Rethinking Sustainability: Breaking Free from Stale Narratives

Uncover the true stories behind sustainability—beyond greenwashing, eco-vandalism, and fear-driven narratives. It's time to rethink how we drive real, positive change.

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This edition delves into the often misunderstood and misused term "sustainability." We will explore its origins, how current sustainability narratives shape business practices, and why it is crucial to move beyond these limiting definitions. This issue will challenge how we think about sustainability and highlight the need for new narratives that foster genuine change and impact.

Unpacking "Sustainability": A Word Stuck in Time

The word "sustainability" is everywhere—from corporate boardrooms to marketing campaigns. But what does it truly mean? Etymologically, the term stems from the Latin sustinere, which means "to hold up" or "to support." This origin implies a sense of maintaining or keeping things as they are. In modern usage, sustainability is often interpreted as sustaining current practices and maintaining the status quo…