The combination of the words ”sustainable development” has become a popular slogan in the discourse of contemporary development. However, despite its ubiquity and the massive popularity it has accumulated over the years, the concept remains to be partially researched. There are still many questions about its significance and history, as well as about what it implies in terms of sustainability from a theoretical and applied point of view. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the research of sustainability approaches in the light of the Sus-tainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is achieved through an extensive analysis of the literature, combi-ning the theoretical aspects of the subject studied with the practical dimensions, which are easier to measure. According to the ”Global Survey on Sustainability and the SDGs”, the main sustainability bench-marks are essentially anchored on distinct but interconnected three-dimensional pillars, namely the envi-ronment, the economy and society. Decision-makers must constantly pay attention to the relationships, complementarities and trade-offs between these pillars and ensure responsible human behavior at interna-tional, national and community level.