By Eliane Leite and Maria Isabel Barreto (*)

In times of Rio+20, ecology and sustainability themes strongly incite. Inevitably questions arise: what are the expected changes? Which duties will be assumed by the business sector? During the Rio 92, the participation of the companies was quite shy. Ecology and sustainability were basically governmental issues.

The French philosopher Félix Guattari called, already in the decade of 1970, that ecology should begin with the individual, passing by the personal/social relationships to reach the environment.

Companies genuinely geared to sustainability related issues look for, through educational processes, human enhancement, in order to make the subject of the action more prepared for a new mentality. Business committed leaders include in their agendas issues related to human development. In this context, the corporate education and the communication are the means for improvement.

Business committed leaders include in their agendas issues related to human development

The term sustainability established that sustainable development is that which “satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. We must, therefore, consider it as a new vision that includes environmental, economic and socio-political sustainability, through dynamic exchanges between Government, business and civil society.

For that the company put these definitions in place, it is necessary to create wealth, forming a solid capital. Sustainability requires more than the development of the material, social and intellectual capital. We need to evolve to the formation of moral and spiritual capital of a society. Inspired by Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall, we understand spiritual capital as the wealth we extract from our values and principles.

(*) Professors at PUC-Rio