Rethinking growth and sustainable innovation, the new challenges of design and designers
The transformation of companies in terms of sustainability and eco-responsibility of the products or services they offer to consumers and users, as well as their own model, is today a major challenge, particularly in the face of growing environmental and societal demands. During the round table on January 30, 2025 in Lyon, we discussed several key points with our guests, and we thus highlighted the new postures, challenges and opportunities that companies and designers alike face in their work to design and deliver more sustainable products and services.
Let’s rethink growth towards a more sustainable and regenerative model
The debate about growth is crucial in the digital sector. Rather than using the term "growth," it's better to talk about profitability and long-term viability. For a company, the issue isn't just about being profitable immediately, but also about finding a business model that makes sense and is sustainable over the long term. This perspective also concerns investors and the financial sector. Investment funds and banks are beginning to consider alternatives that would allow them to achieve a return on investment over ten or fifteen years instead of short-term profitability.
Growth, as it is currently understood, is based on a system of collective beliefs. Challenging this paradigm is difficult because it is deeply rooted in the collective unconscious and influences economic and strategic decisions. Some advocate degrowth or post-growth to rebalance our economic model. The concept of “green growth,” which aims to limit environmental impacts while continuing to grow, is perceived by some as a contradiction. However, by adopting an approach based on solving real-world problems, it is possible to transform business expectations and offer viable alternatives to infinite growth.
This change requires adapted tactics: working on concrete projects, identifying levers for transformation, and integrating new economic analysis models to make profitability and sustainability attractive.
The challenge for businesses and designers: reconciling innovation and sobriety
One of the most striking examples of the integration of eco-responsibility into product design is that of Orange and its Livebox, as we saw above, in part 1.
However, this approach is hampered by market constraints and ever-increasing demands, which push for the integration of new features, thus increasing the carbon footprint of new versions. The challenge is to reconcile innovation and environmental responsibility, and to know how to continue the transition to a more responsible model without compromising economic growth.
For businesses, one of the biggest challenges in transitioning to more sustainable products is their production costs. Adopting an eco-friendly approach means adhering to strict specifications, slowing down production cycles, ensuring ethical working conditions, and limiting environmental impact. All of this results in higher costs. By rethinking their business models and incorporating sustainability principles, they can reduce hidden costs and improve their overall efficiency.
For designers and product developers, especially digital designers, they have a vital role to play in this transition. Rather than constantly adding new features, a more responsible approach would be to simplify, optimize, and sometimes even reduce digital usage.
It's not just about making digital technology "greener," but about fundamentally rethinking its usefulness. The current paradigm, which seeks to create desire and encourage consumption, should give way to a more targeted approach, where users' real needs are addressed above all else.
By refocusing design on the essentials, we generate positive externalities: reducing the ecological footprint, improving the user experience and contributing to a more sustainable economic model.
Understanding new consumer uses and expectations
Consumers are increasingly aware of environmental issues, but their commitment remains conditioned by the perceived value of products. Market research shows that 20% of consumers are willing to pay more for an eco-friendly product. Yet, we live in a world dominated by volume and the search for the lowest price. This tension between mass consumption and the quest for meaning is pushing companies to redefine their approach, returning to local values and more virtuous practices.
Successive crises have reinforced this trend: consumers are increasingly seeking solutions rooted in their local communities, thus fostering a certain form of deglobalization and protectionism. Iconic companies like Leroy Merlin and Michelin have built their success by remaining deeply rooted in their local communities while adopting a humanist and responsible vision.
A striking example of this shift is the shift from ownership to use, particularly in the ready-to-wear sector. More and more consumers are seeking a variety of clothing options without accumulating disposable garments. They have two options: buying large quantities of inexpensive clothing or prioritizing use over ownership. In the latter case, clothing must be of higher quality to be reused, which promotes more sustainable production.
This model thus combines circular economy, quality and financial accessibility, and perfectly illustrates how an initial need – access to a diversity of clothing at a lower cost – can be satisfied while integrating sustainability issues.
From “User Centric” to “Green Centric”, the necessary evolution of Design
Design has long been user-centered, but it's time to expand this approach to also integrate environmental and social impacts into the user experience. User-centered design et responsible. The challenge is therefore to broaden the thinking.
The transformation of businesses and the products they design will always be based on a detailed understanding of user needs but also on the systemic issues that surround them.
The real challenge of responsible design is to connect user experience with sustainable practices in a concrete way. The goal is not to pit economic performance against responsibility, but to show that the two can be mutually reinforcing.
By integrating these considerations into the design of products and services, we can create solutions that benefit users, businesses and the planet.
This is not a constraint, but an opportunity for innovation and positive impact. And above all, it is a message of hope: by aligning our practices with sustainable values, we are paving the way for a fairer, more balanced and harmonious future, beneficial for all (Humans, Living Things, Planet). 😊
Read article Part 1: Standards and regulations: systemic design and its tools for sustainable business transformation
Our guest experts:
- Clémence Piteau, Co-founder of the Lyon community of Ethical Designers, lle works as an independent designer committed to a digital world that is emancipatory and respectful of the environment, individuals and society.
- Jeremy Dumont, Strategic Planner and founder of the “We are alive” Collective, on the initiative ofworkshops and frescoes such as the fresco of imaginations, emotions and eco-anxiety, and the Business Model Canvas of the Regenerative Enterprise
- Fabrice Liut, co-founder and partner of TheTandem He accompanies leaders and C-levels in their vision, strategies and operational management during key moments of their transformation.
- Elodie Bert, Senior UX Designer and Product Designer at UX-Republic, Animation of the round table
Elodie Bert, UX/UI designer at UX-Republic
