Sustainability from a business point of view is not just about reducing the organisation's carbon footprint, conserving water or recycling waste paper.  Important as these issues are they are by no means the whole story.  Business sustainability seeks to ensure that the business model is sustainable and this encompasses a whole lot more such as a sustainable supply chain and ethical business practices. 

It is clear from the financial crisis that one of the core challenges of our times is to create long-term sustainable businesses, and this includes organisations in the public and not-for-profit sectors.

Organisations need to be clear how they create value, how they can incentivise staff to promote good behaviour and how good governance and reporting practices help to limit bad behaviour such as excessive risk taking.  Underpinning all of this, is the need for good management information - it is vital.  Good management information promotes informed decision-making and allows good governance practices to develop.  It is a prerequisite for a well-managed business.

This places the professional accountant working in business at the heart of an organisation ensuring that accurate and relevant management information is circulating to those that need it.  And let's not forget, this is the domain of the Chartered Management Accountant.

So the next time you are contributing to or pulling together that Management Report remember the information it is relaying is key to effective decision-making and the role you are playing is essential to generating a sustainable future for your organisation.