WBCSD (The World Business Council for Sustainable Development)

Definition

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global corporate membership network with a mission to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development. The WBCSD is an outgrowth of the regional BCSD established at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The WBCSD has some 190 members from leading companies in over 35 countries.

WBCSD defines sustainable development as "forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". The council focuses on three key areas-"The Business Role", "Energy and Climate", and "Development"-and has set five objectives:

1) Be a leading business advocate on sustainable development, 2) Participate in policy development to create the right framework conditions for business to make an effective contribution to sustainable human progress, 3) Develop and promote the business case for sustainable development, 4) Demonstrate the business contribution to sustainable development solutions and share leading edge practices among members, and 5) Contribute to a sustainable future for developing nations and nations in transition. The WBCSD, which is headquartered in Geneva, has exerted strong influence in supporting industry sectors to develop sector action plans toward sustainable development and in encouraging the framing of international Environmental Management Standards *1.