For businesses in Dublin, the sustainability conversation is becoming increasingly connected to a more fundamental question: how do we build businesses that can continue to grow while making better use of the resources around us?

The circular economy is one part of that conversation. Businesses are looking more closely at how products and materials are sourced, used, repaired, reused and disposed of. That can lead to changes in procurement, product design, packaging and waste management, while also creating opportunities for new products and services.

Biodiversity has a similarly practical connection to business. Our economy depends on natural resources and functioning ecosystems, from water and food production to the land and infrastructure on which businesses operate. In Dublin, the quality of our natural environment also contributes to the attractiveness and resilience of the city as a place to live, work and invest.

For business leaders, the opportunity is to bring these issues into everyday decision-making. What resources does the business depend on? Where are costs or waste being created? How exposed is the business to changes in supply, regulation or resource availability? And where could a different approach create commercial value?

That requires knowledge as well as good strategy. As expectations around sustainability continue to develop, businesses need people who understand the issues and can translate them into practical decisions.

For Dublin, this is part of a wider conversation about the kind of economy and city we want to build. Growth and sustainability are increasingly connected, and businesses have an important role in shaping what that looks like in practice.