Week 7-NOC-Jul24-Sustainable Happiness PDF
Document Details
Uploaded by Deleted User
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
Prof. Atasi Mohanty
Tags
Summary
This document provides an overview of sustainable happiness and wellbeing, exploring concepts like hedonic and eudaimonic well-being and their connection to environmental sustainability. It includes the perspectives of different experts, and touches upon the dimensions involved in achieving a balanced and sustainable state of wellbeing.
Full Transcript
Sustainable Happiness T EL P by N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Rekhi Centre of E...
Sustainable Happiness T EL P by N Prof. Atasi Mohanty Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness Module 07: Sustainable Wellbeing Sustainable wellbeing Sustainable wellbeing is achieved when improving individual wellbeing is correlated with improving the wellbeing of other members of society and the natural environment. L Following this approach, human needs, societal needs, and E environmental needs are considered interrelated and interactive T Sustainable happiness has two dimensions. P On an inner level it is about finding ways to sustain our happiness N beyond the short-term highs. On the outer level it is about a happiness that is eco-friendly: good for us and good for the planet. A greener happiness that doesn’t cost the Earth. Catherine O’Brien, who teaches sustainable happiness, defines it as “happiness that contributes to individual, community and/or global well-being and does not exploit other people, the environment or future generations.” In positive psychology, wellbeing is among the many concepts employed regarding the human ability to conduct a full, rich life, such as happiness, satisfaction with life, finding meaning, and flourishing. L Wellbeing is a combination of cognitive and emotional aspects E experienced by people according to their own subjective T evaluations of their lives. P Subjective wellbeing often encompasses a set of assessments that measure life satisfaction, positive affect, happiness, and low N negative affect. Attaining high levels of wellbeing enables people to flourish in both personal and environmental (social) ways, including components like developing self-acceptance, finding purpose and meaning in life, experiencing continuous personal growth and mastery, and establishing positive, meaningful relations with others and with the environment. Positive psychology perspective focuses squarely on increasing the individual’s wellbeing within the context of the environment in which that individual lives. Environmental sustainability offers a variety of definitions for L wellbeing. E Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment T and Development specified that the current generation’s P wellbeing should not harm future generations’ wellbeing, while specifically focusing on the term “needs”, as wellbeing is always N related to the fulfilment of needs. Sustainable wellbeing is achieved when improving individual wellbeing is correlated with improving the wellbeing of other members of society and the natural environment. Wellbeing is not merely personal, as every individual is embedded in social structures and communities and faces multiple social tasks and challenges. Thus, the “sustainable wellbeing” coincides with the World Health Organization’s definition of mental health as a state of emotional wellbeing in which individuals not only identify their personal capacities, manage to cope with normative life stresses, and work efficiently and productively but can also contribute to their L communities and to their natural environment. E Hedonic well-being is the type of happiness we get from pleasure and T enjoyment. P It is what we usually think of as happiness and we can recognize it from the peaks of positive emotion – the moments of joy, of bliss, of N serenity. This is the form of happiness which is about fun and the ‘feel-good factor’ but it comes with a built-in limitation – the hedonic treadmill. Eudaimonic well-being is the deeper happiness which comes via a variety of routes from having meaning and purpose in life to how we are at our best and realizing our potential. Fulfillment is gained by putting effort into an endeavour that is meaningful to you. Transcendence is key to eudaimonia – going beyond the self in the service of something external and with a sense of our connection to the bigger world. It focuses on we more than me. L This is what makes eudaimonic well-being potentially the more E sustainable form of well-being. T The shadow side of hedonic well-being is that short-term P pleasures can have long-term costs, which makes them unsustainable as sources of happiness. N Eudaimonic well-being, on the other hand has arguably little or no cost, making it good for the individual, community and the planet. This is what makes it sustainable. The HDLB (Having, Doing, Loving , Being, Kasser ,2017) approach, well- being on each dimension of need satisfaction can be either hedonic or eudaimonic – or both. Having: Capitalism is based on the dogma that people cannot and must not ever be satisfied. In a sense, the tenet holds true, because a life guided by material wants and oriented to excessive having is bound to be a dissatisfied one. L By contrast, fulfilling one’s needs of existential Having can be as well E meaningful as pleasurable. T Doing: Engaging in pro-ecological behavior helps to satisfy psychological P needs; N Doing is both ethically and ecologically responsible as well as deeply gratifying; hence eudaimonia allies with hedonia (as in any meaningful Doing). Loving is an experience that is by definition pleasurable when speaking of real love; Loving is also connected to being ethical: one who loves wants only what is best for those he or she cares for, whether human or non- human. To love is to be responsible, to find meaning in life – and hence, to feel good. Being is largely about self-actualization, being true to one’s inner calling and one’s self; flourishing as a human being. L These experiences are hallmarks of eudaimonic well-being – but E also deeply satisfying and pleasurable states. T When our needs on all the dimensions of well-being are fulfilled in P a balanced way, we are likely to live a life full of happiness and meaning. N The connection between subjective and planetary well-being, deserves more attention than ever. Pursuing well-being and sustainability can and must be done in tandem. Nature is a central constituent of human well-being – our Eudaimonia; The concept “nature-inclusive eudaimonia” is most useful, but why not speak of nature-inclusive hedonia, too? Thus, well-being has to be re-rooted in nature in every aspect, and this is what the Having-Doing-Loving-Being approach aims to do. L A clean environment is essential for human health and well- E being. T By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and P illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination( SDG Target 3.9). N Securing well-being and building resilience in response to shocks are often viewed as key goals of sustainable development. As society grapples with the associated challenges of global development and environmental change, securing individual and collective well-being and building social–ecological resilience are key global and national policy targets. T EL N P Well-being is seen as an alternative, more meaningful measure of social progress in the face of growing criticism of economic measures, whereas resilience is promoted as an essential aspect L of development in an uncertain world of disturbance and surprise. E Recent literature on well-being suggests that the material, T relational and subjective domains of well-being influence P human resilience and the ability to adapt and cope in the face of stressors and shocks. N Material well-being refers to what people have and includes resources such as food, income and assets, among others; Relational well-being refers to what people do and how they interact with others to meet their needs and achieve a good quality of life; Subjective well-being refers to how people think and feel about their situation. All dimensions of well-being can be seen as sources of resilience, for they influence the potential for adaptation and in turn the potential for improved well-being through adaptation(‘well-being sustains resilience). L According to WHO the notion of well-being holds relevance to E each 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). T Well-being is a major underlying driver of policy coherence across P sectors and encourages galvanized action. Advancing societal well-being helps create active, resilient and N sustainable communities at local, national and global levels – enabling them to respond to current and emerging health threats. By its comprehensive nature, well-being unites the health, economic, social and environmental dimensions of the sustainable development agenda, forming a political construct that blends the health and quality of life of people and communities, with concepts of equity and planetary sustainability. Challenges & Opportunities- The concept sustainable development has become ubiquitous in the last 30 years ,yet how to achieve such a goal, or whether it is even possible, remains a major unknown (Salvia et al., 2019). EL Currently, there is no country that meets the basic needs of its population, while also using sustainable levels of resources (O’Neill et T al., 2018). P Despite the goals of many Urban Agriculture operations to improve N healthy food access in cities, it is extremely difficult for commercial operations to do this. Sometimes contradicting goals of providing quality food to people at affordable prices, providing jobs and work experience at living wages, and generating a profit from sales in order to sustain operations is nearly impossible for for-profit urban farms to meet all of these goals and expectations at once. Commercial urban farmers also face a variety of other challenges, including a lack of access to viable land, resources, and training. The term ‘blue economy’, first introduced in 2010, is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, jobs, ocean health, and to L improve livelihoods. E However, a sustainable blue economy faces various challenges in the T form of global warming, ocean acidification, and lack of knowledge P about the ocean; N For example, 95% of the sea is still unexplored, making it more important to understand the blue economy and implement it on a global scale. Other challenges include harmful algal blooms (HABs), invasive species, coral bleaching, and thermohaline circulation. Migration has been dominating the national, regional, and global scholarly discourse in recent years. Recent global estimates indicate that 3.4 percent of the world’s population, about 258 million people, are international migrants and all countries are origins and destinations of human migration. Poverty and inequality constructed within the dominant national L economic paradigm compounds the problematics of migration. E Consequently, the United Nations (UN) initiated the Sustainable T Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty in all its forms; P There is a reciprocal relationship between migration and sustainable development. N The nexus between migration and sustainable development is a two-way traffic. International migration can lead to brain drain in the countries of origin due to skilled labor shortage. To be sure, brain drain is the loss of needed human resources resulting in reduction of the highly skilled labor force (UNESCO and MOST 2017). Migration can result in job losses, shrinking employment opportunities, mass unemployment, xenophobic tendencies, and anti-immigrant policies in the host countries. Irregular migration can result in excessive pressures on domestic economy L and infrastructures, especially during the period of economic recession in the E host countries. T The future wellbeing of billions of rural people is interconnected with P transforming food systems for equity, nutrition, environmental sustainability, and resilience. N Rural wellbeing must be understood against the backdrop of diversifying patterns of employment and income. Food systems change and rural wellbeing must be seen through an explicit gender lens. Rural inequalities disproportionally affect women and girls. A gender perspective shows that women and girls suffer greater deprivation, fewer economic and life opportunities and higher levels of physical insecurity The world is facing a nutrition crisis – a triple burden of undernutrition, overweight and obesity, and micro-nutrition deficiencies (FAO et al., 2021). L This crisis significantly affects the wellbeing of rural people. E The majority of people still suffering hunger, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are rural. T Poor nutrition strongly affects life opportunities through reduced P capacities, reduced earning potential and the costs of nutrition-related N diseases (Siddiqui et al., 2020). Vulnerability and risk include environmental, climatic, political, social and