Towards true product sustainability

Product sustainability is usually looked at from a business perspective with the goal to reduce product related risks or to differentiate the product from those of the competition - mostly with limited effects for sustainable development (SD). In light of the global sustainability challenges, we raise the question how products can make a significant contribution to SD? In addressing this question we analyze the evolution of the product sustainability concept over time. This analysis is guided by two questions and it applies two different perspectives. The first question uses an analytical perspective and asks: “How have different product sustainability concepts been framed with regard to their contributions to SD and how have they evolved over time?” The second question uses a normative perspective and asks: “How do the product sustainability concepts in their different developmental phases contribute to SD?” We present a systematic analysis of the evolving perspectives of product sustainability which we group in three different phases and levels of development: from selective to holistic improvements (Product Sustainability 1.0), from better products to good products (Product Sustainability 2), and from private value to public value generation (Product Sustainability 3.0). In this evolution we perceive a development towards a model of “true product sustainability”, where the product makes a specific contribution to solving societal problems.