Sustainable Behavior and Self-Management
Image: Connecting with nature for ‘sustainable behavior’ (AI-generated image by Copilot/ppt/ © M. Semadeni)
Introduction
The term sustainability originated from environmental and social sciences research. It has expanded into a comprehensive concept encompassing economic activities and their (side) effects on the environment, society, and economy (the three-pillar principle).
Sustainability has developed to a key term, as it has become evident that the Earth's natural resources are severely threatened or being depleted rapidly due to human activities. Activities, leading for instance to anthropogenic emissions of climate-damaging gases (climate change) are already having negative effects and are expected to cause even more significant and potentially systemic challenges for society and the economy in the future.
Accordingly, standards are being developed to counteract such negative impacts (mitigation) or to legally prohibit certain activities or practices. Additionally, economic entities are adapting their structures and operations at an accelerating pace to keep up with rapidly changing environmental conditions (adaptation). In the corporate world, environmental management and sustainability now go hand in hand.
Strategic planning and management aim to cultivate a deeper understanding of how environmental functions (like ecosystem services) support the regeneration of natural resources and biodiversity, of how to create and preserve the quality of life on the one planet we inhabit, and of how to use the needed natural resources with the insight that people need to recognize their role as integral parts of the planetary ecosystem.
However, top-down measures alone are not sufficient; real progress requires individuals to question and adjust their behaviors. This poses a significant challenge because sustainable behavior does not automatically follow from knowledge transfer alone. Ultimately, the choices people make are largely driven by unconscious factors.
Sustainable Behavior
Sustainable behavior considers social, ecological, and economic dimensions, striving to align actions and decisions with the long-term preservation of natural, social, and economic resources to ensure that future generations can enjoy similar or better living conditions.
This definition implies that individuals must be aware of the complex interrelations of these dimensions and address corresponding aspects consciously. However, sustainable behavior should be understood as the sum of both conscious and unconscious decisions and actions that can contribute to the preservation of natural and social resources.
The unconscious mind plays a crucial role, as it makes many everyday decisions within fractions of a second, thereby guiding much of our subsequent behavior.
While the environmental, social, and economic sciences can explain the causes of human actions that lead to pollution, excessive resource consumption, and biodiversity loss, identifying the psychological drivers behind behavioral change remains highly challenging. This process demands self-reflection at the individual level.
Since a few decades environmental psychology has established itself as a key field within environmental sciences, helping to implement measures for environmental protection. Today, understanding the interplay between humans and their environment - and how it shapes behavior - has been expanded in the context of sustainability to include social and economic perspectives, such as the interactions between business entities and society or communities.
The Unconscious
To better grasp the unconscious aspects of sustainable behavior, it is essential to consider insights from neuroscience regarding an individual’s psycho-biological well-being.
From a neuroscientific viewpoint, the brain is a self-organizing organ that functions as a mostly unconscious, dynamic repository of experiences. While some memories can be consciously recalled, many are shaped by archaic experiences that once ensured survival.
Importantly, the brain does not contain hierarchically organized centers that govern behavior; instead, various brain regions are interconnected and operate as dynamic systems, triggering what is perceived as “optimal” behavior or action. Such networks - known as neural networks - are constantly forming new connections, especially during learning, to bypass, replace, or supplement old, existing ones.
Evolutionarily, our brains are equipped with a very old neural network that evaluates every situation in a split second, unconsciously asking: “What’s in it for me?” This evaluation may concern food, water, approval, status, partnership, or sex - or in our modern, fast-paced world, simply monetary gains.
The unconscious mind assesses situations based on the archaic self’s biological and psycho-biological well-being. In humans, this involves brain structures that communicate through epigenetically coded ancient neural networks, unconsciously managing experiences passed down from our earliest ancestors.
These networks prompt behaviors - often experienced as affective reactions - based on their evaluations. Sometimes, these reactions are only recognized afterward, especially when they escalate into conflict.
The unconscious assigns basic needs to situations and communicates these evaluations through emotions and mental images. The decision to behave in a certain way is often made long before the conscious mind processes the situation.
Although new neural networks developed through learning can consciously override older ones, this may conflict with the reward evaluation of the old neural network, leading to discomfort, unease, or even a negative mood. Attempting to implement such only consciously guided behavior can cause frustration and tension, resulting in more affect-driven behavioral patterns along with it.
Resource-Oriented Self-Management
As part of my current training at ISMZ (Institute for Self-Management Zurich) in resource-oriented self-management, I am learning to use an interesting self-management approach called the Zurich Resource Model (ZRM).
ZRM is designed to help individuals become aware of their internal needs and connect them to consciously chosen goals through motivational psychology. This process helps to develop and internalize a positive attitude or mindset, which then can play a crucial role in successfully translating goals into action.
As previously mentioned, behavioral change - including within the workplace - relies on individuals taking the time for self-reflection. A shift toward more sustainable behavior should align with a person’s intrinsic needs as this greatly increases the likelihood of lasting success.
When people are constantly expected to act in the pursuit of profit within the traditional economic system, they can rarely afford the time or mental space to reflect on their actions. However, if profitability expectations were instead framed within an economic system that internalizes all externalities, then the reward mechanisms of the old neural networks could still be activated.
Otherwise, in our existing linear economic system, environmental awareness must contend with the ingrained reward evaluations of these old neural networks. To foster sustainable change, these old reward evaluations must be replaced or supplemented by newly cultivated attitudes and mindsets (i.e. new neural networks).
This dynamic also extends to the unconscious aspects of the social dimension of sustainable behavior, such as prejudice, cognitive bias, and stereotyping, as well as the economic dimension, including the hidden preferences of consumers, employees, managers, and investors - especially when decisions are made under incomplete information and time pressure.
These unconscious aspects of sustainability could be effectively addressed through a topic-specific ZRM coaching within the framework of self-management.
Final Thoughts: Becoming Aware
Positive images directly address the emotional layers of the brain, fostering dialogue between our conscious and unconscious selves. A single image can reveal hidden needs through feelings and life-relevant motives. Engaging with them brings them into conscious awareness, and then they can be integrated into behavior. Personally, I am always uplifted by positive images of nature and feel a profound sense of connection (see image on top). This connection is a source of hope for me.
Marco Semadeni, Dr. sc. nat. ETH
July 22, 2025