health shocks that are unexpected and potentially destabilizing to overall wellbeing, such as Covid-19. To overcome continuing levels of extreme poverty, avoid growing inequalities and enhance resilience, society will need to find ways of filling the vast social protection gap that exists in low and middle- income countries. Good health and wellbeing are crucial for a nation's development and progress. However, many countries, including India, face several unique challenges in ensuring good health and wellbeing for all citizens, like L Malnutrition E Sanitation and Hygiene T Access to Healthcare P Maternal Mortality N Non-Communicable Diseases Mental Health Air Pollution Limited Access to Safe Drinking Water Vector-Borne Diseases Limited Access to Vaccines For improving the wellbeing of both present and future generations we will require policy innovation across the sectors. India has made significant efforts in improving the health and wellbeing of its citizens. L The country has implemented several unique solutions to address E the challenges faced in achieving good health and wellbeing, like; T National Nutrition Mission P Swachh Bharat Abhiyan N Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme Janani Suraksha Yojana for expected mothers National Mental Health Program National Health Mission comprehensive healthcare services Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana for financial assistance National Vector-Borne Disease Control Program Jal Jeevan Mission for safe drinking water Mission Indradhanush, mass immunization program. Conceptual model of a food system, Source: Woodhill (2019) T EL N P T EL N P Despite the numerous challenges, the propensity for migration to beget sustainable development can be leveraged by various opportunities and benefits; Which include deepening regional and global integration; boosting L international trade and tourism; boosting foreign investment; brain- E gain return and brain circulation; technology transfer; bridging T manpower gap; capital inflow and migrant remittances; job creation; P and poverty alleviation, inequality reduction; and global prosperity. N Opportunities for Entrepreneurs- Entrepreneurship has the potential to drive innovation and create sustainable solutions to address the challenges faced in achieving good health and wellbeing. Digital Health Solutions: The use of technology in healthcare has the potential to improve access to healthcare services and make healthcare more affordable. Entrepreneurs can develop digital health solutions that can provide remote consultation, telemedicine, and digital health records. Nutrition Supplements: There is a growing demand for nutrition L supplements in India, as people become more health-conscious. E Entrepreneurs can develop affordable and high-quality nutrition T supplements that can help address malnutrition and improve overall health outcomes. P Healthcare Services for the Elderly: India has a rapidly aging N population, which presents an opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop healthcare services that cater to the needs of the elderly. These services can include home healthcare, assisted living facilities, and senior citizen care centers. Health Insurance: Despite the government's efforts to provide health insurance to its citizens, a large proportion of the population is still uninsured. Entrepreneurs can develop innovative health insurance products that are affordable and provide comprehensive coverage. Mental Health Services: Mental health is a growing concern in India, L and there is a significant lack of mental healthcare services. E Entrepreneurs can develop digital platforms, counseling services, T and therapy centers that can provide accessible and affordable mental healthcare services. P Fitness and Wellness: There is a growing demand for fitness and N wellness services in India, with people becoming more health- conscious. Entrepreneurs can develop innovative fitness and wellness solutions, such as mobile applications, online coaching, and wellness retreats. Water Purification: Access to safe drinking water is a significant challenge in India, and entrepreneurs can develop affordable and effective water purification solutions. These solutions can include water filters, purification plants, and water vending machines. Medical Devices: There is a growing demand for medical devices in India, as the healthcare system becomes more advanced. L Entrepreneurs can develop medical devices, such as diagnostic tools, E surgical instruments, and prosthetics, that are affordable and accessible. T Alternative Medicine: Traditional medicine and alternative therapies P are widely practiced in India, and entrepreneurs can develop innovative N solutions that integrate traditional medicine with modern healthcare practices. These solutions can include Ayurvedic products, herbal medicines, and alternative therapies. Disease Prevention and Control: Entrepreneurs can develop innovative solutions that focus on disease prevention and control, such as vaccines, diagnostic tests, and disease surveillance systems. These solutions can help reduce the burden of infectious diseases and improve overall health outcomes. Entrepreneurs can develop innovative solutions that can improve L access to healthcare services, provide affordable healthcare products, and drive disease prevention and control. T E India has made significant progress in addressing the challenges of good health and wellbeing through various innovative solutions. P Public-private partnerships, alliances, and collaborations play a crucial N role in improving the health and wellbeing of citizens in a country. These partnerships bring together the expertise, resources, and capabilities of both the public and private sectors to address the challenges faced in achieving good health and wellbeing. One of the successful public-private partnerships in India is the National Health Mission, which was launched in 2005 to provide universal access to healthcare services. Another example of a successful public-private partnership is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), which provides health insurance coverage to poor and vulnerable families. L Public-private partnerships, alliances, and collaborations have significant implications for improving the health and wellbeing of E citizens across the globe. T However, there is still a long way to go, and it requires sustained P efforts and commitment from all stakeholders. N Need for sustainable learning & practices- The notion of a ‘blue economy’ was conceptualized