Sustainability Psychology

David Attenborough says its already too late to stop climate change. But before overwhelm wins, consider how to harness the psychology of sustainability.

Corporate pledges and motives are (rightly) questioned. Targets are belittled. Substantial collective action ­– such as the pledge adopted by the Business Roundtable in 2019 – is held to account for impact delivered.

Beginning your sustainability journey is like the first step onto Kilimanjaro. Daunting. Uncertain. But if carefully planned, 85% of ascents are successful.

Remember climate change is a cumulative problem. Every tonne of CO2 matters. If you stop one tonne seeping into the atmosphere, you’ve made a difference. Every step, every action, counts.

Get the right advice, understand how to plan, seek best-in-class practices to overcome the psychological overwhelm of sustainability. Consider classic guidance from the British Psychological Society to engage your team.  

Whilst investing in technology drives essential change, how we react to and use the technologies is of equal importance. Install a new lighting, heating and cooling system in your office. But use it correctly.

Roll out the climate perks. Offer additional time off if employees pledge to use low-carbon transport on holiday. Intervene in team habits and routines to bolster performance towards environmental goals. Redistribute climate savings to staff to reinforce positive behaviour.

Preach shared value to incentivise your workforce: going green builds competitive advantage and is also the right thing to do right now.

The landscape will change as you climb. Climate science will advance over the next decade. What were once thought to be adequate sustainability policies may no longer meet the mark.

There’ll be time to adapt. We know that mess and mistakes are inevitable and forgivable in any sustainability journey. And your first step beckons.