Redesigning Business Value: A Roadmap for Sustainable Consumption

The document outlines a roadmap for transitioning from a linear economy based on resource throughput to a closed-loop system where consumption is decoupled from environmental degradation. It identifies current trends in sustainable investing and policy as positive but insufficient, calling for systemic changes in business leadership, organizational culture, and public policy to achieve a low-carbon, zero-waste economy by 2030.

• Current global consumption patterns are unsustainable, with the world's population forecast to reach 9 billion by 2050 and 70 million people joining the global middle class annually until 2030, which will increase demand for goods and services.
• The report argues that incremental improvements in sustainability are insufficient; a transformational shift is required to move from being 'less bad' to 'actively good' regarding the impact of business and consumption on the environment.
• A 'new normal' for the global economy is envisioned where consumption is decoupled from negative impacts, waste is eliminated through closed-loop systems, and value is redefined as well-being and quality of life rather than material throughput.
• Sustainable investing is growing rapidly, with responsible investments expected to increase from under one-tenth of assets under management to approximately one-fifth, or US$ 26.5 trillion, by 2015.
• Public policy progress on sustainable consumption is patchy; while the UN's Marrakech Process provides a framework, only 35 countries worldwide have developed or are developing national sustainable consumption and production programmes.
• The report proposes a four-step journey for businesses to achieve sustainability: starting with 'Foundation' (integrating sustainability strategy), moving to 'Rebuilding Business' (trialling new models), then 'New Value Chains' (zero net waste), and finally 'Balanced Systems' (redefined value for all stakeholders).
• To implement this transition, individual businesses must change their operating models, engage all levels of the company from the board down, and shift corporate culture to incentivize sustainable behaviors.
• The document suggests ten actionable ideas for collaboration, including creating a consumer movement for sustainable consumption, developing a pipeline of future talent through university partnerships, and launching pilots to manage waste in the food value chain.

APA

World Economic Forum (2010). Redesigning Business Value: A Roadmap for Sustainable Consumption. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_RedesigningBusinessValue_SustainableConsumption_Report_2010.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Redesigning Business Value: A Roadmap for Sustainable Consumption. 2010. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_RedesigningBusinessValue_SustainableConsumption_Report_2010.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Redesigning Business Value: A Roadmap for Sustainable Consumption |date=January 2010 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_RedesigningBusinessValue_SustainableConsumption_Report_2010.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2010redesigning, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Redesigning Business Value: A Roadmap for Sustainable Consumption}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2010}, month = jan, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_RedesigningBusinessValue_SustainableConsumption_Report_2010.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }