In this section, information will be given about the definition and history of sustainable leadership. Then, the dimensions required for sustainability will be discussed. In the third step, it will be revealed what features are required to talk about sustainable leadership. In the fourth step, there is a literature review about sustainable leadership in recent years. In the fifth step, some important models related to sustainable leadership will be discussed. In this form, sustainable leadership is discussed in a more homogeneous form and with a general framework for readers and researchers in this part of the book.
TopHistory And Definition Of Sustainable Leadership
The phenomenon of sustainability, which we encounter in various fields, argues that the raw materials and energy required for production should be less than the output.This idea of self-sustainable systems has been the main idea behind sustainability in forestry and fisheries in Europe since the 12th century, and later in the United States and Canada (Ehnert vd., 2014).
Sustainability, which is established as one of the oldest sources on this subject and is stated in the book “Sylvicultura Oeconomica” written by Hans Carl von Carlowitz in 1713, for the production of “in order to sustain a forest, not to obtain too much wood without growing in that forest”, operates in the forestry sector. It appears that it has a history. As a matter of fact, the period of sustainability remained a period of forestry for 200 years until the book “Limits to Growth” published by the Club of Rome in 1972 was published and received widespread acceptance (Fischler, 2014) Sustainability in a modern context was reportedly first written about in The Ecologist in January 1972 by Goldsmith, Allen, Allaby and Avoll. The specified standard sustainability is taken from the ecosystems relations that are necessary for the maintenance of human existence (Ingwersen vd., 2014).
The idea behind sustainability, which is generally used to mean “long-lasting,” “durable,” “sturdy,” or “orderly,” is quite old. The form of sustainability (sustainability), which essentially refers to the resilience of “proliferation” and “self-maintenance” to ensure the long-term viability or survival of a system (Ehnert vd., 2014). It is reported that its etymological origin comes from the Latin words “sustenere”, which emerged from the combination of the suffix “able” meaning “to be” and the words “sus” meaning “up” journey and “tenere” meaning holding, and used in the sense of continuing. Therefore, sustainability ends with a “holding, long-term” burden (Ingwersen vd., 2014).
(Balcı, 2010) states that it is important for sustainability to provide the best outputs to humanity and the natural environment they live in, and to achieve socio-cultural and economic balance without harming nature and humanity. At the same time, sustainability is the best option for humanity. He argues that it is a protective shield within life.
Sustainability, in its simplest sense, is about maintaining the relationship between humans and their natural environment with mutual good will. (Hawken, 2007). Therefore, the increase in the human population, uncontrolled migration to cities and problems arising from unplanned construction increase the importance of sustainability. (Cohen vd., 2016).