Abstract

Although the increased levels of consumption, driven by business, have both a direct and indirect impact on the environment, and do not contribute to our overall wellbeing, business can positively influence consumption by motivating consumers to purchase and use more sustainable solutions. An extensive literature review identified that sustainable consumption requires changes at a ‘systems level’ incorporating issues such as consumption habits, attitudes, behaviours, lifestyles, and the way in which goods and services are delivered. Additionally, User-centred design (UCD), which can be interpreted in many different ways, offers clear benefits in supporting sustainable consumption. However, there are currently no mechanisms to help businesses to apply these approaches at a ‘systems level’ to enable sustainable consumption. A prototype framework, which aims to help businesses to understand how UCD can be used to enhance sustainable consumption, is presented. The framework is built on findings from the literature, semi-structured interviews with experts, a workshop and a document analysis. Future work will see the framework developed and tested to identify whether it is replicable in different business contexts.