Study of Strategies for Sustainable Production and Consumption in the Economic Conditions of Ukraine

Abstract

Today, producers and consumers are aware of environmental problems and are worried about their consequences. Unfortunately, just worrying isn’t enough today. Everyone must act at their level. It is necessary to avoid inertia and take responsibility for sustainability, rethink the company’s corporate goals, and the role of business in society. Increase responsibility for sustainable development via external and internal actions that benefit people and the environment; and are profitable. Today the concept of sustainability is widely underestimated and underutilized in business and political circles in Ukraine. Sustainability reporting, while practical, is still not necessary. Obviously, without a regulatory framework, the prospects for widespread business reporting are unlikely. Ukraine needs to use sustainability strategies to analyze environmental policy activities in production and consumption based on the actual data. These activities will bring Ukraine closer to European integration. It is necessary to combine sustainable production and sustainable consumption into one cluster. It will allow sustainable initiatives are focused on systemic changes and essential areas of production and consumption – energy, transport, housing, agriculture, and food. The practical value of the approach is in a strategy that includes measures stimulating environmental and socio-economic policy of production. It will allow moving from relative disunity of actions to technological standards. The proposed method can be implemented in recommendations for improving programs directed at changing behavior with the gradual transition from individual consumers to broader initiatives to change the whole system of production and consumption. Focusing on technology (rather than entire companies) and increasing consumer awareness can help identify business opportunities, increase differentiation and create a competitive advantage.