Sustainability Trends and Dynamics: An Integrative Approach to Economic, Social, and Environmental Perspectives

Abstract

Currently, there is a growing interest in sustainability and sustainable development and their implications for organisations and management around the world. The aim of this paper is to identify areas of interest and highlight key aspects of sustainability trends and dynamics, which were identified through searches on Google Trends and Web of Science (WoS). Analysis of the categories in WOS reveals the multidisciplinary nature of sustainability research, with a predominant focus on environmental challenges. There is also identified significant attention for technology and engineering, as well as notable research in management, economics, and business. In the context of sustainability concerns, organizations should not only adapt but also transform to address pressing issues. It is imperative that every organization integrates sustainability at its core. This requires aligning values, strategy, goals, objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), targets, and initiatives/projects with sustainability. Achieving this is a complex process that also requires changes at the macro level. Regulations and governments play a central role in promoting corporate responsibility and accountability for sustainability initiatives. Moreover, education for sustainable development (ESD) can be a powerful tool in shaping behaviour and fostering a mindset and a culture of sustainability.

Keywords

• performance
• strategy
• sustainability
• sustainable development
• triple bottom line (tbl)