Sustainability and Resilience

This article from Forbes magazine encourages me in one respect -- corporate executives rank sustainability very high -- but flashes a warning signal in another -- a struggle to measure return (ROI) on sustainability investments.

"Respondents cited water quality, plastic waste reduction and energy management as the top-three initiatives they're executing today."

"They cite geopolitical and economic uncertainty as their top challenges-followed by how difficult it is to translate sustainability performance into concrete financial metrics." 

Until we can find solutions to this measurement question, sustainability efforts face an uncertain future. What ideas can we offer?

Bill Mc

New Survey: Sustainability Stays Central To C-Suite's Vision Amid Global Unrest, But Leaders Struggle To Prove Its ROI

Forbes		remove preview
New Survey: Sustainability Stays Central To C-Suite's Vision Amid Global Unrest, But Leaders Struggle To Prove Its ROI Leaders are wrestling with geopolitical whiplash but remain dedicated to creating a healthier planet. Explore our survey. View this on Forbes >

#MeasuringandMaintainingInfrastructureforSustainabilityandResilience

------------------------------
William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., BC.CE, BC.NE, F.ASCE
ENGINEER
Columbus MS
------------------------------

I think a problem with sustainability, like many initiatives, is that it becomes an end in itself and not a means to an end. Sustainability works best when it makes economic sense, considering the whole project's lifecycle.

------------------------------
Mitch Winkler P.E.(inactive), M.ASCE
Houston, TX
------------------------------

It's true, Mitch, that an economic return on sustainability makes the most sense to an organization for which profit is the purpose. For society as a whole, sustainability itself is important in a world of limited resources, but we can't expect individuals or organizations to sacrifice themselves for that ideal. That's the "Tragedy of the Commons."
There are two ways to address the Tragedy of the Commons. Return on Investment is the best solution but that has its limits. It gave us Love Canal, the Cleveland River, and PCB contamination. Collective action led by government is the other. Libertarians hate the latter option.

Bill Mc

------------------------------
William McAnally Ph.D., P.E., BC.CE, BC.NE, F.ASCE
ENGINEER
Columbus MS
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-12-2025 01:04 PM
From: Mitchell Winkler
Subject: How Do We Measure Return on Investment?

I think a problem with sustainability, like many initiatives, is that it becomes an end in itself and not a means to an end. Sustainability works best when it makes economic sense, considering the whole project's lifecycle.

------------------------------
Mitch Winkler P.E.(inactive), M.ASCE
Houston, TX
------------------------------

Hello Bill,

Thank you for sharing this insightful article and your thoughts.

I completely agree that measuring ROI on sustainability initiatives remains a key challenge for many organizations. While sustainability goals are increasingly prioritized, the lack of standardized financial metrics often hinders clear evaluation of impact.

Some promising approaches include integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify environmental and economic benefits over time, and adopting integrated reporting frameworks that combine financial, environmental, and social performance data.

Moreover, leveraging advanced data analytics and AI can help translate sustainability outcomes into tangible financial metrics, making it easier for executives to justify investments.

I believe fostering collaboration between sustainability experts, finance professionals, and data scientists will be crucial to developing reliable ROI measurement methods.

What are your thoughts on incorporating these approaches?

Best regards,
Darya Stanskova 

------------------------------
Darya Stanskova Aff.M.ASCE
Cost Estimator, Construction Engineer, Power Engineer, Project Manager
Fort Myers FL
------------------------------