Who drives sustainability in product design? A case study in aerospace

Paper in proceeding, 2026

To design for sustainability requires systemic change which cannot be carried by design teams alone. Using a case study approach in aerospace, this study investigates stakeholder influence in sustainable product development. It identifies main internal and external stakeholders and discusses how design teams should engage with them. Findings support practitioners to navigate structural barriers and plan design interventions, and highlight the research need to consider organizational structures, decision making processes, and cross-functional collaboration for sustainable product development.