SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A STRATEGIC APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES IN TRADE EFFLUENT-GENERATING INDUSTRIES IN FRANCISTOWN IN BOTSWANA

The qualitative case study investigated the integration of Sustainable Development (SD) principles in business practices in three (3) major trade effluent-generating industries.  The investigation focused on various management levels for the industry based in the Francistown region in Botswana to recommend solutions for improvement to the industry and the government.  The selected industries for the study are the major trade effluent-generating industries in the Francistown region in Botswana.  These industries have consistently failed to comply with the discharge requirements for trade effluent quality for over 20 years posing a pollution threat.  Twenty-eight out of thirty (28/30) research participants selected from the various management levels from the respective organisations took part in the qualitative semi–structured interviews.  Due to the COVID-19 movement, restrictions and protocols interviews were conducted via a speakerphone.  Document reviews augmented qualitative data from telephone interviews to enhance the study’s validity and reliability.  The use of e-mail and the internet provided a means for document collection.  Textual data from the telephone interviews and document reviews were hand-coded.  The themes derived from the hand-coded data answered the research questions.  Botswana’s trade effluent-generating industries have embraced the SD concept to support future businesses.  However, balancing profit making with environmental protection and social welfare is a challenge for the industry.  The approach to SD integration differs for the three organisations, depending on the business type and business processes.  This study has proven that adopting the TBL performance framework, improved leadership & governance, effective and efficient systems & processes are necessary for the uptake of SD by the industry.  Stakeholder engagement & innovation is also vital for SD integrative approach for businesses.  Adopting a sustainable strategic management approach may enhance the balance of the SD pillars of economic growth, environmental protection, and social development.  The industry’s strategic adoption of SD principles shall facilitate pollution prevention at source.  However, the study revealed some impediments to the SD adoption by businesses, including limited financial resources, lack of skilled workforce, high operating costs, and lack of employee education and awareness of SD.  These industries export their goods to the international markets, and pollution prevention at source is a competitive advantage that demonstrates responsible care by the business curbing the global challenge.