Planet

As the impact of climate change becomes increasingly real and public concern heightens, we will likely see an escalation of citizen protests, increased employee advocacy and disruption of fossil fuel supply chains by climate activists. 

Climate mitigation

We should see a rapid acceleration in the advancement and application of low-carbon technologies. Asset managers will increasingly move to divest from carbon-intensive coal companies in their actively managed portfolios, in an attempt to reduce exposure to risk.

Circular solutions

Driven by societal and regulatory pressures, consumer goods companies are increasingly piloting and adopting circular strategies. More companies are expected to innovate, collaborate and demonstrate the opportunities of a net-zero emissions circular economy.

Plastic

With several national bans and regulations due to come into effect in 2020 and an increased emphasis on producer responsibility, particularly in Europe, companies will come under increased pressure to put into action robust plans to achieve their plastic commitments and invest the necessary resources into implementing those plans.

Sustainable consumption

Concern about the environment is increasing worldwide and consumers — most notably millennials and Gen Z — are feeling anxious about the state of the planet.

We will continue to see a growing number of companies respond to these preferences by providing products and services that enable consumers to live more sustainably.

Technological and digital innovation

Rapid advancements in internet, mobile, artificial intelligence, data management and other technologies hold enormous potential to offer solutions to some of the world’s most complex social and environmental problems.

But with new technologies come new challenges. There is a deepening inequality within the spread of technology across the world and also between citizens and corporations. Impactful technology also poses significant challenges: from cybersecurity and privacy to rising inequality and job automation. Questions about bias in technologies driven by algorithms and artificial intelligence and how to make them accountable will only increase in urgency and importance.

People

Demographic and social changes will see governments and businesses finding huge opportunities as well as facing enormous challenges, as the largest generation in history, millennials, drive the economy. Millennials and those that come after them will be more educated and will come with different expectations regarding opportunity, mobility, relationships and ownership.

Human capital

Unaddressed mental health, poor stress management and lack of flexibility in work schedules are impacting the wellbeing of workers and companies’ bottom lines. 

A growing number of companies will look into ways to go beyond basic healthcare services and benefits, trialling new approaches to wellness and work/life balance that help employees thrive in the workplace. Efforts to define and measure human capital will also accelerate.

Differentiated lifeworlds

The divergence between people’s individual lifeworlds will increase by 2030. Gender roles will no longer be accepted as being predetermined and will increasingly be defined by individuals themselves. New forms of individuality will be established based on complex identity formation processes and modified body images. Patterns of consumption, which are motivated by multiple factors such as the increasing demand for personalised products, a deeper integration of customers in product development processes, increasing sensitisation to sustainable consumption and a transition from ownership to sharing platforms in certain product categories, will also become increasingly differentiated.

Changing work environments

Whether it’s organisational forms, work equipment, operational profiles or competency requirements, a fundamental change is recognisably taking place in the work environment at all levels. Work is being organised on a more flexible basis, both spatially and chronologically, and companies are attempting to dissolve traditional silos in favour of more open structures. Workers will be expected to accept more personal responsibility and self-organisation. In addition, they will be required to work continuously on the development of their personal skills profiles. At the same time, workforces will become more diversified, which will present new challenges for both managers and staff.