Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Reading 4
Part B
has emphasised that the construction industry is significantly resource
intensive. It has also demonstrated how economists have broadened their analysis
to integrate the material world with the natural world. As a consequence, addressing
issues relating to the environment and taking opportunities to enhance the image of
a firm should be of increasing importance to those involved in modern business.
The following extract reports on the different attitudes to sustainability and
corporate social responsibility in the construction sector and beyond. The data is
based on a detailed content analysis of the annual reports and mission statements of
300 construction-related companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The
analysis covers 75 contractors, 75 (engineering and architectural) design firms and
150 client companies from the energy, utility and transport sectors. In each category,
the sample was drawn from the leading companies based on size of turnover in
2006. The findings suggest that relatively few construction-related companies at the
time positively embraced the sustainability agenda. This research raises a number
of interesting problems that might be worth thinking about. As Milton Friedman
(1962) emphatically stated, 'there is one and only one responsibility of business -
to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits'. This
raises several significant questions. First, why should a business concern itself
with social and environmental responsibilities? So long as it engages in free and
fair competition, what's the problem? Second, what kind of examples could a
researcher look for as evidence of a firm genuinely demonstrating corporate social
responsibility? Finally, what kind of measures might a government adopt to promote
sustainable development across the built environment sector as a whole?
Timothy Jones, Yongwei Shan and Paul Goodrum (2010) 'An investigation of
corporate approaches to sustainability in the US engineering and construction
industry',
Construction Management and Economics
28: 971-83
The global population has exploded over
the course of the last century. The Earth's
population is expected to exceed 8 billion
within the next 20 years (US Census Bureau,
2008). However, the available resources
have remained finite, and many natural
resources are now consumed at rates far
exceeding their replenishment (Woodruff,
2006). The challenge to provide an improved
standard of living to an exponentially
growing population, with finite available
resources, is becoming increasingly difficult.
To address this issue, the concept of
sustainability has emerged in the past decade.
In 1987, the World Commission
on Environment and Development (or
Brundtland Commission) issued the
Brundtland Report (United Nations,
1987). In this report, sustainability refers
to 'development that meets the needs
of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet
their needs' (Beheiry et al., 2006). Since
the Brundtland Report, the concept of
sustainability has been further developed
and is now commonly thought to consist of
three aspects, or pillars: the environmental,
economic and social pillars (Beheiry
et al., 2006). Sustainable development is
now classically portrayed as the interface
between environmental, economic and social
sustainability (Goodland and Daly, 1993).
