Sustainability refers to maintaining practices over long periods of time without damaging the tools used. One survey found that a substantial majority of executives saw sustainability as an important part of future success. Social sustainability practices address the ways that social systems are affected by an organization’s actions over time and how changing social systems may affect the organization.

Systematic reviews of the research literature show a generally positive relationship between sustainability and financial performance. However, there is often a strong moral and ethical component that shapes organizational culture and which must be a genuine value for the relationship to exist. To create a truly sustainable business, an organization must develop a long-term culture and put its values into practice. In other words, there needs to be a sustainable system for creating sustainability. Like other cultural practices, sustainability needs time and nurturing to grow.