Sustainability as a Right: Shifting Towards a Future-Fit Organisational model
As a strategy consultant for sustainable transformation, I work with organisations and individuals seeking to not only meet current standards but to become genuinely future-fit. I guide clients in rethinking their systems and practices, aiming not only to reduce environmental harm but also to align with principles that safeguard our shared future. Today, this requires more than green initiatives; it involves addressing sustainability as a fundamental right intertwined with social equity, ecological integrity and long-term viability.
Climates of capital
Nancy Fraser’s insights in her 2021 book ‘Climates of Capital’ offers a powerful framework for understanding why this shift is essential. She explains how sustainability and justice have been historically connected, with communities often fighting for environmental preservation alongside social and economic rights. Fraser writes, “In the mercantile era, extractivist mining poisoned Peruvian lands and rivers, while land enclosures destroyed English woodlands, prompting considerable pushback in both cases. But participants in these struggles did not separate protection of nature or habitat from defence of livelihoods, political autonomy or the social reproduction of their communities. They fought rather for all those elements together—and for the forms of life in which they were integrated.”
Leadership - Dominance
Fraser highlights the pressing need for a “counter-hegemony,” a shift in thinking where ecological sustainability and social justice are intrinsically linked. She argues that traditional capitalist structures are inherently unsustainable, describing how they drive economic gains at the expense of nature and marginalised communities. To become genuinely sustainable, organisations need to question and reshape their reliance on systems that commodify nature and exploit limited resources.
Resolving the contradition
In advising future-fit organisations and individuals, I emphasise that sustainability isn't just an add-on or CSR initiative. It’s a core transformation that requires understanding the broader implications of your actions across ecological, social and economic fronts. Fraser aptly points out that, "Capitalistically organized societies carry an ecological contradiction in their DNA," suggesting that any approach to sustainability must address the underlying drivers of unsustainable practices.
Three Actions for Future-Fit Sustainability
Integrate Social and Environmental Justice
Organisations and individuals must look at sustainability through a dual lens that includes social equity. This means designing strategies that consider the communities affected by business practices, both locally and globally. Fraser’s insights show that sustainability requires not only protecting the environment but also supporting the people within it, particularly those disproportionately affected by environmental degradation. For future-fit organisations, this means embedding social justice principles into environmental policies, ensuring fair treatment for all stakeholders, from employees to communities.
Shift from Exploitative Models to Regenerative Ones
Sustainability requires organisations and individuals to move away from exploitative resource models. Today’s global leaders must rethink supply chains, energy usage and production processes to work within planetary limits rather than pushing against them. Fraser’s concept of “eco-social transformation” speaks directly to this need for regenerative approaches that replenish what is used. For instance, circular economy models, renewable energy integration, and sustainable supply chains are vital for organisations that want to thrive sustainably.
Champion Systemic Change Across Industries
No organisation operates in isolation. Future-fit organisations and individuals lead by example but also advocate for sector-wide and even global shifts toward sustainability. Fraser argues for “building a counter-hegemony,” or collectively changing the dominant systems that currently prioritise profit over the planet. Organisations and individuals can contribute by supporting policies that foster environmental and social resilience, partnering with others to amplify sustainable practices, and actively engaging in industry-wide sustainability initiatives.
Reframing Sustainability as a Core Right
To truly embody sustainability as a right, organisations and individuals must redefine their approach to include both environmental and social imperatives. As Fraser notes, “When ‘nature defence’ did appear as a free-standing cause, in the liberal-colonial era, it was among those whose livelihoods, communities and political rights were not existentially threatened.” We are now at a place, where all of our livelihoods, communities and political rights are being existentially threatened. The lesson here is clear: for sustainability to be meaningful, it must encompass both the health of the planet and the welfare of people who depend on it.
By prioritising these changes, organisations and individuals can play a central role in creating a future where sustainability is woven into the fabric of society, ensuring their relevance and resilience in a world that increasingly values shared well-being over short-term gains.
Contact Kceniya
Ready to make sustainability a core part of your future? Embrace a transformative approach that goes beyond surface-level changes. Let’s work together to build strategies that embed environmental and social justice into every layer of your operations, creating a resilient and responsible organisation that stands out for its commitment to a sustainable future.
Get in touch today to explore how your organisation or enterprise can lead in shaping a world where sustainability is not just a goal, but a right for all.