Sustainability: Do We Understand It Right?
Introduction:
The word sustainability is being used everywhere. It appears on packaging, brand communications, and public policies. From daily-use products to industrial solutions, the term is frequently used – but not always understood or used accurately. As sustainability becomes more mainstream, it’s worth asking: Do we understand it right?
The challenge today is not the lack of conversation around sustainability, but the gap between what it implies and how it’s applied. Especially in India, where ecological and social contexts are layered and complex, this distinction becomes critical.
More Than a Label
Sustainability is often equated with surface-level choices – plant-based packaging, recyclable containers, or “chemical-free” tags. While these signals may reflect good intent, they don’t always guarantee long-term environmental or social responsibility.
Real sustainability requires systems thinking. It’s not about one material or process; it’s about the entire lifecycle of a product or service. From sourcing and production to usage and disposal, every step must be examined for its impact on people, ecosystems, and future generations.
The Indian Context
India’s environmental challenges – ranging from air and water pollution to soil degradation and waste accumulation, demand more than token gestures. We are a country of extremes: rich biodiversity and rapid urbanisation; deep-rooted traditions and modern consumerism. Understanding sustainability in this context means asking tougher questions:
• Where are our materials coming from?
• Who is affected by the way we extract, produce, and transport?
• What happens to a product after its use?
• Can it be reused, repurposed, or recycled?
• Does it serve a need without creating new problems?
Local conditions also matter. Biodegradable materials, for instance, may not decompose in the absence of industrial composting. Reusable goods flown across continents may leave a larger carbon footprint than their conventional counterparts.
When Sustainability is Partial
Many efforts fail not because they are dishonest, but because they are incomplete. Consider a product marketed as eco-friendly for its ingredients, but packed in multi-layered plastic. Or a brand that focuses on renewable energy while overlooking water-intensive processes in manufacturing.
These are blind spots, and they dilute the integrity of the sustainability conversation. Informed choices require full transparency – not just of what a product contains, but also of what it took to make it, and what it will leave behind.
Regulatory Support and Evolving Norms
The Indian government has been reinforcing sustainability through regulation. Frameworks such as:
• The Environment Protection Act,
• Plastic and E-Waste Management Rules,
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR),
• And the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) norms
are steps toward accountability. Additionally, urban missions like Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities are encouraging better waste management and infrastructure development.
However, the implementation of these policies often faces challenges – limited public awareness, infrastructure gaps, and inconsistent enforcement. Bridging the gap between regulation and reality will require coordinated effort from businesses, governments, and consumers.
What Strong Sustainability Looks Like
At its core, sustainability is about preserving what cannot be replaced. Strong sustainability models recognise that natural ecosystems and social structures hold intrinsic value. They cannot be substituted or “offset” with one-time fixes.
Characteristics of grounded sustainability include:
• Transparent sourcing
• Thoughtful packaging
• Reduced material use
• Localised production and distribution
• Community or biodiversity engagement
• Support for circular practices – refills, take-back programs, repair options
A few Indian companies are moving in this direction by combining scientific rigour with environmental awareness. These examples show that it’s possible to balance business growth with responsibility – when sustainability is treated as a practice, not a pitch.
Shaping Informed Consumption
Understanding sustainability also shifts the role of the consumer. Responsible consumption is not about always buying the most “eco” version of a product. It’s about asking:
• Do I need this?
• Is there a longer-lasting or locally made alternative?
• What happens after I’m done using it?
Choosing less, choosing local, and choosing well are often more sustainable than constantly upgrading to greener alternatives.
Towards a More Honest Definition
Sustainability must move beyond marketing and compliance. It requires honesty in communication, rigour in implementation, and flexibility to adapt to local needs. One-time certifications or green symbols may help signal intent, but lasting change comes from embedded design thinking, long-term impact assessment, and context-aware innovation.
Some companies, including Indian science-led brands working in areas like hygiene, agriculture, and material sciences, are already building such models, where sustainability is measured, traceable, and locally relevant.
Conclusion
Understanding sustainability in the right way means seeing beyond appearances. It means questioning partial solutions and advocating for systemic change. For brands, it means designing responsibly. For policymakers, it means creating infrastructure and enforcing accountability. For individuals, it means making informed and intentional choices.
India’s path to sustainability won’t be defined by imported models or one-size-fits-all solutions. It will emerge from grounded action, informed by science, guided by tradition, and shaped by collective intent.
When we stop asking, “How do we appear sustainable?” and start asking, “Are we truly reducing harm and building resilience?”, that’s when we’ll know we’re on the right path .