Stop Procrastinating on Sustainability!
We all recognize the pressing issue of global warming and how our consumer culture contributes to it. Yet, product managers, engineers, and designers - those with arguably the greatest leverage to drive sustainable change - often overlook this responsibility when developing new products. Why isn’t sustainability at the top of their minds?
Common Blockers to Sustainability
I've noticed a few key reasons holding product managers back:
You feel your contribution won’t matter: There’s a belief that your contribution to sustainability won’t solve the larger problem.
Profit concerns: You assume making your product sustainable will erode its profitability.
Perception of quality issues: There’s a fear that sustainable materials will compromise product reliability or stability.
The Opportunity: Producteers are the Catalysts for Change
Product Managers, Engineers and Designers have a big leverage to lead the sustainability transformation of their company.
You sit at a critical junction within their organizations. Designers, product managers and engineers have more influence than most realize when it comes to steering the entire company toward more sustainable practices. But it requires a shift in mindset—from thinking “My impact is too small” to embracing the idea that your influence as an intrapreneur can create lasting change.
Here’s how you can take action:
Think long-term: Factor in the negative impacts of poor sustainability into your business case and make sure decision-makers understand these risks. Align the team by setting clear goals that combine sustainability with viability.
Set hard requirements: Insist on sustainability and reliability as non-negotiables. Don’t just encourage it—demand it.
Act urgently: Sustainability can’t be pushed off to the next initiative. Begin incorporating it into all current and future product development efforts.
Use a structured approach: Tools like the 10-R framework provide tangible steps for developing actionable, sustainable solutions. It’s about thinking holistically, not just tweaking one part of the process.
Change Your Habits: Sustainability is a Behavioral Challenge
Start rolling: Small, daily habbit changes lead to big transformations over time.
The truth is, sustainability is like forming any other good habit—it’s hard at first because it disrupts your comfort. Just like adopting new personal habits, creating a culture of sustainability can start small and snowball over time. That's why I’m convinced we need to apply habit-forming practices to sustainability.
A 5-Step Recipe for Driving Sustainability
Here’s a simple, actionable guideline to kickstart better sustainability habits in your organization. It only takes 30 minutes to begin:
Brainstorm using the 10-R framework: Generate five ideas for current or future product initiatives. Focus on applying the 10-Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, etc.).
Influence what you can control: Add actionable sustainability tasks to your to-do list and prioritize those with the highest impact.
Engage and collaborate: Identify five colleagues who can help bring your ideas to life, and schedule discussions within the next 30 days.
Share your vision: Spread the word—share these steps with five peers, and hold each other accountable for progress.
Reflect and reward progress: Reward yourself for achieving sustainability milestones and assess the impact of your actions.
Take it to the Next Level
If you are inspired you can take it to the next level with a collaborative workshop format we have developed: The Circularity Activator. Use this workshop to engage your whole team in a pragmatic and powerful exercise and bring your organisation one step forward in their sustainability transformation.
Final Thoughts
Sustainability is an engineering challenge at its core. Define the requirement, explain the reasoning, and let your peers help find the solutions. Start now—it's never too late to change your habits, and as a product manager, you have the most leverage in your organization to make a real difference. Take this responsibility seriously, apply the five-step process, and start transforming your company's approach to sustainability today.
