The Weight of Sustainability
Heavy, critical and urgent is the sustainability revolution. Organisations and leadership teams must accelerate successful responses to the serious social and environmental sustainability pressures upon them if they are to be future fit.
As businesses struggle to deliver on sustainability change, which is reportedly harder than other transformations. Developing sustainability literacy and critical thinking capabilities, is essential due to three interconnected reasons:
1. Sustainability has been siloed as a current business demand, not a 4.0 revolution of business at its core.
2. Businesses are slow to recognise sustainability as the only way of being and acting in the world that assures us a future on this planet; and therefore is the only way to future-proof business.
3. People capability hasn’t been correctly addressed in developing the type of literacy and mindset that fosters new ways of working.
To alleviate the pressure we need a systems approach that looks at the whole, requiring innovative conditions for organisations and teams to act from. Where old ways of thinking and traditional business models give way to regenerative business solutions that intentionally deliver on the possibilities of our time.
Evolving Business Conditions
With the backdrop of increased legislation, evolving consumer attitudes and employee need for purposeful governance the responsibility for sustainability action lays heavily on business. The need for sustainability integration sets the stage for a change to systems-thinking where people see the whole. If people are able act from aligning with value-adding purpose sustainability change is possible. New conditions must be created to foster systemic solutions. By placing sustainability literacy and thinking at the core of business it would change ways of business design and working. Acceleration in uncertain times requires courageous leadership. Becoming a responsible collective, propelled into action through mutual support and governance.
"Sustainability is not just a new set of skills. It is a way of thinking, of facing the world, as it implies recognising the interconnection that exists between absolutely every human activity and nature, the limits of the planet, and the understanding of the necessary conditions to sustain life." - Kathrine Maceratta, 108 Sustainability Relationship Lead
VUCA as a Norm
VUCA model: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity are at play in the market. This is a concept that is used widely in strategic leadership. Businesses are at tipping point where the COVID has changed the landscape and change greatly accelerated requiring people to adapt their business behaviours with urgency. Shereen Daver and Sara Modig have created a training responses that carves our new possibilities; VUCA+ Vision, Understanding, Courage and Adaptability. Leaders are increasingly finding that leading and innovating in this VUCA climate requires new frameworks and skills that are courageous if they are to reap the benefits of a thriving whole system.
“Remember - thoughts are not truths, behaviours not natural laws. That doesn’t imply that they’re easy to challenge and change. But irrespective of magnitude, the steps of the journey are the same. The first step is reflection. The second action. Then repeat.” Sarah Modig, Usify. Co-creator of VUCA+-21 For Business™
Self and Systems Actualisation
Over the next 5-years businesses will be focused on positively effecting systems and cite this as critical in sustainability change. SDGs, ESG, accreditation’s and all the legislative carrots and sticks will not improve sustainability integration if the fundamentals of businesses don’t systemically change. The “fundamentals” start with a core, paradigm shift. Seeing things holistically, where whole organisations are deeply moved to be part of the change they feel is needed in the world.
“Organisations of all kinds are experiencing the effects of what some have called the “Great Resignation". This is a demonstration that when the talents, abilities and the inner spirit of employees are not harnessed it removes purposeful action and meaning. Addressing this is hugely important for business to realise as a recent McKinsey Report indicates that 70% of employees said that their sense of purpose is defined by their work. COVID has provided a pause and nudge to reflect on why they do what they do and for who.
This thinking has been taken as one way to navigate the corporate world by providing incentive and human potential development. However, exploring individual employee purpose shows a deep gap between front-line and leadership being able to fulfil this.
In effect this means rapid innovation of all departments lies in plain sight simply waiting to be activated. Human agency and the development of critical thinking, are the untapped weapons in the arsenal of sustainability integration. Looking beyond Self, able to understand the whole system which supports life, allows discovery of a value adding role within the eco-system so that self-actualisation is systems actualisation. Developing people capability to align their individual purpose with the businesses makes diverse thinking with divergent action the ultimate in inclusion and survival.
For Consideration
Consider that a business which evolves human agency, with a deep knowledge and an understanding of motivation, could create positive change and a new end to our story.
"The need to rewire business for sustainable practices is urgent and real. It is our responsibility to show up for humanity and help break the limiting thoughts preventing us achieving the goal of regenerative living" - Shereen Daver, 108 Ateliers
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