The Imperative of Sustainability in the Business Models of the XXI<sup>st</sup> Century

Sustainability has become a mandatory requirement in the business models of this century, with the aim to reverse the recent trends in economy. In the era of disruptive economies, the optics of what constitutes added value has significantly shifted towards a more inclusive approach. The waste effect, the greed in conducting business, the ignorance of the impact of business development’s impact over the environment, the use of certain technologies, despite the insufficient knowledge of how they work, and bureaucracy threaten the very existence of humanity. Yet, none of these perils are properly addressed from the legal perspective, nor are they prone to be mitigated in a blurred legislative system. The paper discusses the necessity of a broader understanding of sustainability, with a view to business models, as well as integrated legal solutions, at the level of European Union legislation.