What do people want to know about sustainability?

People are curious about sustainability. But what do they really want to know? 

_{Our analysis identifies 6 priority topics. Sustainability is a huge area with a lot of elements.} 

_{At The Eco-Mindset, we wanted to know where to focus our attention. What’s on managers’ minds? What sustainability information do people most want?} 

_{To answer these questions, we analyzed the sustainability terms that people were searching on the Internet. We found six priorities within the general area of sustainability.} 

_{People want to know what these concepts are, why they matter, and how they relate to businesses and everyday life. These priorities are relevant for companies as well. They suggest what areas might be top of mind for your stakeholders: where they might seek education and action.}

6 Priority Topics Related to Sustainability

1. What is sustainability?

Sustainability comes from the idea of ‘sustainable development.’ But ever since that term was coined in 1987, people have found it confusing. The classic definition is: “Development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future generations” (WCED, 1987). And over time, people are becoming sufficiently knowledgeable to recognize different types of sustainability – including both social and environmental. 

2. How do we practice sustainability?

Just knowing what sustainability means isn’t enough. Today, managers are asking “How can we incorporate sustainability into our daily lives and businesses?” One answer comes from case studies and success stories from other organizations. 

3. What is biodiversity?

People want to know what biodiversity means, why it’s important, and how it’s threatened. Arguably, the environmental issue presenting the greatest challenge to humans is the loss of resilience that comes from biodiversity loss. This topic is often overlooked in the global environmental conversation, so it’s encouraging to see it rise to top of mind in 2021. 

4. What is a sustainable business model?

Managers want to learn both how they can integrate sustainability and how to make it work financially. This can be looked at in terms of the business resilience that comes from sustainable practices. Resilience enables companies to bounce back from shocks and thrive over the long term. 

5. What is the circular economy, and how does it work?

People often say that a circular economy embodies sustainability. A circular economy keeps products and resources in the economic system through reuse, repair, and recycling. As a result, it enables growth and reduces resource use and waste. There’s a lot of current action on the circular economy. Managers want to know how these changes will affect their companies and industries, and how they can get involved. 

6. What are innovative solutions to food waste? 

It makes sense that people are concerned about food waste. A third of all food produced globally is wasted, at an estimated cost of $1 trillion. Luckily, this is an area where real change can be made, and where easy, cost-effective actions do exist. 

Explore the top sustainability questions 

 It’s great to see people investigating sustainability issues and to see new conversations staring up, e.g. around biodiversity, the circular economy, and food waste. Let’s help each other tackle these questions. The Eco-Mindset is starting a new series, “The Eco Cult,” that provides essential knowledge about core sustainability topics, issues and solutions. Get the latest insights by subscribing to the Eco-Mindset newsletter and following us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.