in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development at Rio de Janeiro in 2012 in response to the growing importance of the ocean and marine industries to national economies. ‘The blue economy: growth, opportunity and a sustainable ocean economy’ in The Economist (Goddard 2015) states that, ‘A sustainable ocean economy emerges when economic activity is in balance with the long-term capacity of ocean ecosystems to support this activity and remain resilient and healthy’. L it is a marine-based economic development that leads to improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly E reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. T Nowadays, this concept lines up with trade and economic deeds P and surfaces from a requirement to mix sustainability and N conservation in the management of the maritime domain (Smith- Godfrey 2016). The blue economy faces challenges like HABs(Harmful algal blooms), invasive species, global warming, ocean acidification, marine pollution, and many more. Various goods and services provided by oceans in the following figure. T EL N P Sustainable Well-Being Through Nature-Based Interventions (NBI) studies have reported positive well-being outcomes for young people, including improved physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being, as well as improved skills and functioning. L Improvement in Mental Health and Behavioral Problems T E Enhanced Self-esteem and Sense of Purpose P Increased Resilience and Coping Skills N Improved Sense of Belonging and Community Meaningful Occupation and Contribution to Society Reengagement in Education, Employment or Training, and Community, NBIs promoted sustainable well-being: an interconnection between well-being and environmental, social, and economic sustainability; young people’s connections with nature; and the long-term sustenance of the improved well-being outcomes. Sustainable learning and education (SLE)-is an emerging philosophy of learning and teaching founded on principles of sustainability. L SLE is not necessarily education for sustainability, but rather E sustainable learning, a new and different idea. T The intention behind SLE is to create and proliferate sustainable P curricula and methods of learning and teaching. N These are designed to instill in people the skills and dispositions to thrive in complicated, challenging and ever-changing circumstances, and contribute to making the world a better place. Researchers have proposed the importance of systems and ecological thinking and the essential role of self-sufficiency as both a means and an end of sustainable learning and education. The more fully we accept and appreciate our neighbors, organizations and societies as important, interdependent and deserving of a viable future, and the more we engage with them towards positive ends, the more universally accepted the L imperative of sustainability will be, and the more likely we are to attain it. T E The subjects of SLE initiatives – that is, students and other learners – need to become active agents in the education P enterprise. N They need to become different learners in order to benefit fully from SLE and to take it beyond the education setting. A sustainable curriculum for the future will involve learners intimately in what and how they learn, and why and how this is imperative for their future. It will develop awareness about the learning process and the need for ongoing learning and equip learners with the tools and techniques of needs analysis to ask the following questions: What do I need to know or be able to do to succeed in a given circumstance?; What does this unique situation or problem require of me or my team?; and L How well equipped am I to deal with this problem? E A sustainable curriculum will also equip them to critique the T effectiveness of their learning, and determine what new strategies P might be more constructive. N This helps to explain how SLE will be more responsive and organic. SLE embodies the principles and requirements of sustainability for people concerned with learning and education around the world, irrespective of whether this concerns their own or others’. There are two main aspects of educational sustainability: The first is education that lasts – theories, practices and systems that are (a) current and viable in a world of dwindling resources and (b) influence positive change. The second is sustainability of learning – learning that is continuous, enduring and proactive. Such learning focuses less on the amassing of knowledge or L technical skills and more on learning to learn and optimizing learning from experience. T E N P The goal of education is not the mastery of knowledge, but the mastery of self through knowledge – a different thing altogether (Orr ,1996). Self-mastery of learning involves developing skills of inquiry, discovery, critical thinking, problem-solving, reasoning, judgement, imagination, collaboration and other higher-order capacities, including reflection and the disposition and discipline to make the L most of the above skills. E SLE program employing the new paradigm P T Learning for good- The SLE curriculum is about the individual, organizational and N societal change needed to protect and nurture our communities. It seeks to promote intention and capability to find new and better ways to liberate and cultivate human potential rather than depend on and deplete Earth’s natural resources. It seeks to equip citizens with the skills, knowledge, tools and will to solve problems and pursue opportunities. The instructional program poses and attempts to answer the following questions; What kinds of learning enable sustainable innovation and growth; L and how can we best create conditions for such learning in differing E contexts around the globe? T SLE themes likely to be relevant and instructive(Hays,2012). P Thus, SLE builds on the notion of sustainability, which is N increasingly recognized as crucial in the 21st century (Skene and Murray 2017). This talks about the various aspects of and relationships between sustainability, learning, education and innovation is a suggestion that sustainability is essentially a matter of community. sustainability is beginning to figure in curricula across disciplines including environmental science, engineering, economics and management. T EL N P A sustainable curriculum for the future will involve learners intimately in what and how they learn, and why and how this is imperative for their future. L It will develop awareness about the learning process and the need for ongoing