Understanding Corporate Sustainability Policy as Viable System Policies — First thoughts

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The Call for Better Sustainability Policies

What characteristics do organizational sustainability policies need to have to maintain the values of the organization and to ensure certain generally required contributions to sustainable development? We will answer this question below. With a focus on ways to take control in complex systems.

A Common-Sense Understanding of Policy

Let us first look at how the concept of policy is understood from a common-sense point of view. Linguistically, the word “policy” in its meaning of “prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs” has been in use in the English language since the 15th century (Merriam-Webster.com).

In the English language, “policy” is currently understood as:

“ A course or principle of action adopted or proposed by an organization or individual” (Lexico.com).

The Cambridge Dictionary of English defines policy in two connotations of meaning, i.e. policy as a ‘plan’ and as a ‘document. Policy in the context of a plan is defined as

“a set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that has been agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party” (Dictionary.cambridge.org)

With a focus on American English, The Merriam-Webster dictionary offers the following meanings of the word policy:

• “prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs”;
• “management or procedure based primarily on material interest”
• “a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions”
• a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body” (Merrian-Webster.com).

According to Dictionary.com, “policy most commonly refers to a rule or plan of action, especially an official one adopted and followed by a group, organization, or government”. Collins COBUILD defines policy as “ a set…