The Definition of Sustainability and Guidelines for Program Evaluation

The term sustainability has been used to describe the life cycle of a program or initiative and to define the broader process for change. There are many different ways to define sustainability, including the concepts of durability, adherence, and maintenance. The Scheirer and Dearing definition, derived from the framework of Shediac-Rizkallah and Bone, focuses on how a program or initiative will continue to provide health benefits to individuals, sustain programme activities within an organization, and build community capacity to develop and maintain programmes.
Sustainability is a global framework, but it also has implications for individuals and communities. To achieve sustainable outcomes, programmes and interventions must be re-conceived, integrated into interventions, and planned for. The term sustainability is often confused with the term “green narrative” but is not the same as sustainable business. This article examines the definition of sustainability and offers guidelines for program evaluation. If you’re unsure of what sustainability is, check out our definition of it!
Sustainability is a process of managing products and strategies to meet the demands of the macro environment. To do this, companies must understand the past to make smart decisions about the future. Sustainability is a complex process, involving many complex decisions, comparisons, and differences between past and future circumstances. Managers must be mindful of the long-term implications of the choices they make. However, the benefits of sustainability are often far outweighed by the cost.