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stewardship

STOO-urd-ship /ˈstjuːərdʃɪp/

nounC1GRESAT

formalenvironmental

The job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property; specifically, the responsible management of resources.

Stewardship implies that the manager does not 'own' the resource but is holding it in trust for others or for future generations.

The story behind the word. The word comes from the Old English 'stigweard', literally the 'warden of the hall.' The steward was the person who managed the household while the lord was away. In modern CSR, the 'lord' is the future generation, and the 'steward' is the corporation.

Word relationships

guardianship: The state or office of being a protector or defender.
custodianship: The care and keeping of something, often a physical building or collection.

exploitation: The action of making use of and benefiting from resources in an unfair or selfish way.
neglect: The state of being uncared for.

Commonly confused with

ownership: Ownership implies you can do whatever you want with a resource; stewardship implies you must protect it for others.

Word family

steward (noun/verb): A person who looks after something; to manage or look after.

Collocations

environmental stewardship
product stewardship
stewardship of resources
corporate stewardship

Example sentences

"The earth is given to us as a stewardship, not a possession." A common environmental sentiment regarding our relationship with the planet.
"Environmental stewardship has become a core value for corporations looking to attract younger consumers." The investment firm focused on companies that demonstrated care for their long-term impact.

Memory hook

A 'Steward' on a ship doesn't own the ship; they just make sure everything is taken care of for the passengers. Caring for what you don't own.

When not to use

Don't use 'stewardship' for simple 'management' of a project that has no long-term or ethical component.

Fun facts

'Product stewardship' is a concept where manufacturers take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of a product, including its disposal.