Sustainable development and quality of life: the role of public sector

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to analyze the evolution of the concept of sustainability and the central role of the public organizations for the sustainable development. Nowadays sustainability is at the forefront of many organization’s agenda. The recent evolution in the role of public organizations has led to the recognition of a social and environmental aspect to their activities which obliges them to seek sustainable growth. There is a disjoint between the public sector’s central role in sustainable development and its actual participation in the endeavor. The reason behind this is the difficulty in integrating the numerous needs of citizens and requirements of different cultures. This study analyses a model that explains how sustainability can help to improve the quality of the life of citizens. The paper explores the link between culture and sustainability from a public organization perspective and it examines how culture must be integrated within public sector organizations planning. This research considers that the goal of sustainable development is to enable all people to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations. We argue that sustainable development offers the most appropriate set of values for the creation and maintenance of public value.