The human dimension of sustainability, or: Why well-being matters

The current debate on sustainability is heavily influenced by two major transformation processes: the ecological and the digital transformation. However, long-term change can only succeed if people themselves are at the centre of it. The Steinbeis School of Sustainable Innovation and Transformation (SIT) therefore focuses on a third dimension of transformation: sustainable well-being. For it is only when people are physically and mentally healthy and able to act in a resilient and responsible manner that organisations and systems capable of lasting sustainability can emerge. This conviction lies at the heart of the SIT initiative ‘Wellbeing4Sustainability’.

“At the Steinbeis School of Sustainable Innovation and Transformation, we believe that responsibility starts with oneself: we cannot expect people who neglect their own health and well-being to act responsibly towards their community, their organisation or the environment,” says SIT Managing Director Ela Kurtcu with conviction. For more than 15 years, the SIT team has been working towards a long-term and effective sustainable transformation. During this time, the sustainability debate has largely focused on two pillars: the green and digital transitions – generally referred to as the “dual transformation”. “We need ambitious environmental policies and digital and technological advances to tackle pressing global challenges. However, green strategies and digital tools alone are not enough,” emphasises Ela Kurtcu.

Ecological and digital transformation processes will only have a long-term impact and be sustainable if the human element is at the heart of these processes. Sustainable change requires a shift in thinking regarding mindsets, behaviours and cultural norms. It requires people to rethink their habits, values and everyday practices.

Beyond green and digital: the need for a third pillar 

As part of the ‘Sustainable Well-being’ (SWEPPP) project, co-funded by the European Union and carried out in collaboration with three European universities, the SIT team researched a third pillar addressing this human dimension of transformation: how do people feel, think, act and work together within systems?

The project aimed to establish a holistic understanding of well-being. It focused on the interdependence of individual health, organisational culture and environmental responsibility, and developed structured learning opportunities to make these connections tangible and actionable. All results are freely accessible on the project website, thereby contributing to broader capacity-building across Europe. They support educators, professionals and organisations in integrating well-being into sustainability strategies.

Ela Kurtcu summarises: “An important insight from this collaboration: sustainable well-being is not a ‘soft’ add-on to sustainability agendas – it is a structural prerequisite for long-term, systemic impact”.

From project to training programme 

The findings from the EU project prompted SIT to design a micro-certification programme on the topic of ‘sustainable well-being’. Together with a researcher from the University of Malta, who was a guest at SIT in the summer of 2025 as part of the EU’s ERA Shuttle programme, the research team developed a structured training programme initially aimed at researchers and research managers (see also the article “Bridge between science and the non-academic world”).

The programme was presented to target groups in Gdańsk and Malta. Their feedback confirmed both the relevance and the urgency of the topic, particularly in research and innovation ecosystems where high stress, pressure to perform and systemic complexity are the order of the day. On this basis, SIT is now working to adapt the training as a micro-certification module for companies and organisations.

A holistic understanding of sustainable well-being 

The course aims to enable learners to understand, apply and promote practices for sustainable well-being in individual, organisational and societal contexts, thereby contributing to long-term health, resilience and environmental sustainability.

At the heart of the course lies a key principle: sustainable systems must be designed in such a way that they promote human health and development whilst simultaneously fulfilling their responsibilities towards organisations, society and the planet. This also means learning to manage tensions and compromises between these dimensions.

Numerous studies show that investing in employees’ well-being improves health, productivity, creativity, engagement and staff retention. However, well-being in the workplace cannot be reduced solely to stress or burnout management. Many of today’s health problems stem from lifestyle and systemic factors. A holistic approach to health encompasses nutrition, sleep, physical activity and social interaction. These factors influence how people perform at work, how they collaborate in teams, and how workplaces are organised and experienced. Although these aspects are widely recognised as ‘common sense’, they are often not put into daily practice.

For companies, investing in sustainable well-being is not just a matter of social responsibility. It is also becoming increasingly relevant to ESG alignment, particularly in the areas of Social (S) and Governance (G). Organisations that proactively promote the well-being of their employees strengthen their resilience, reduce the risk of burnout, improve their ethical leadership and create a more sustainable corporate culture.

Fostering a sense of responsibility 

Through the “Wellbeing4Sustainability” initiative, SIT aims to empower people to act consciously as agents of change who understand the connections between self-care, social engagement and responsibility for the planet. And when communities act consciously, sustainable and resilient social and economic systems become possible.

Sustainable transformation is not limited to political measures alone. It begins with people. SIT does not view sustainable well-being as an optional addition to green and digital strategies, but as their essential human foundation – the wave that truly makes transformation sustainable.