Sustainability - opportunity or luxury for the few?

Is sustainable consumption only for high earners?
Sustainability is very popular - in theory. In practice, it often fails due to higher prices, limited availability or a lack of structural incentives. This not only affects consumers, but also companies that develop sustainable products but struggle to survive economically.

This panel discussion brings together four perspectives that are otherwise rarely on stage together:

• an entrepreneur who wonders whether sustainability is marketable at all,
• a consumer advice center that stands up for fair consumer opportunities,
• the science that analyzes structural levers and transformation paths,
• and business development, which is considering new framework conditions.

Our guests:

Prof. Dr. Sandra Venghaus, RWTH Aachen (transformation & sustainability)

Anna Agtas, founder IKIGO Studios (sustainable design, without economic perspective?)

Jonas Grauel, Verbraucherzentrale NRW (consumer behavior & political framing)

Benjamin Haag, IHK Aachen (economy and structural conditions)

Moderation: Dhenya Schwarz, OecherLab

Together we will discuss:

Why does sustainability often remain a privilege in everyday life?

What is holding back consumers and entrepreneurs alike?

How can sustainable management be socially just, marketable and politically supported at the same time?

Afterwards, we invite you to an open discussion.

The event is aimed at all interested parties - whether from civil society, science, business or administration. The aim is to link existing approaches and explore new common paths.