learning and equip learners with the tools E and techniques of needs analysis to ask the following T questions; P What do I need to know or be able to do to succeed in a given N circumstance?; What does this unique situation or problem require of me or my team?; and How well equipped am I to deal with this problem? A sustainable curriculum will also equip them to critique the effectiveness of their learning, and determine what new strategies might be more constructive. Education for Sustainable Development- Education for sustainable development (ESD) gives learners of all ages the knowledge, skills, values and agency to address L interconnected global challenges including climate change, loss E of biodiversity, unsustainable use of resources, and inequality. T It empowers learners of all ages to make informed decisions P and take individual and collective action to change society and care for the planet. N ESD is a lifelong learning process and an integral part of quality education. It enhances the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral dimensions of learning and encompasses learning content and outcomes, pedagogy and the learning environment itself. UNESCO’s work on ESD focuses on five main areas: Advancing policy Transforming learning environments Building capacities of educators L Empowering and mobilizing youth E Accelerating local level action T UNESCO supports countries to develop and expand educational P activities that focus on sustainability issues such as climate change, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, water, the oceans, N sustainable urbanization and sustainable lifestyles through ESD. UNESCO leads and advocates globally on ESD and provides guidance and standards. It also provides data on the status of ESD and monitors progress on SDG Indicator 4.7.1, on the extent to which global citizenship education and ESD are mainstreamed in national education policies, curricula, teacher education and student assessment. UNESCO mobilize education to address climate change Climate change education is the main thematic focus of ESD as it helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes L needed to act as agents of change. E Through its ESD program, UNESCO works to make education a more T central and visible part of the international response to climate change. P To coordinate actions and efforts in the field of climate change education the Greening Education Partnership was launched in 2022 N during the UN Secretary General's Summit on Transforming Education. The Partnership addresses four key areas of transformative education: greening schools, curricula, teachers training and education system's capacities, and communities. UNESCO has developed the ESD for 2030 toolbox to provide an evolving set of selected resources to support global stakeholders to develop activities in the five priority action areas and activities in support of the six key areas of implementation. Creativity, Innovation & Sustainability Creativity is usually defined as the generation of products that are novel and useful within a given social context ; Innovation usually involves the successful implementation L of novel and useful ideas. E While examining the implications of creativity and T innovation for sustainability, several possibilities come to our P mind. N One can think of novel and useful approaches to obtain sustainability; or a novel and useful idea to seek sustainability. Sustainability scholars have proposed environmental and economic solutions to many of the sustainability problems we currently face. Innovation scholars have paid attention to the process of selecting and implementing the most creative ideas. T EL N P T EL N P Green creativity and responsible innovation Creativity is a necessary condition for innovation to flourish (Amabile et al., 1996). L Employees with green creativity may proactively find ways to translate their creative ideas into new green services that address E changes in market preferences. T In a creative environment characterized by low levels of external P control and work pressure, employees may perceive greater N autonomy at work and consequently perform better on innovative tasks. Green creativity focuses primarily on generating novel and practical ideas for green products, processes, services, and practices to tackle environmental issues. The outcomes of green creativity such as new ideas, or concepts, serve as the “ingredients” for innovation. Green creativity reflects “the development of new ideas about green products, green services, green processes, or green practices that are judged to be original, novel, and useful”. Green creativity is important for green product innovation performance in new ventures. L Thus, efforts to increase responsible innovation should be tailored to E improving the green creativity concept as part of organization’s long-term T environmental strategies. Education should be concerned about creativity, innovation and P entrepreneurship range from helping people to be more fulfilled, discovering their sense of purpose in life, to contributing to an economy that is increasingly N dependent on innovation. What we urgently need is a new engine of economic growth for the twenty- first century. The solution to our economic and social challenges is the same: creating a viable and sustainable economy that creates good jobs without polluting the planet. And there is general agreement as to what that new economy must be based on One word: innovation. (Wagner, 2012). Sustainability and wellbeing are fundamental to this view of innovation. Two pedagogies stand out as promising for transforming education and are adaptable to a ‘wellbeing for all’ vision: L Project-focused, real-world learning and flipped learning. E Project-based, real-world learning offers one valuable T mechanism for developing student competencies and P mindsets that will serve them well in a rapidly changing world. N Moreover, encouraging students to understand how their wellbeing is intertwined with other people and the environment provides the kinds of systems thinking and values that are more likely to contribute to sustainable wellbeing. Flipped learning supports students to become facilitators of their own learning, establishing opportunities for students to follow their interests and passions. The whole system reform of education involves redefining the role of teachers, and “equipping them to be the orchestrators of learning and change agents required for learning to flourish”. L Applying these pedagogies within a framework that