Employees and customers are part of the sustainability equation.

• Author: Taylor, Mike
• Position: [THE HUMAN SIDE OF GOING GREEN]

The term "sustainability" conjures images of wind farms and energy-saving light bulbs and paperless offices. But sustainable business isn't merely about "going green." Employees and the values held by customers are as much a part of the sustainability equation.

As Bruce Hutton put it, it's also about "creating shareholder value, an environment that enriches employees, and social responsibility."

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Hutton, dean emeritus at the University of Denver Daniels College of business, was one of the speakers Nov. 4 at a forum summarizing results from 30 CEOs and business leaders surveyed by Lee Hecht Harrison. The global talent management company hosted the forum on the survey subject, "Building Competitively Sustainable Organizations: Achieving and Maintaining Triple Bottom Line Results."

The triple bottom line refers to people, profit and planet. The early November breakfast event at DU Daniels College of Business focused on the people aspect. As with other elements of sustainability, the human-resources aspect is evolving.

"We in education, as in business, are between stories," DU's Hutton told the gathering. "We're all part of writing this story."

One of the panelists, Saunders Construction Co. President and CEO John Beeble, shared concerns of how his company has sought to maintain an enriching work environment amid a recession that has forced layoffs.

"Two years ago, we couldn't find people," Beeble said. "Now it's reversed. We're letting people go."

When it comes to evaluating which employees should stay and which should go, Beeble said, "My caution is guarding against measuring 'A people' vs. 'B people' too much, making it too much of a science. I put passion over skills. I want people in the organization who care. People skills are extraordinarily important. I put that above technical knowledge; you can teach that."

Another panelist, Colleen Abdoulah, chair and CEO of Wide Open West (WOW!), an Internet, cable and phone service provider, described her 1,300-employee firm that's won 10 JD Power & Associates awards as a "small Comcast, the David of David and Goliath."

"Our competitors can afford to make million-dollar mistakes," she said. "We cannot. We can't just 'build it and they...