_{Written by Ashley Shak, Head of Sustainability & Innovation Programmes at Dogpatch Labs}

When you hear “sustainability”, you probably picture solar panels, composting, and that reusable coffee cup you always forget (guilty). But at Dogpatch Labs, we take a different approach — one that’s less about guilt and more about meaningful change. Yes, we care about the planet, but sustainability is about more than just going green. It’s about building a world, and a society, that future generations can truly thrive in. And to achieve big goals like the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we need to take a holistic view of what it really takes to create a better future.

I often become so exhausted by the doom and gloom surrounding the climate crisis conversation. It’s a huge issue, no doubt, but I think so many people are caught up in the negativity that they fail to realise that climate is only one piece of the giant sustainability puzzle. That negativity has led to so much climate anxiety that every day I see more and more people clinging to things like emissions tracking as their only source of feeling in control. But, sustainability isn’t just about the numbers. It’s also about the people. If we keep reducing sustainability to a checklist, we’ll miss the bigger picture.

Building Partnerships for Change

My favourite Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) has always been SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Working in the private-public partnership space for years, I’ve always believed this is where my life’s work can deliver the most impact. As the Head of Sustainability and Innovation Programmes at Dogpatch Labs, I help drive partnerships between the private and public sectors to innovate and solve pressing sustainability issues. When the SDGs were first created in 2014, the estimated funding gap to achieve these global goals was $2.5tn (USD). Today, that gap has almost doubled to over $4tn (USD). This massive funding gap is where ecosystem connectors like Dogpatch come in.

We bridge the gap between those with funds (VCs, corporates) and those who need them (startups, founders). However, to make the biggest impact possible, we all must broaden our understanding of what sustainability encompasses. The SDGs don’t just stop at SDG 13: Climate Action – there are 16 other ones addressing areas of equal importance like gender equality, anti-corruption, access to education… the list goes on. These issues all end up intersecting when you take a holistic view of sustainability. 

Founders worthy of sustainability funding aren’t just creating carbon accounting platforms or biodiversity trackers. They’re also solving human-centred challenges — like eliminating period poverty, connecting Direct Provision mothers to unwanted baby clothes, or using AI to make the internet more accessible. By facilitating these partnerships and connecting the right people, we’re driving sustainability in ways that go beyond the usual green checklist. We’re creating a future where tech innovation tackles both environmental and human challenges — because real, lasting sustainability is about people as much as it is about the planet. 

So, What is Dogpatch Doing?

Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Dogpatch Labs, even when it’s not immediately obvious. Our mission is to develop and accelerate an ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs as society’s agents of change. We get that sustainability isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s a human one, first.

Take our latest innovation partnership with Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail. We’re working with the team to run its internal incubator Future Track, which has the dual purpose of upskilling its workforce and advancing its Rail2050 sustainability strategy. On the surface, its Rail2050 strategy is about becoming the backbone of sustainable transportation in Ireland. What does that mean? Your typical green moves like reducing car use, electrifying trains, and using renewable energy. But dig deeper, and there’s more. Beyond cutting emissions, these sustainability projects also have the potential for larger societal impacts, such as connecting people to further education, driving rural regeneration and creating better job opportunities for those who can’t afford to live in cities. This is what sustainability means to us — improving lives, not just reducing carbon.

The same mindset drives our 2050 Accelerator, Ireland’s national sustainability accelerator, which will be opening soon for applications. We worked with startups that knew sustainability wasn’t just about lowering emissions. Take EIO Diagnostics, led by founder Tamara Leigh based in Sonoma, California. She created a thermal camera which detects early infections in cows, improving animal health and reducing emissions. But the real win was that it improved workers’ lives, eliminating the need for risky and unpleasant manual checks. This is the sustainability mindset and approach we hope to inspire — tackling environmental and human issues at the same time.

Unlocking the Sustainability Innovator in Everyone

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: The work you’re doing right now is already contributing to the bigger sustainability picture. If you’re a corporate reading this and your sustainability strategy starts and stops at measuring CO2 emissions, then it’s time to think bigger and better. Get in touch with us. We want to partner with organisations that are serious about making a far-reaching and lasting impact beyond the climate crisis.

On an individual, everyday and human scale — don’t stress about that plastic straw you’re using or burger you’re eating. The idea that individual actions alone can fix the climate crisis can be a debilitating distraction against the potential for real impact. Instead, I challenge you to see yourself as a sustainability innovator in your own field. Whether you’re in healthcare, marketing, retail, and beyond; every role has the potential to create positive change and contribute to a more sustainable society. So, think of sustainability as more than a “green” thing — see it as a human thing and know that what you’re doing matters in ways you might not even realise. Now’s the time to own that and step into your role as a true sustainability champion.