embraces E both sustainability and wellbeing could accelerate education T transformation in directions that are truly innovative and enable P us to thrive, individually and collectively – sustainably( Catherine N O ’Brien). Green entrepreneurship can be defined as those who orient their entrepreneurial creativity to create environment-friendly and sustainable business ideas (Jiang et al., 2020b). Orienting creative entrepreneurial efforts towards sustainability relies on the entrepreneur's personal qualities, self-identity, green recognition, motivation, cognitive abilities and self-efficacy. Green leadership-Turning green creative ideas into strategies, innovations, and businesses requires transformational leadership that is willing to deal with different sources of uncertainty associated with sustainability challenges; L Green transformational leadership as the “behaviors of leaders who E motivate followers to achieve environmental goals and inspire followers to perform beyond expected levels of environmental T performance”. P The Green inclusive leadership aims at promoting a psychological N condition that nurtures green creativity and ensures accessibility to the needed resources to all members of the organization. Green responsible leadership further guides the organization's human resources management ( Mansoor et al., 2021) and green innovation strategies ( Zhang et al., 2020). In addition, it promotes green knowledge and culture (Riva et al., 2021) and stresses green motivation and intrinsic green passion among employees to cultivate a supportive environment for green creativity. T EL N P T EL N P T EL N P Creativity for sustainability research calls for a human- centered approach to exploring solutions for sustainability challenges. Sustainability creativity of individuals is transferable and multi- L directional over the four levels. E Business and innovations studies provide an understanding of T the organizational context and characteristics that nurture green P creativity and green innovation processes. Consumer Wellbeing & Socio-cultural Sustainability- N Sustainable consumption and consumer well-being are growing areas of global ethical concern, given the earth’s increasing population and signs of decreasing life satisfaction. Greater participation in sustainable consumption positively influences consumers’ well-being. There are social and individual motives that lead to sustainable consumption. Religious and cultural values operate together to influence sustainable consumption behavior. Specific cultural values, such as self-transcendence or openness to change leads to sustainability and well-being. L Monitoring progress towards key social and economic goals requires a E comprehensive understanding of the social, cultural, and economic T aspects of sustainability and the indicators available to track their performance. P More recent indicators have further expanded the measurement of N socioeconomic sustainability by including aspects such as the relationship between quality of life and health ,place of residence ,life satisfaction and ethnicity. Consumers' daily lives are full of challenges, tensions, and dilemmas that affect their consumption patterns, which are embedded in social relationships that shape the meaning behind them. As a result, consumption decisions and practices are often guided by trade-offs, and the SC ideals valued by consumers do not necessarily lead to consistent behavior change. Due to its multidimensional nature, consumer well-being is closely connected to various factors, with the natural environment being a significant factor as it surrounds consumers and fulfills their basic needs. L Green areas in consumption areas can provide mental relaxation, E evoke positive emotions, and contribute to overall well-being, T while also helping firms increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. P Climate is also one of the environmental factors that can impact N individuals’ consumption habits and well-being. The quality of air and water is not only essential for sustaining life but also plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall quality of life and mental well-being. Research findings revealed a positive association between consuming fruits and vegetables and elevated levels of eudaimonic well-being, as well as enhanced curiosity and creativity. The circular economy is a system that revolves around business models aimed at reducing materials in production, distribution, and consumption processes. This involves alternative practices such as reusing, recycling, and L recovering resources to achieve sustainable development. E Sustainable development refers to the creation of environmental quality, economic welfare, and social equity for the benefit of both present and T future generations. P Thus, successfully implementing the circular economy business model can contribute to all three dimensions of economic, social, and environmental N development and consumers’ wellbeing. Empirical studies found the most common antecedents of CWB can be categorized as consumer-related factors (e.g. attitude, loyalty, engagement, experience, satisfaction, and characteristics), context-related factors (e.g. brand-related, societal, environmental, experiential, cultural, economic, social, behavioral, political, technological and product-related) and object-related factors (e.g. perceived value). T EL N P Mindfulness, spiritual well-being, and sustainable consumer behavior T EL N P Consumers’ Sustainability Demands & Trends- Social influence plays a significant role in shaping consumer behavior. Three factors are driving us toward a major shift in consumption L patterns where consumers will consider sustainability as a baseline E requirement for purchase: T 1) Trust drives behavior and, ultimately, business outcomes; P 2) Sustainability promotes trust, particularly among younger N generations; and 3) Younger generations will soon have most of the purchasing power in the U.S. Companies that understand these trends — and create truly sustainable brands that make good on their promises to people and the planet — will seize advantage from brands that make flimsy claims or have not invested sufficiently in sustainability. Convergence of Triple Bottom-line-Sustainable Ecology, Economy & Just Societies- The triple bottom line of sustainability (TBL model) is the fundamental framework to understand sustainable L development. E TBL is a term that captures sustainability’s three central pillars: T environmental protection, social justice, and economic P