtland Report, 1987, p. 40): ‘An investment strategy that uses the best business practices to meet the needs of the present stakeholders without compromising the ability of future stakeholders to meet their own needs’.

Although this report specifies that sustainability consists of three areas—economic development, social development, and environmental protection—the concept of the triple bottom line (TBL) was only introduced by John Elkington in 1994 (Elkington, 1994). TBL is an accounting framework which expands the reporting framework—i.e. criteria used to determine items appearing in the financial statements—by adding environmental and social performance to the traditional financial (economic) performance. This model calls for organisations to be responsible for all the stakeholders rather than just shareholders.

TBL identifies three dimensions of sustainability, known as pillars. These traditional pillars are also commonly called the three Ps: profit, planet and people. Although the three traditional pillars of sustainability have been commonplace in the literature, some studies have considered new dimensions, such as cultural sustainability and governance, to address a wider coverage of sustainability. All the above-mentioned dimensions are briefly explained in the next two sections.

Traditional Pillars of Sustainability

Economic Sustainability—Profit

The economic dimension is the most commonly accepted dimension of sustainability as it is directly related to the primary goal of any business (i.e. creating value for shareholders through economic performance). However, to be economically sustainable, businesses should focus on activities that generate long-term rather than short-term profitability. In other words, economic sustainability is about the impact of the business practices on the economic system focusing on the economic value created by the organisation in a way that supports future generations (Elkington, 1997). Economic sustainability does not refer to ‘profit at any cost’. Instead, it refers to practices that support long-term economic growth without negatively impacting the social, environmental, and cultural aspects of the community. Economic sustainability performance can be measured through financial activities between an organisation and its stakeholders, or non-financial costs and benefits of economic relations and their effects on stakeholders (Rezaee, Tsui, Cheng, & Zhou, 2019).

Environmental Sustainability—Planet

The environmental dimension of sustainability performance enables businesses to evaluate the impact of their practices on the environment. Environmental sustainability is about organisations being engaged in business practices without compromising the environmental resources for future generations (Elkington, 1997). Environmental sustainability is defined as ‘maintenance of natural capital’ (Goodland, 1995). In other words, it is a process of protecting the quality of the environment in the long term, measuring the environmental effects of business operations, increasing the positive impact of a business on natural resources, and creating a better environment for future generations while creating value for shareholders and maximising their economic profit (Rezaee et al., 2019).

Social Sustainability—People

The social dimension is about conducting beneficial and fair business practices to the human capital—i.e. workforce—society and the community (Elkington, 1997). Social sustainability is about making the company’s mission align with the interests of society by including accepted social values and fulfilling social responsibility (Rezaee et al., 2019). According to the Western Australia Council of Social Services (WACOSS) (n.d.):

Social sustainability occurs when the formal and informal processes, systems, structures, and relationships actively support the capacity of current and future generations to create healthy and liveable communities. Socially sustainable communities are equitable, diverse, connected, and democratic and provide a good quality of life.

Social sustainability performance ranges from delivering high-quality products and services, improving customer satisfaction and increasing employee health and well-being, to contributing to the quality of life for future generations (Rezaee et al., 2019).

New Dimensions of Sustainability

Culture

Cultural sustainability was first introduced as the fourth pillar of sustainability by Jon Hawkes in 2001 (Hawkes, 2001). He argued that to have effective planning, a new framework which evaluates the cultural impacts of environmental, economic and social decisions is needed. Cultural sustainability is a significant component of sustainability. It originally emerged out of social sustainability but has been gradually recognised as having a separate and integral role in sustainable development. Cultural sustainability means change happens in a way that respects cultural values. It contributes to the sustainability concept by adding an element of understanding of culture, as well as the place in which it evolves. Therefore, community and geographic context will not be ignored (Creative City Network of Canada, 2007).

Governance

After the global financial crisis of 2007–2009, companies decided to establish a stronger regulatory framework and improve their corporate governance. To do so, some measures were set and aimed to integrate business sustainability into corporate governance and in the hope of a long-term performance (Brockett & Rezaee, 2012). According to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) (2018, p. 4), corporate governance is defined as ‘the principles, practices, and processes that determine how an entity is directed and controlled’; thus, corporate governance is at the centre of business strategies. Sustainability is a strategic approach that tries to integrate economic, environmental and social dimensions; therefore, governance should be part of the sustainability concept, along with the other three dimensions (Iribarnegaray & Seghezzo, 2012).

Social Sustainability in Research

The social dimension of sustainability has been barely investigated compared to the other dimensions, especially environmental sustainability. The social dimension of sustaina...

Cover
Front Matter
1. Introduction to Social Sustainability
2. An Industry Under Pressure: The Influence of Economic, Technological and Environmental Pressures on the Social Sustainability of the South African Wine Industry
3. Sustaining Social Commitments at Colomé
4. Are US Wineries Prepared for the Next ‘Black Swan’ Event?
5. The Transformational Power of Wine Tourism Experiences: The Socio-Cultural Profile of Wine Tourism in South Australia
6. The Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction: History, Motivations and Benefits
7. 27seconds: A Wine Brand as a Vehicle for Social Change
8. Migrant Workers’ Rights, Social Justice and Sustainability in Australian and New Zealand Wineries: A Comparative Context
9. Does Culture Show in Philanthropic Engagement? An Empirical Exploration of German and French Wineries
10. What Does ‘Sustainable Wine’ Mean? An Investigation of French and Italian Wine Consumers
11. Addressing Social Outcomes in Land and Water Management for Global Wine Regions
12. Sustainability Reporting by New Zealand Wineries
13. Philanthropic Wine Firms and Their CSR Communication
Back Matter

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Yes, you can access Social Sustainability in the Global Wine Industry by Sharon L. Forbes, Tracy-Anne De Silva, Armand Gilinsky Jr., Sharon L. Forbes,Tracy-Anne De Silva,Armand Gilinsky Jr. in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Business & Business General. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Social Sustainability in the Global Wine Industry

Concepts and Cases