Sustainability Is a Kitchen Table Issue

For many households, climate change does not arrive as a statistic—it arrives as a utility bill, a grocery receipt or a medical expense.

Affordability and sustainability are directly connected, but many still see sustainability as a long-term issue, with future implications rather than an immediate reality with specific, personal costs. From infrastructure damage due to increased frequency and severity of natural disasters to the elevated risk of injury when working during a heatwave, climate change is affecting everyday lives.

At the same time, the political and regulatory environment has 63% of companies scaling back on their sustainability messaging around the world (though the survey skewed North America), creating a surface-level perception that there’s a pullback on sustainability issues. However, this isn’t the case behind the scenes—businesses globally continue to invest in critical areas like renewable energy and nearly half (46%) have increased sustainability headcount and budgets over the last two years—there’s a disconnect. Corporates are aligning sustainability ambitions with business and supply chain resilience, but what’s missing is a way to talk about these issues that resonates with all stakeholders, from investors and business leaders to consumers, and the kitchen table issues at hand.

Bringing Sustainability to the Table

Natural disasters may be the most obvious and quantifiable impact, through the cost of direct damage from recent storms. “Single” events don’t paint the full picture of what is going on though.

Consider the energy system. Extreme heat, severe weather, wildfires and growing energy demand are straining our aging infrastructure, increasing the risk of rolling blackouts and other service disruptions. This is coupled with a decrease in hydroelectric power as water levels fluctuate, creating additional reliability challenges. Utilities are responding by investing in grid modernization and resilience measures, but this often results in higher rates for customers.

The impacts then continue to compound. A recent study noted that a five-day heat wave may generate approximately $870 million in total costs, including deaths, injuries and missed work. Heat waves are a moment in time, but climate poses additional health risks, such as pollution and vector-borne disease, that can lead to chronic disease and overall decline in quality of life.

Food costs tell a similar story. Last year in the United States, the cost of orange juice surged as crops were damaged by unpredictable and uncharacteristic weather. Dwindling land and natural resources that power our food systems coupled with declining soil productivity and natural disasters lead to shortages and cost spikes.

Investing in regenerative agriculture, water stewardship and sustainable land management can help address these challenges. Healthier soil, efficient water use and systems-level resiliency can create reliability in supply chains, and a more resilient supply chain protects food availability, quality and affordability over time.

Engaging Audiences With Clear, Tangible Impact

So how do leaders, particularly those in the United States facing increased scrutiny but around the world as well as scrutiny around the cost of sustainability increase, inspire action on sustainability priorities, particularly as the narrative shifts to the U.S. midterm elections season and is increasingly polarized? One way is to frame efforts through the lens of protecting affordability and making local communities and the people that live in them, more resilient.

• Start with household outcomes: How might the effort or strategy affect bills, resources or health. Translate business value into personal value. Pair large-scale economic benefits with relatable, human-centered examples, such as changes in healthcare expenses or avoided losses from extreme weather.
• Bring communities along: Work alongside local organizations, community leaders and stakeholders and listen to understand needs and priorities. Solutions are more durable and effective when shaped by the people they are intended to benefit. Efforts developed with communities, rather than for them, will be more likely to gain trust and support.
• Be clear and specific: Communicate in plain language. Meet people where they are and talk about the issues and implications through experiences they already recognize. For example, youth sports being disrupted by hotter afternoons, air quality affecting outdoor activities or flooding turning a daily commute into a nightmare.

Organizations understand the importance of sustainability for business continuity. Now, when the impacts of climate change are at our front door, we need to make sure that individuals are not left with the cost.