development. N The TBL of sustainability was first mentioned in the Brundtland report in 1987. Sustainable development is built on top of those 3 principles because it can be achieved only when environmental protection, social equity, and economic profitability coexist without one area taking over any of the others. Sustainable development resides at the intersection of these 3 Drivers. A more sophisticated interpretation is recognizing that the three components of the triple bottom line are not all at the same level, but there is a hierarchy. The economy is contained in the society, and the society is L contained inside the environment. E There is also a different version of this model that is based on 4 T pillars, where more importance is given to human factors. P The four pillars of sustainability are a variation of the much more popular framework of the three principles of N sustainability. This framework is offering an alternative point of view regarding sustainable development, with more emphasis on the human factor. The four pillars of sustainability are Human, Social, Economic, and Environmental. Those are the 4 distinct areas where sustainability needs to be achieved to have sustainable development. T EL N P The four pillars of sustainability (4 Ps) represent a framework that businesses and individuals can use to understand how to achieve sustainable development. L Sustainable development is the sweet spot where human, social, environmental, and economic needs can be satisfied all E at the same time without neglecting one other. T A business is sustainable when it is: P Profitable and growing N Cares about its employees by paying reasonable salaries, offering benefits and education Cares about the local community and society at large by supporting local charities Respecting the environment thanks to sustainable product design and green technologies Sustainable development is at the intersection of the human, social, economic, and environmental types of sustainability. T EL N P T EL N P T EL N P T EL N P The triple balance sheet model can be used to evaluate the long- term sustainability of anything. It is important to check if the three bottom lines are in balance or L if one of them is too dominant. E Because to achieve sustainability, all three principles must be T satisfied. P According to 4P model sustainable development is at the intersection of the human, social, economic, and environmental N types of sustainability. Human sustainability focuses on nurturing and developing the human component of an organization and society at large. Human sustainability examples include things such as access to food, water, healthcare, education, justice, fair working conditions, development of skills, and respect for human rights in general. This means that, given limited natural resources, its achievement needs the right balance between continual economic growth and wellbeing, a thriving society, and respecting the environment. L Human sustainability is a key element of business success because it is only by getting the backing of employees and all the people E working in the company’s supply chain that sustainable long-term T growth can be achieved. P The business pursuing human sustainability should have values that N recognize and promote the development of human capital. Business activities are inevitably going to impact the communities they operate in, directly or indirectly, depending on their methods and supply chain. Human sustainability is stimulating the business to develop skills and methods to reduce the negative impact on global communities while becoming a positive force for the development of a healthy society. T EL N P T EL N P Social sustainability aims at ensuring the well-being, cohesion, equality, and development of society by creating inclusive infrastructure thanks to sustainable urban design, as well as products, and services that can benefit the community at large. L The social pillar of sustainability focuses on peace, improving E social relationships, inclusivity, and equality. T Preserving regional culture, and promoting honesty, and P reciprocity within the local community are some of the fundamental factors contributing to achieving the social UN N sustainable development goals (SDG). The social pillar of sustainable development supports the creation and development of communities with thriving social relationships and increased economic opportunities, while at the same time respecting the environment. Being a socially responsible business will help to achieve the long- term success that companies are looking for. T EL N P Economic sustainability means that a business needs to be growing and profitable to be sustainable, without profit the organization would not survive. Adding economic value is also an indirect indication that the L company is delivering something useful and valuable to society. E This is the foundation of the free market: if your product is not T useful or there is already too much of it available on the market, you P will hardly get any profit from it. This is an essential component to achieving sustainable development N and ensuring the success and viability of the business long term. Economic sustainability is focusing on the efficient use of resources to improve profitability and achieve economic growth to improve the standards of living. This however should not happen by neglecting the other areas of sustainability, but there should rather be a synergy to create prosperity without negatively impacting people, society, and the environment. In recent years governments have been promoting research to close this gap and design new regulations aimed at solving or reducing the problem. The circular economic model has also been proposed as a way to L overcome some of the issues of the current linear model. E The circular economy is changing the traditional way of doing business T by pursuing zero-waste policies and mindful use of natural resources. P In a circular economy, waste is minimized and resources are kept in N use for as long as possible. This closed-loop system is designed to be more environmentally and socially responsible than the traditional linear economy, which relies on a linear model of take-make-dispose. The circular economy is instead restorative and regenerative by design and aims to gradually eliminate or reduce the use of toxic chemicals, energy from non-renewable sources, and materials from virgin sources. T EL N P T EL N P T EL N P Environmental sustainability aims at improving human wellbeing and long-term sustainability