Ergoecological Criteria to Achieve Corporate Sustainability

Ergocology is a scientific and technological multidiscipline, established in the 1990s as a response to the growing challenges of sustainability that we face as a society. From the joint perspective of ergonomics and ecology, ergoecology proposes to find the dynamic balance between natural systems and sociotechnical systems. Within this framework, this chapter proposes seven “ergoecological criteria” to achieve corporate sustainability. These criteria are based on the general theory of systems and are associated with the postulates of ergoecology (eco-productivity and systemic eco-efficiency) and eco-effectiveness. The seven criteria are proposed to operate at the three different levels of the systemic complexity theory (micro, macro, or supra). Therefore, while the appropriate actions are accomplished, the organizations will gradually acquire “ecospheric awareness” and will make a positive impact on their environment. Some examples are taken from four different productive sectors organizations that pursuit to sustainability, to illustrate the type of actions to be followed.