Local government leaders have defined sustainability as the predominant issue of the age. That said, there is considerable debate about what sustainability really means.

There may not be at this stage a clear, universally accepted definition of what sustainability means. And lacking that, we may not be in agreement about the way forward. But one thing that we should agree on is that the underlying principles were embraced by the local government profession from the very beginning. And they remain core to the profession to this very day.

When those pioneer city managers drafted the first Code of Ethics in 1924 to define the values for a new profession, they thought about the future of the communities they led.

Share your thoughts about sustainability as a good management practice or a leadership imperative and with our guiding principles in hand, how do we move forward?

Have you considered your obligation to future generations?

What are the metrics for success? Is it defined by the triple bottom line of environment, economy, and equity? Or something else?

Discuss: Add your comments to the Ethics Blog. Share ethical issues you have encountered when defining sustainability success.

For additional details on each of these points and more, read the column at PM’s website.