Design thinking as a creative approach to sustainability

Sustainability has traditionally been framed as an external objective, driven mainly by compliance with regulations and corporate social responsibility. This paper proposes a paradigm shift toward "SustainAbility", conceptualized as an intrinsic capacity for individuals, organizations, and systems to internalize sustainable principles. By critiquing compliance-driven approaches, such as the EU Non-Financial Information Directive in producing a real transformative impact, this paper identifies a gap: the need to transition from surface-level reporting to embedding sustainability, into behavioral and organizational change. To bridge this gap this paper positions Design Thinking as a transformative methodology, rooted in creativity, empathy, and iterative problem-solving, suitable for systemic sustainability challenges. We present a multi-dimensional framework that connects Design Thinking to behavioral and organizational shifts through four pillars: aligning behavior with systemic goals, embedding iterative processes as adaptive mechanisms, operationalizing systems thinking for strategic impact, and fostering a culture of innovation and resilience. These contributions aim to inspire innovation, behavioral change, and systemic real transformation in sustainability science and practice.