When I arrived at this conference I had no idea what an ecological footprint was. After being in the conference I was curious to find out more about this topic (ah, and of course about the Dongtan eco-city, which plans to opens its doors in 2010 and be an environmental, economical, social and cultural sustainable city). OK, it’s not good. According to a website quiz, my total footprint is 15. If everyone lived like me, we would need 8.3 planets. Please check yours, it would probably make me feel better, unless you are really ecologically conscious.

According to a panel with Chris Luebkeman (Head of Foresight for Arup), Livia Tirone (Portuguese architect) and Noni Allwood (Cisco), two important factors are energy and people. Population is increasing by the second and during your lifetime, the planet will increase from 6 to 9 million. In China, 600 million people are expected to move to urban areas in the years ahead.

After hearing all of this information I got worried. But, there is hope, big hope. Sustainable construction (for example, buildings which demand lower energy), lower fuel consumption, recycling, etc. are a reality. So, when you are planning to move, consider about living in a sustainable city. If they are not ready, look for sustainable constructions, buildings which consume less energy. And think about your lifestyle, even if you don’t think it matters, it does. Just look up your ecological footprint and you will know.

Tensie Whelan from the Rainforest Alliance sees a paradigm shift in the making. Until now businesses have maintained a mentality of bottom line versus sustainability. Now, some businesses are looking at reinventing their technologies and processes to improve the bottom line while also addressing the environmental concerns of society and individuals. Tensie Whelan calls it the revolution of design.

She says this is happening because of the influx of a young generation of CEOs who are more environmentally aware, of companies becoming more international and their brand valuable but vulnerable, and of governments not always effective so that NGOs have turned to businesses.

The examples of L’Oreal and Renault show how sustainability can be one of the foundations of business performance. Alice de Brauer from Renault believes measurement of the impact of a sustainable business is crucial. It is essential to get the financial community – so far a laggard in this process – see the business value of sustainability. It is also essential for consumers to see the value proposition of a sustainable product.

Making a business sustainable can bring potential, from cost reductions to a stronger brand and a differentiation advantage. It can also create new markets and motivate employees. But to be successful it needs to look at the entire value chain, and it must develop effective metrics to measure and communicate progress to consumers, investors and employees.

So perhaps it is not so useful any more to talk about corporate social responsibility, which focuses on business obligations instead of opportunities. We should rather talk about a revolution of design, where innovation within and outside companies is accelerated to change products and processes. In this environment, organisations which can anticipate trends and address unspoken social and consumer demands first can gain tremendous advantage while also attracting the best talent. This is a much more effective way to talk about the role sustainability can play in a business. It puts innovation and business opportunities centre stage, which is where they belong.

Do women have a special role to play in making economic development more sustainable? There is some evidence that women-led companies are faster at embracing the challenges of acting sustainably. Business writer Alison Maitland thinks so, and says that two out of the three companies first to sign up to the Aspen principles have a female CEO.

Herman Mulder from the World Business Council on Sustainable Development believes businesses increasingly want to show they are committed to sustainability. The next step for leading businesses is to assess their long-term impact on society, the environment and people.

Consumers can make sustainable choices as more and more green products are offered on the market. But latest research from the UK shows consumers feel they need guidance from governments and businesses to make their choices. Also many women with children cannot afford the sustainably sourced products which are often more expensive.

There is a new trend which is merging network communities enabled by the web with the sustainability movement. Social networks and communities expert Susan Kish said she was intrigued by a new online community called Do the Green Thing. The idea is to make “going green” fun and easy for consumers. This holds great potential in raising awareness and helping consumers in their choices.

Women cannot take the moral high ground on sustainability issues. Some women and some men care about sustainability. But a more diverse business leadership with a higher number of women at the top can broaden the debate on sustainability and help companies question themselves more on their long-term impact on society and the environment.