It is becoming increasingly an expectation of different classes of stakeholders that organisations, including large corporates, SMEs, not-for-profits, industry bodies, educational institutions, and so forth address their significant social and environmental impacts (both positive and negative). Accepting a responsibility and associated accountability for social and environmental /sustainability-related performance is now accepted as an important aspect of managing an organisation, with a failure to do so putting an organisations future at risk.
From a business education perspective, there is a corresponding need to move away from a primary focus on the management of, and accountability for, financial performance towards a more balanced and nuanced perspective focused upon financial, social and environmental performance and related accountability.