Innovation in Human Centered Sustainability

Sustainability is an increasingly complex construct, subject to multiple meanings, interpretations, and unlimited number of scopes; detonating confusion and decreasing clarity. But one thing is clear: sustainability, does not mean mere survival. On the contrary, sustainability consolidates with rigorous assessment, continuous improvements and change stimulating engagement, performance and productivity. No sustainability-oriented project is possible with stagnant levels of performance in a constantly changing world.
  
This Sustainability Series fosters the innovation rationale in three fundamental elements: 1) The wellbeing of all people at the center, 2) Continuous assessment, change and improvement are essential securing alignment with worldwide recognized Quality standards, 3) Integrity of purpose, principles and practices ensures innovation synchrony across disciplines, sectors, industries and nations inserted in the global VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environment.

The Series rationale is validated by current world events. A global Gallup Repot on 144 countries showed multiple levels of people’s distress higher in 2024 than a decade ago, disrupting health systems, global development and stability. On the solution side, 2025 Nobel Award in Economics went to three economists relating the theory of creative destruction to economic growth. Confirming that when things are not working, innovation and change are essential to improve people’s wellbeing leading productivity. Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter defined Creative Destruction much earlier (1942). Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen added Disruptive Innovation in the 1990s. These two theories are central advancing Innovation in this Human Centered Sustainability Series.

Series Editor: Maria-Teresa Lepeley (President, Global Institute for Quality Education, USA)