Sustainable development is development coupled with effort: it meets the needs of the present without compromising current and future generations in fulfilling their own sustainable way of life, and it serves to protect the planet and human life. This article addresses the concept of sustainable development through the environment, economic development and the stakeholders who must be engaged to achieve sustainable development. Sustainable development requires a company to contribute to economic growth, social progress and the promotion of environmental sustainability. The three key areas of sustainable development, in order of importance, are prioritised as environmental protection, economic development and social sustainability.

A corporate sustainability report is a process through which companies regularly publish their sustainability goals and their progress towards achieving them. It helps stakeholders, and the public in particular, understand how a company participates in a sustainable global economy. Sustainability reports may include information on a company's use of resources, the positive and negative environmental impacts of its operations, and its strategies for becoming more sustainable in the future.