by preserving the environment and more rational use of natural resources. Ecological sustainability is the last of the four pillars of L sustainability and it promotes a business model that E doesn’t do any harm to the environment and society, T while at the same time achieving economic growth. P We can find many environmental sustainability examples in the modern world, from sustainable forest N management to sustainable construction and smart buildings technology. Corporate sustainability means that a business should responsibly consider the impact on the planet of the organization’s operations and strategy, as well as the consequences on society. This is one of the main challenges to achieving sustainable development. A sustainable business should have a proactive approach towards the planet, people, society, and profit. The four pillars of sustainability (4 Ps) offer a model you can rely on to future-proof your organization. L Climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the eventual depletion of natural E resources can’t be ignored any further. T Given the growing public, government, and investors’ awareness P regarding environmental and social issues, sustainability is going to be a dominant theme for the current decade. N The earlier you can align your corporation with this growing trend, the better it will be for everybody, especially for your business’ competitiveness. Why the four pillars of sustainability are so important for our business ??? Reasons being… The consumer is going to prefer more and more brands that can demonstrate environmentally conscious actions and sustainable business practices. Governments will very likely impose more regulations and mechanisms to factor in the environmental cost of business operations. One of those is for example the “carbon market” where more virtuous L businesses can trade carbon credits with the less sustainable ones. E This creates an economic incentive for businesses pursuing energy T efficiency and a disadvantage for those who are not. P Banks and investors are considering more and more ESG metrics (environmental, social, and governance) when deciding where to N allocate funds. The result is that sustainable organizations will have easier access to credit and investments to grow the business. Recent data published by McKinsey show that adopting the right Industry 4.0 technologies and pursuing sustainability can lead to increased business resilience, efficiency, and profitability It is very important for the modern business leader to be aware of the current trends regarding sustainability and the coming green technological innovations and their goals, allowing the organization to stay ahead of the curve and benefit from the coming L transformation. E The best way to pursue those objectives is to incorporate the T principles of the four pillars of sustainability in the corporate strategy, P allowing the organization to find the right balance between human, N social, environmental, and economic factors. Pursuing new digital transformation technologies and the transition to industry 4.0 can not only increase profitability but also lead to improvements in all the four pillars of sustainability. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Those are KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) used by some large institutional investors when deciding if they want to invest in a specific business. Ensuring environmental responsibility should be part of the key targets of the business, together with other economic and social objectives. L Finding the right balance between those principles should be a very important part of the long-term corporate strategy, E fostering a sustainable business culture both in the T organization and externally. P These 4 principles are of fundamental importance to achieving N a sustainable future and every organization should take them into account when operating. The application of those four sustainability types will lead to improved human wellbeing , just societies, thriving communities, and respect for the environment while at the same time ensuring continued economic growth. T EL N P Reference Learning Materials – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_AoilMFFzI https://www.facebook.com/InnerSpaceManchester/videos/1415878925437472 https://www.livehappy.com/practice/sustainable-happiness-video?nopaging=1 L https://www.udemy.com/course/bring-sustainable-happiness-to-life/ E https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/happiness-chapter-3 T https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/happiness-chapter-4 P https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/happiness-chapter-5 https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/assets/sustainable_happiness.pdf N https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/6-sustainable-happiness- skills-gratitude/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/three-mindset-shifts-that- can-help-students-succeed/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/how-to-find-purpose-in- your-life/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/mindfulness-habits-you- can-practice-everyday/ Learning Resources- https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/questions-to-ask-yourself-to-discover-your-purpose/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/what-type-of-kindness-will-make-you-happiest/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/embracing-change/ L https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/gratitude-the-secret-to-happiness/ E https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/daily-habits-to-turn-you-into-an-optimist/ T https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/mindfulness-helps-kids-connect-compassionate-way/ P https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/benefits-of-practicing-mindfulness-in-classroom/ N https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/the-benefits-of-the-six-sustainable-happiness-skills/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/discovery-education-shares-the-science-behind- happiness-health-and-how-our-brain-chemicals-affect-the-rest-of-our-body-when-we-are-happy/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/how-to-be-emotionally-strong-in-challenging-times/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/the-brain-science-behind-the-sustainable-happiness- skills/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/mindful-breathing-exercise/ https://www.lgexperiencehappiness.com/resources/empathy-quiz/ T EL N P