The 4Cs of Sustainability

Businesses, as they develop and grow, need to become more aware of the importance of sustainability. Historically, the drive for profit and expansion has largely come at the cost of the environment. Urbanisation, when left unchecked, can create vast amounts of air pollution, destroy natural habitats and create negative precedents which can ingratiate into society itself.

Sustainability is something which needs to be taken seriously, and when creating new developments whether in a city or in the untouched, natural wilderness, planning around sustainability is one of the most positive, forward-thinking ways to proceed. The consideration at the heart of this is one of balance.

What are the 4Cs of sustainability?

The four core considerations when it comes to sustainable planning are:

• Conservation
• Community
• Culture
• Commerce

By balancing a development to achieve each of these principles, you can create something which is truly sustainable. This development philosophy, created by the Zeitz Foundation — which runs Segera, a sustainable wilderness safari in Kenya, owned by Jochen Zeitz — demonstrates how luxury does not necessarily mean sacrificing our connection to the natural world. Let’s look at how these 4Cs work together.

Conservation

Conservation means maintaining the natural state of things. By building intelligently to encourage conservation, successful commercial enterprises can be created without impeding on the environment. In fact, sustainable development can encourage and strengthen natural habitats; instead of taking away resources, they can be bolstered and safeguarded for the future.

Community

Many developments can come with direct opposition from local communities. A development which fractures a community, or leaves it worse off, is one that has not taken into account the human side of things. In the 4Cs, community can be as simple as listening to the local populace and heeding their concerns. It can be developing with a mind to embrace a community’s particular lifestyle or traditions. Working with the community, not against them, is an important facet of sustainability. In Sagera, this communal commitment came through the bringing together of local tribes under one community-based group, celebrating their cultures and educating visitors about their traditions, helping the tribes to thrive alongside the development.

Culture

As with community, sustainable development can embrace culture and turn it into an asset. Culture can be seen throughout the local environment, and carrying out a development without cultural sensitivity can see it fade from memory. Instead, by engaging with cultural traditions and giving them greater visibility — rather than steamrolling over them — a rich heritage can be preserved into the future.

Commerce

Sustainable commerce will feed profits back into the development, filtering them into each of the 4Cs to ensure a sustainable existence. Whether through tourism — which can educate as well as earn money — or by creating products in-house to sell and distribute, finding ways to create a sustainable economy for the development is immensely gratifying and liberating.

Jochen Zeitz — sustainable development in the Kenyan wilderness

With a life-long passion for Africa, Zeitz conserves 50,000 acres of wildlife habitat in Kenya and in 2012 launched Segera Retreat, an entirely sustainable, luxury eco-safari retreat, named as the only 5-star safari lodge in Kenya by the Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority.

In addition to his conservation work, Zeitz is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience on sustainability and environmental issues, and is available to speak on these topics at a variety of events — you can enquire about this by contacting the team at Kruger Cowne.

Zeitz’ work in Kenya is a fantastic example of successful sustainable development. Segera finds that balance between conservation, community, culture and commerce, and puts the environment at the heart of the development. Everything in Segera is balanced to provide a first-class experience for guests, while treating the local environment and its populace with respect. There is a lot to be learned by looking at the Segera Retreat model, and, by building upon what we learn as we focus more on sustainability, we can create a better future for us and our environment.

At Kruger Cowne, we represent a wide range of forward-thinking environmental and sustainability experts who can share their passion with you. Through public appearances or taking a keynote speaker role at a private event — or providing training to help make your company more sustainable — you can take a step towards making the world a more sustainable, conscientious place by enquiring with Kruger Cowne today.