How Emotional Intelligence Drives Personal, Social, and Environmental Sustainability

By Lorenzo Fariselli
Regional Network Director, Europe & Italy

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability can be defined as: “ensuring the fulfillment of the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.” This concise yet powerful definition highlights the interdependence between our present actions and the well-being of future generations.

The sustainability movement gained traction in the early 1970s when it became clear that the traditional development model risked long-term collapse. Since then, discussions on sustainability have dominated public debate. But after all these years, where do we stand? Have we truly reached a point where sustainability guides our choices?

On one hand, the growing urgency of sustainability issues—especially environmental concerns—has increased awareness. On the other hand, achieving true sustainability demands radical shifts in our habits and lifestyle – and a growing body of evidence suggests we’re actually heading in the wrong direction.

Emotional Recession Reveals the Cost of Unsustainable Living

The concept that sustainability extends beyond environmental concerns also applies to our emotional and social well-being. The latest State of the Heart report by Six Seconds reveals a troubling decline in global emotional intelligence (EQ), reflecting what can be called an emotional recession. The report shows that global emotional intelligence has declined for four consecutive years, dropping 5.54% since 2019. While the rate of decline has slowed, the trend persists into the post-pandemic era. In fact, in this post-pandemic reality, we’ve entered an emotional recession marked by low well-being and high burnout.

The graph below shows global averages on key Success Factors, along with emotional intelligence. The most dramatic drop—represented by the dark blue line—is in Wellbeing, now at an all-time low.

This downturn in EQ signals a lack of sustainability in how we manage emotions, relationships, and decision-making. When individuals and organizations prioritize short-term efficiency over long-term emotional well-being, burnout, disengagement, and mental health challenges increase. And if this unsustainable path continues, low global well-being will severely impair people’s ability to remain effective—in their work, in their relationships, and in their lives.

If we fail to sustain emotional well-being, how can we hope to create a sustainable world?

AI, Burnout, and the Hidden Sustainability Crisis 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping our lives and workplaces, yet its impact on emotional and environmental sustainability remains concerning. The AI & EI: Workplace Status Report by Six Seconds highlights a key dilemma: while AI can enhance efficiency, it often increases cognitive overload, accelerates decision-making pressure, and weakens emotional connection. This contributes to rising stress and burnout, further undermining emotional sustainability.

In the rush to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), a critical question has emerged: Are we unintentionally fueling a deeper, hidden crisis of sustainability—both emotional and environmental?

AI offers remarkable efficiency, speed, and innovation. But without the guiding influence of emotional intelligence (EI), it risks accelerating patterns of disconnection, burnout, and short-term thinking. As the Emotional Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence report by Six Seconds highlights, AI systems are fundamentally optimized for output, not well-being. They reflect the biases and blind spots of their creators—humans who are already grappling with emotional depletion in a post-pandemic world.

In workplaces around the globe, AI is reshaping jobs, amplifying pressure to “do more with less,” and automating human tasks without always considering the emotional costs. As people face increasing demands to adapt and compete with machines, stress, burnout, and emotional disengagement grow. In this environment, where speed often trumps reflection, empathy and human connection—the very elements that sustain long-term effectiveness—are at risk of being sidelined.

AI’s impact extends beyond emotional sustainability considering that the environmental toll of AI systems is also significant. Training large AI models consumes vast amounts of energy and resources like water, contributing to carbon emissions and straining an already fragile planet. In our pursuit of technological progress, without thoughtful integration of emotional intelligence, AI risks deepening both human and environmental unsustainability.

The intersection of EI and AI points to a crucial need: We must embed emotional intelligence into the way we design, deploy, and interact with technology. Instead of using AI solely to drive productivity, we can use it to enhance human well-being, foster connection, and support thoughtful, ethical decision-making. Emotional intelligence offers the mindset and tools needed to navigate complexity with empathy, to value people over metrics, and to build systems that are sustainable—not just in terms of efficiency, but in how they nurture life, connection, and purpose.

If we fail to integrate these principles, the future will not just be faster—it will be emptier, more isolated, and less sustainable. AI can either widen the emotional recession, or it can become part of the solution, and the choice, as always, depends on us.

How Emotional Intelligence Fuels Sustainable Change for People and Organizations

Therefore, how can we prepare ourselves for this shift? How can we leverage our resources to create environmental and social value? And how can we build a vision that not only supports us but also drives meaningful change?

Despite growing awareness of sustainability, many struggle to implement effective strategies and see tangible results. This is where Emotional Intelligence (EQ) emerges as a key resource. EQ offers an alternative path—one that relies on self-awareness, empathy, and conscious decision-making.

Through emotional intelligence, we can unlock our potential to influence sustainable change—not just from a technical or rational standpoint but from a deeply personal and emotional perspective. Sustainability begins within us.
When we develop emotional intelligence, we enhance our ability to:

• Make decisions that balance short-term gains with long-term well-being
• Cultivate resilience and adaptability in the face of change
• Strengthen collaboration and collective action toward sustainability goals

Sustainability is not just about environmental conservation—it is about sustaining our emotional and social well-being as well. The emotional recession, the growing impact of AI, and the ongoing struggle to implement sustainable strategies all point to a crucial missing piece: Emotional Intelligence.

By developing EQ, individuals and organizations can create a culture of sustainability that goes beyond policies and procedures. When we integrate emotional intelligence into our daily choices, we foster resilience, purpose-driven action, and a future that truly honors the needs of both present and future generations. And it all necessarily starts with us.