Sustainability Chronicles: Mapping the Journey of Sustainability Agents

Abstract

In an era of polycrisis, individuals as part of organizations are required to mobilize knowledge and leadership to drive transformational sustainability change effectively. This paper explores the professional journeys of sustainability agents, tracing their pathways into the field, their experiences while working in sustainability-focused roles, and the systemic boundaries they encounter along the way. By asking, What shapes the journey of sustainability agents, from entering the field to driving transformations?, our study sheds light on the interplay between individual agency and broader systemic conditions. More specifically, we look at the agents' sensemaking processes throughout their sustainability journey.  For this purpose, we draw on in-depth interview data from 29 participants in the context of a leadership program for societal transformation. We employ a life-course exercise to explore the trajectory of sustainability agency. Our findings reveal three critical stages in the sustainability agent journey. Throughout this process, they engage in sensemaking processes, continuously interpreting and reinterpreting their perception of sustainability within evolving systemic conditions. Their cognitive frames shape how they process complexity, balance competing priorities, and adapt to uncertainty, influencing their capacity for driving transformational change. First, individuals enter the field through diverse pathways, guided by personal values, formal education, or chance opportunities. Second, navigating professional environments, they engage in continuous learning processes while battling limited resources, organizational inertia, and external pressures. Finally, when confronted with systemic boundaries, including entrenched belief systems, funding limitations, and corruption, they adopt one of three strategies: expanding, pivoting, or accepting trade-offs. By framing the sustainability agent experience as a process, this study advances the understanding of how individuals navigate the complexities of sustainable development within organizational contexts. It highlights the importance of development programs and knowledge exchange as mechanisms for supporting agents and organizations to enable transformational action in pursuit of sustainability.