You’re Not Fluent Yet! Speaking the Language of Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainability has found its way into a number of fields in recent years—including business, science and even philosophy—which is why it is now more important than ever that we are able to clearly communicate what it means to be “sustainable.”

From a business perspective, articulating how sustainability serves business priorities is essential if you want to elevate your brand. When I was a university student in the early 2000s, the concept of sustainability was non-existent in the business world but it has since become pervasive. Many companies today, such as Certified B Corporations, are focused on offering meaningful products and services, all with the goal of developing a more just and sustainable world. However, Bob Willard, a former IBM executive turned sustainability expert, has called on “sustainability champions” to “speak business,” which he deems is essential to aligning a company’s priorities so that corporate sustainability efforts meet expectations. This includes integrating sustainability as a core business value and quantifying the benefits of the company’s strategies.

In scientific fields, on the other hand, the language used can sometimes hinder communication efforts. As stated by Dr. Candice Howarth, a sustainability and climate communications expert at the University of Surrey, in England, “Language and communication are important issues, particularly in terms of use of scientific jargon or over-simplifications of science at the expense of scientific robustness.” Scientists must therefore find a delicate balance where they don’t speak over people’s heads while maintaining a level of rigour to drive research forward.

Philosophers and economists, for their part, have argued that the language used by conservationists over the past three decades has unintentionally thwarted the movement’s own efforts because it applies the language of economics to nature which “reinforces the politically self-serving language of ‘sustainable development,’” a term that many find to be an oxymoron in itself (meaning, how can “development” be attached to the word “sustainable”?). Without proposing any solutions, they simply aim to draw attention to the idea that we need to be aware of the impact of the words we use to talk about sustainability.

As a translator, I have talked to other translators about the importance of speaking the “language of sustainable development.” Just as the language used in different fields to address sustainability must be nuanced and specific, so, too, must the translation of that same text. Understanding the sustainable development paradigm that takes an all-encompassing view of the world is key to being able to communicate about it and, as a result, be effective in your communications.

In short, the more you learn about sustainability, the better you will become at expressing its core tenets and enacting the change you wish to make.