Sustainable Work – Concept, Integration With Sustainable Development Goals, and Future Directions

Abstract: Based on the premise that work is a fundamental aspect of human experience and is core to inclusive achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that leaves no one behind, this paper expounds on the concept of sustainable work from a work psychology perspective. The paper discusses sustainable aspects of work (referred to as sustainable work) that are grounded in cultural skills of intergenerational occupations yet are embedded largely in the informal economy. Next, it delineates the connections between sustainable work and sustainable livelihoods, achieving the universal goals of poverty alleviation (SDG1), occupational health and well-being (SDG 3), decent work (SDG 8), cultural preservation and heritage protection, and living in harmony with nature. Future directions discuss research, policy, and education implications for supporting sustainable work globally for advancing sustainable livelihoods inclusively, while noting the caveats and potential solutions to the detractors from sustainability in sustainable work.