Which statement best describes social sustainability?

• A. It relates to maintaining profits while ignoring environmental impacts
• B. It describes the impact of development that promotes an improvement in quality of life for all, now and into the future
• C. It concerns only environmental preservation
• D. It refers to the efficiency of energy use in buildings

Answer: (B)

Social sustainability is about people and how development affects their well‑being now and in the future. It focuses on improving quality of life for everyone, ensuring fair access to resources, opportunities, health, education, safety, and the chance to participate in decisions that affect the community. The best choice captures this human-centered, long-term perspective — development should benefit all people now and sustain those benefits for future generations.

The other options miss this focus on people and long-term social well-being: one emphasizes profits while ignoring environmental impacts, which conflicts with broader social goals; another centers only on preserving the environment, not on people’s quality of life; and the last highlights energy efficiency in buildings, which is a technical facet rather than a measure of social outcomes.