Can Sustainability Mindset be Taught and Who Should Lean In to Grow It?
By definition, a mindset is a “fixed state of mind,” which already implies that it is not something that can be changed easily. Still, this is something needed for a true progress in sustainable development, which should cease to be a matter of mandatory reporting and should become a matter of intrinsic motivation.
Growing sustainability mindset is a critical mass of the planet’s population is the goal of such scope and ambition, that it is out of reach of anyone entity. Nonetheless, it is difficult to imagine a party opposing sustainable values. From cleaner and safer urban environments to higher living and ethical standards — it offers benefits that go far beyond environmental issues commonly associated with sustainability. So, in all fairness, everyone has reasons to be involved.
Here is a critical look on who should lean in.
Families
When we are talking about the goal as grand as a sustainability-aware society, the most obvious place to start with is families. After all, parents have an enormous impact on the formation of their child’s mindset. In terms of learning, this means that no matter how cleverly designed the education system is, its ultimate effectiveness will depend on parents’ involvement.
What’s more, parents are tremendously influential role models for their children, so demonstrating sustainable behavior will in itself have an impact. Of course, it works both ways — watching their parents ignoring the basic energy-saving practices at home will effectively cancel all the theoretical knowledge on sustainable living the children may have received at school or at home. In this light, parents have a tremendous responsibility, both personal and social, to help in forming the mindset of the generation.
NGOs
While family involvement is essential, there is no direct way of ensuring its consistency or quality. And on its own, it is not a very scalable solution either. To achieve the best results, it is necessary to have some sort of a systemic intervention in place. One obvious solution is non-government organizations dedicated to the cause. These entities are capable of promoting sustainable development on several levels, from offering environmental sustainability courses online to organizing and running campaigns to fostering partnerships with governments and corporations.
Another advantage of NGOs over other parties is the level of accountability they have. Many existing organizations are required to report on their progress. For example, Heifer International has a track record of educating more than 20 million families on sustainable practices and provides detailed reports to back up those claims.
Business
In the early days of the sustainability movement, businesses have gained a reputation of its worst offenders — perhaps, rightfully so. The then-dominant Friedman doctrine held that companies should be concerned primarily with shareholder returns. Compare it to the modern understanding, which includes acting in the interests of сustomers, employees, suppliers, government, local communities, and society at large. Moreover, businesses have since recognized the long-term economic benefits of sustainable practices, which include:
- Favorable public image
- Trust from customers, investors, regulators, and governments
- Firm position on stock markets
- Readiness to sustainability reporting
- Competitive advantage over less sustainable companies
Simultaneously, the push towards corporate accountability and transparency has made it an essential component of responsible operation. As a result, it is not uncommon to see companies taking sustainability online courses as a part of their CSR initiatives — and enjoying improvements in performance and customer trust.
Governments
No matter how successful, the efforts of individual organizations are inherently limited in scope. A corporate sustainability online course will probably be irrelevant for the local community and have no effect whatsoever on educational programs. This is where it makes sense for the authorities to step in. Governments already have the capacity to promote sustainable development by tweaking the legislative landscape to be receptive to CSR initiatives and encouraging respective changes in the educational system.
International Organizations
Finally, to achieve a truly global movement towards sustainability, it is necessary to have an international body that would unify the efforts of governments. One example is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN member states. The agenda includes 17 goals, each targeting a specific aspect of sustainability.
To promote knowledge on the matter, Sustainable Development Solutions Network maintains an open education platform where anyone can download a Sustainable Development Goals online course of their choice or connect with the community of practice. There is even some evidence of progress being made, although there is obviously a lot of work left to do.
Final Word
A sustainable mindset is an ambitious goal. Because it comprises so many elements, including principles, values, and beliefs, it cannot be switched on demand. On top of that, the degree of coordination required is staggering. This means that there is no single entity that could succeed in teaching it on its own.
On the other hand, it becomes increasingly clear that everyone needs to be interested in attaining it. So, since we’re in this together, a unified effort of individuals, organizations, and governments is the only practical way to promote sustainable development, and the one we should start working on right now.
