Social Sustainability as the Antidote to Inequality and Exclusion

The classic definition of sustainable development is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising those of future generations”. For years, we’ve associated this idea almost exclusively with recycling more, reducing emissions or consuming less plastic. All of this is essential, of course, but if this greener future still has people without homes, decent work or access to basic necessities, it’s difficult to argue that we’re talking about total sustainability.

Sustainability rests on three inseparable limbs: people, planet and profit, known as the “Three Ps”. For too long we’ve focused a lot on the planet and often too much on profit, leaving people in the background. Social sustainability is precisely a reminder that without equity, justice and social cohesion, the rest of the structure becomes unstable.

We can talk of social sustainability when a society is able to move forward without leaving anyone behind. It means guaranteeing access to the basics—food, water, health, housing, education, social protection—but also ensuring decent work, gender equality, freedom from discrimination, civic engagement and a life free from violence. It’s not just about making the economy work, but about making it work for all people and not at the expense of some.

The “Doughnut economics” model really helps to visualise this. The inner ring contains the social foundation that everyone should be guaranteed: food, water, health, housing, energy, education, income and work, equality, political voice and social equity. The outer ring shows the planetary boundaries: stable climate, biodiversity, healthy oceans, breathable air and fertile soils. The safe and just space for humanity lies in between: neither below these basic rights nor above the ecological limits. Social sustainability is largely about preventing anyone from falling into that hole.

In everyday life, there are many different sides to it. It’s the hotel housekeeper with a stable contract and a wage that allows her to live, not just survive. It’s the elderly person who can use accessible public transport to get to the health centre. It’s the child who doesn’t need to drop out of school because their family receives enough support. It’s the neighbourhood where there are parks, libraries, community centres and spaces to meet. It’s also the company that reviews its supply chain to ensure there’s no labour exploitation at any stage.

In business, this dimension is often included under the “S” of ESG criteria: decent working conditions, equal pay, diversity and inclusion, occupational health and safety, respect for human rights and positive community impact. Businesses that take it seriously not only improve their image: they also attract talent, reduce risk and build long-term value.

In the Balearic Islands, this idea is especially important. In a region like the Balearic Islands, where tourist pressure, rising housing prices and dependence on highly seasonal sectors coexist, social sustainability is not a mere addition to the environmental debate, but an essential condition for any transformation to be truly just.

Here, there are also initiatives that show that we’re not talking about an abstract theory. These include projects such as those led by Fundació Deixalles, which recover discarded materials to give them a new life and create inclusive jobs; social and circular economy programmes promoted in the islands, which link the reuse and transformation of waste with job opportunities for vulnerable people; and experiences such as those of Esment, which bring forest management, local production and social inclusion together, showing that it’s possible to combine economics, care for the land and social justice. These are real examples of how to put people at the centre without detaching them from the environment they live in.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals further help to understand this perspective. Ending poverty, guaranteeing health and education, achieving gender equality, ensuring decent work or reducing inequalities are inseparable goals of the environmental agenda. A climate plan that doesn’t consider what happens to workers in changing sectors, or to families who can’t afford the cost of energy, is an incomplete one.

Social sustainability doesn’t solely depend on governments or large organisations. It’s also played out in everyday decisions: choosing products from businesses that respect labour rights, supporting social economy projects, participating in local associations, demanding transparency from institutions and taking care of common spaces. The circular economy is not just about recycling materials; it can also mean circulating opportunities, wealth and wellbeing within the region.

In public policy, the agenda includes living wages, affordable housing, quality education, effective social protection, accessible health services and support for children, the elderly and the most vulnerable. It’s not about building perfect societies, but about reducing injustice and expanding the possibilities for everyone to pursue their own life projects.

In a context of climate crisis, conflict and inequality, social sustainability is also a matter of stability. Highly unequal societies, with entire neighbourhoods lacking opportunities, are more fragile, more polarised and more prone to breakdown. Committing to social cohesion isn’t just an ethical gesture: it’s also an investment in harmony.

That’s why, when we talk about a “just ecological transition”, that’s the decisive word: just. It’s not enough to change technology if it doesn’t also change the way costs and benefits are shared. It’s about who wins and who loses as a result of every decision, not just the quantity of emissions we can avoid. A more sustainable city isn’t just a city with more green spaces, but also one that guarantees rent prices that don’t drive its residents out, offers accessible and safe public transport, and listens to those who live there.

The good news is that social sustainability is neither an add-on nor a luxury, but the thread that can sew all the other pieces together. More responsible tourism, more resilient agriculture and greener cities will only be truly sustainable if they’re designed from the perspective of the people who live and work in those places. Putting life at the centre isn’t just a slogan: it’s the basic condition for any sustainability agenda to make sense.

At the end of the day, the question posed by social sustainability is both simple and radical: do we want a merely greener future or a more liveable future for all? The answer requires a shift in perspective; we must remember that, behind every indicator, there are lives, stories and rights. Only in this way can sustainability cease to be an abstract concept and become a real way of taking care of our present without jeopardising anyone.