The human side of sustainability Rosemary Horry on why psychology may be the key to turning sustainability awareness into meaningful action.

“Meaningful engagement happens when sustainability reaches the heart, not just the mind.”

Environmental professionals are always talking about sustainability, and we mostly communicate this as a technical or environmental challenge.
But is that working? I don’t believe so. We’re missing a crucial ingredient: psychology. Think about that for a moment. Do people adopt sustainable behaviours simply because they’ve been presented with data or facts in a strategy document? Probably not. People react when something resonates on a personal level and connects with their identity, values, childhood memories or hopes for their children and local communities. Meaningful engagement happens when sustainability reaches the heart, not just the mind.

Sustainability and identity

Psychology helps us to understand why some people feel energised by sustainability while others feel overwhelmed, disconnected or fatigued.
It also enables us to understand how we can reignite motivation.

Research shows that factors such as values, beliefs, attitudes, emotions and environmental knowledge all influence pro-environmental behaviour. In practice, this means that sustainability initiatives need to align with a person’s sense of identity. If someone already sees themselves as “the kind of person who recycles” or “someone who avoids unnecessary plastic”, sustainable action feels natural and easier to maintain. They’re already invested in maintaining themselves as this person. Rosemary Horry FISEP CEnv supports people and organisations to grow through evidence‑based coaching and sustainability.

The power of storytelling

However, alignment alone isn’t enough; people need to understand how they can contribute. There must be awareness, and too often we are competing with what is being shared on social media. We need to tell accurate, persuasive stories about why these challenges matter. People will act when they understand the impacts of their choices and how those choices connect to broader outcomes.

Consider how many people started thinking about plastic after Sir David Attenborough spoke about it, turning the abstract concept of plastic waste into something relatable by highlighting its impact on biodiversity. Education and personal experience combined make storytelling a powerful tool for action.

If we’re honest, though, we don’t just want momentary buy-in – we want sustained engagement. That means we can’t rely on cognitive processes alone. Emotion is the essential ingredient – not in a ‘magic wand’ sense, but because humans are inherently emotional beings with built-in mechanisms for resilience, self-regulation and hope. When we help people tap into these strengths, we support them through challenges such as climate anxiety and eco-fatigue and enable them to see what’s possible.

Sustainability is not just the responsibility of those with ‘sustainability’ in their job title. It is a collective societal challenge. Community engagement, social cohesion and a sense of shared responsibility significantly increase pro-environmental behaviour. When people see colleagues, neighbours or friends acting sustainably, they are more likely to join in. So, what stories are you telling, and what behaviours are you demonstrating?

Rosemary Horry FISEP CEnv supports people and organisations to grow through evidence‑based coaching and sustainability.

This article was published in TRANSFORM Jul/Aug 2026 ISEPGLOBAL.ORG