Degrowth business framework: Implications for sustainable development.

Recent years have seen a revival in growth scepticism, yet degrowth in relation to the macroeconomic level has received almost exclusive attention. This resulted in a lack of literature on how post-growth and specifically degrowth visions of economy could be implemented, including from the perspective of firms and other organisations. This paper focuses on degrowth literature and fields of knowledge which share a similar or sympathetic perspective regarding the undesirability of economic growth and desirability of living within planetary boundaries while pursuing wellbeing. It then applies degrowth vision to firms and identifies potential elements of a business for a degrowth economy, here referred to as a degrowth business. These elements comprise a degrowth business framework. The framework is centred around the following groups: (1) environment, (2) people and non-humans, and (3) deviation from profit maximisation imperative. It aims to contribute to an emerging discussion on what firms should be like for a degrowth economy and society to be possible. • To transition towards a degrowth society, the link between firms and degrowth needs to be explored. • What degrowth means for firms is investigated, and potential elements of a degrowth business are identified. • Transition towards degrowth cannot be reduced to transformation of firms. • Further efforts are required to investigate underlying values which underpin degrowth business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]