The role of business

Book chapter

Elf, P., Isham, A. and Mont, O. 2025. The role of business. in: Akenji, L., Vegragt, P.J., Szejnwald Brown, H., Smith, T.S.J. and Wallnöfer, L.M. (ed.) Vocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles: A Language for Our Common Future Routledge. pp. 178-181
Chapter titleThe role of business
AuthorsElf, P., Isham, A. and Mont, O.
Abstract

A rapid reorientation away from perpetuating unsustainable lifestyles and toward facilitating sustainable consumption would require businesses to utilize their far-reaching influence as a positive force for sustainability. This will have to go beyond greenwashing practices and prioritization of short-term profit orientations that too often perpetuate unsustainable consumption. Here, we suggest that the role of businesses in promoting sustainable consumption lies not simply in changing product offerings, but also in leveraging their influence on consumers’ lifestyle practices more broadly, ensuring that these align with long-term sustainability ambitions and, importantly, planetary and social carrying capacities.

Sustainable Development Goals12 Responsible consumption and production
Middlesex University ThemeSustainability
Research GroupCentre for Enterprise, Environment and Development Research (CEEDR)
Page range178-181
Book titleVocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles: A Language for Our Common Future
EditorsAkenji, L., Vegragt, P.J., Szejnwald Brown, H., Smith, T.S.J. and Wallnöfer, L.M.
PublisherRoutledge
SeriesRoutledge-SCORAI Studies in Sustainable Consumption
ISBN
Paperback9781032952482
Hardcover9781032952741
Electronic9781003584056
Copyright Year2026
Publication dates
Print29 Sep 2025
Online29 Sep 2025
Publication process dates
Accepted08 Sep 2025
Deposited10 Sep 2025
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
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Copyright Statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in 'Vocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles: A Language for Our Common Future' on September 29, 2025, available online: https://www.routledge.com/9781032952482
It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003584056-41
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Is part ofhttps://doi.org/10.4324/9781003584056
Is part ofhttps://www.routledge.com/9781032952482
LanguageEnglish
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