Sustainability competencies of change agents

Application summary

The research on “Sustainable competences of change agents” will identify the attributes of people who are central in addressing the sustainability emergencies of our time. People are the core components in sustainable transformation, since deliberate action, such as those needed to address sustainability challenges, depend on the actors of sustainability. Understanding what makes these important actors successful might as well be the key to dealing with sustainability challenges. The research is performed in two main stages. In the first stage, interviews will be done with successful change agents in organizations, government, and NGO, as well as with sustainable entrepreneurs and activists. The results of this qualitative method will then be compared with the sustainability competencies mentioned in the extant literature. The result of this stage will be universal sustainability profiles of change agents, including their transferable skills and competencies. These profiles can be used in large scale by organizations, educational system, NGOs, and activists in developing the human resources which are needed in sustainability endeavours. In the second stage of the research, an organization will be studied as a case to better understand how sustainability competencies of internal change agents can impact trajectory of the organization's sustainability efforts. The results will empower organizations’ sustainability officers to harness these capabilities and pursue fast and scalable sustainability agenda. As sustainability actors are crucial stakeholders in the pursuit of sustainability transition, it is expected that the results of this research gain traction by different sectors active in such efforts.