"Sustainability isn't just good for humanity, it's good for business" says former CEO and current NYU professor Jefferey Hollender. Sustainability, in terms of supply chain, land clearing, and sourcing, benefits both the environment and businesses. If land clearing is essential whether in construction or sourcing of goods, sustainable practices must be used and considered in order to ensure sustainable deforestation for the good of the planet.

A Practical Promise?

Many business leaders have publicly made the pledge to make their company have greener practices, including sustainability promises for supply chain and land clearing. Lidl, for example, made the pledge just last year to switch to 100% sustainably sourced soy  products. Is this popular promise of sustainability realistic or just a marketing myth? Businesses can sustainably land clear and invest in green-friendly supply chains, by valuing natural ecosystems, researching a land area, and ensuring environmentally-friendly clearing practices.

 How to Achieve Sustainable Deforestation

The first step to take in order to approach sustainable land clearing, Forbes says, is to appoint someone in the business as Chief Sustainability Officer. This ensures that every step in the process will proceed with greener values in mind. Second, have your Chief Sustainability Officer research the local ecosystes of the area, specifically the wildlife. Evaluate the harm that can be done to the local wildlife, and if the risk outweighs the reward, find an alternative more eco-friendly land mass to clear. Third, invest in greener technologies that don't harm the local ecosystem during the land clearing process. Use mulching machines, for example, that don't harm the roots of neighboring trees and help leave soil structures in tact.

The Big Picture: Global Sustainability

Sustainable forestry isn't just a practice in the UK; global companies in nations like China have researched what it means for sustainable deforestation. A recent study published in The Scientific World Journal found that the tenants of safe deforestation involve the use of natural resources, environmental protection, and ecological balance. The study found that "improving the ecological environment, focussing on eco-engineering, and effectively maintaining ecology" were most effective in sustainable land clearing. In addition, business that counteract deforestation but planting new trees and using greener energy practices help resolve their geo-footprint.

Sustainable deforestation is no myth. It's a practical and promising approach to land clearing when practiced with the right values in mind.