What are sustainability intangibles

Sustainability intangibles are the non-measurable assets of the five capital pillars of sustainability: economic (financial and manufactured), ecologic, social, human and spiritual (humanitarian).

By evolving the actual economic system from capitalism to Sustainabilism© (the universal intelligence, common good- human- care, economic system) all tangible and intangible values of the five sustainability capital pillars will be included in the system. For example, financial intangible assets are goodwill, loyalties, innovation and examples of human intangible assets are values-based leadership skills, empathy and capacity to care for our common good. 

Centralise sense-based human- and common good care as the engine for our next generation economy values respecting the limits of our planetary boundaries. Characteristics like humbleness, respect, authenticity, caring behaviours, family cultures, sense-based empathic leadership, common good care reflections for decision-making and consumption and so on will be crucial for reaching a new state of mind, Sustainabilism©.

All kind of sustainability intangible values exist, hereby a few of a non-exhaustive list: 

Financial:

Innovation 

Reputation and other intangible risks

Environmental:

Biodiversity 

Climate

Social:

Values-based partnerships

Humanitarian care

Human:

Values-based leadership

Family culture and care

Common good responsibility behaviours

Spiritual

Consciousness, awareness

Universal intelligent reflecting

Questions which could arise:

Why are human capital values simplistically measured today, mainly focussed on their costs (salary, insurance, pension) instead of being holistic upwards all intangible values human-kind is capable bringing as assets into our production system?

Or the value of a tree is currently the price we pay for cutting the tree instead of the overall, crucial, value a tree contributes to our planetary survival and therefor economic stability?

Did Keynes free markets and its equilibrium model (Keynes, 1918) predict nowadays explosive entries to markets and its unpredicted risks? High entry to markets and overstretched competition filtered out margins and net profit became exclusive and limited. Simplistic net profit entrepreneurial focus has a price on the other sustainability asset values. Net profit concentration cannibalised the values of the five-capital assets and generated intense risks like disruptive climate change, excessive pollution, global health issues, slavery and other. 

Evolving capitalism upwards Sustainabilism© will redefine economic value by centralising human responsibility regarding the inclusion of all sustainability capital assets, tangible or intangible. All such values and its possible risks should be included in Net Present Value risk calculations (Raynor 2007; Bolsinger 2005).

ESG reporting measures some of the sustainability assets which is a great step forward. Nevertheless, for a Sustainabilism© economic system the complementary intangible assets will have to be valued as well. Universal intelligence and care for our common good (inclusive to human-kind) will be part of such economic system. Enormous benefits will be generated by such multi-assets value system which make a positive contribution to performance and competitiveness argued by many scientists for over 20 years (Confino, 2012; Frankl, 2011; Dean 2008; Van Lee et al. 2005; Magretta 2002).