Have we clearly established the scope of sustainability, the goals we seek, the adaptability of the effort and governance that does not waver with changing operational conditions?
Each year enterprises endure a new wave of ideas. We have to wonder sometimes why the revelation hadn’t already been a part of routine business. Such as the case with the injection of SUSTAINABILITY into the mix of business operations even though it was first discussed in 1987. This would lead us to believe that it was a case in which value was not appreciated until conditions were such that it became a critical decision.
What we know about terms, like sustainability, is that they are grossly misunderstood. This leads to efforts being misguided and fail to achieve their desired velocity in an economically sound fashion. Contextually, the term sustainability was defined by Gro Harlem Brundtland, Chairman – World Commission on Environment and Development in which she states that “sustainability support ecological, human and economic health and vitality for future generations”. In order to support these endeavours, global enterprises were needed to share in this ideal. For many, the concept took on a different and more self-serving directive in so far as being able to grow and develop a viable enterprise that would ultimately lead to sustainability.
Today, the march in the name of sustainability has come into the light and address how enterprise viability can be used to provide a socially responsible role in business. A wee bit of perversion has taken place and used to amplify enterprise positions on social, environmental and human-related topics. What unfortunately occurs is that a position does not employ effort, only words. But these words can provide market value as well as consumer alienation. Words without action are meaningless - actions speak louder than words!
The Catalyst
In the last decade, we have seen renewed interest in sustainability. Global conditions, strife and realignment of roles have resulted in enterprises looking outside of their four walls and at the way they affect global sustainability. One mistake made is confusing sustainability with resilience (the ability to adapt to change) and as a result, the premise of sustainability becomes misused as a promotional tool.
“We form our wish based on our past and present state of life, and in doing so, create a longing for continuation, not necessarily with the intent of serving a contributory role for the benefit of others and into the future.”
Although it is an unfortunate mistake, the salvation is that it causes us to consider our real place in the social community and global. If you are resilient, it is an invaluable attribute in serving sustainability. Wishes and desires become frivolous endeavours that are shallow and meaningless, resulting in a loss of overall resilience. This can be thought of in much the same as having a desire to be immortal. We form our wish based on our past and present state of life, and in doing so, create a longing for continuation, not necessarily with the intent of serving a contributory role for the benefit of others and into the future. Thus, sustainability is not just words scoped by three areas of value but it must embrace the means by which credible achievement will be made.
Sustainability is more than just acclaim, it’s about making changes that create value for future generations.
Sustainable Substance
It is difficult to discern a must from a should. Sustainability involves compassionate consideration for future generations and this is tempered by the present state of the enterprise. Those that are struggling for survival are more apt to consider sustainability as something one does when things get better. It can also be viewed in somewhat of an opportunistic way to gain market (short term and risky). Unfortunately, this implies that sustainability is an option, luxury or represents a role only for viable enterprises. Sustainability is a character trait that represents an enterprise’s affirmed social responsibility. For others, whether starting or having a social responsibility, it represents a time to revisit the sustainability agenda. Have we clearly established the scope of sustainability, the goals we seek, the adaptability of the effort and governance that does not waver with changing operational conditions?
Sustainability fails when enterprises chose a means that overlooks comprehensiveness. Some examples include;
- Chemicals are bad for the environment and paint manufacturers removed an additive from one of their paint lines (EU law compliant). The attempt to be ecological compliant resulted in warm weather odours that resembled cat urine, requiring rooms to be repainted at the manufacture’s expense.
- Changes in educational curriculums have resulted in increased complaints from parents concerning what is perceived to be proper social norms. Topic examples include religion, diversity, sovereign rights and life skills. Enterprises have chosen to take stands on both sides of social sustainability parties.
- Ecologically sustainable investments that challenge economic sustainability. Electric cars provide low/no carbon footprints (eco-sustainable) but economically, other than the cost of the vehicle, we have the costs from counter eco-sustainability factors such as regeneration, mining and disposal considerations.
These few examples illustrate that one must think holistically when it comes to sustainability. Thinking on a piecemeal or single initiative basis will achieve velocity while creating havoc.
Digitisation efforts assist society by improving expediency and force a reaffirmation of how critical services are delivered.
Misery Loves Company
Most people hardly give much thought to sustainability. We are simply too busy running our enterprise. So when topics crop up, we rapidly consider their value and take steps to participate if we so chose. In our highly competitive state, we must be more attentive to these matters in order to achieve credible outcomes that produce value. As is the case with sustainability, it is not just acclaim for us but also the value that is created for future generations. Whether the future is two years or two hundred years, it must produce outcomes that contribute. Also, recognise that enterprises that are self-fulfilling will become isolated, which dramatically reduces resilience.
Measures as simple as recycling office and industrial waste, hosting educational pursuits or utilising reliable but impoverish supply chain sources are all doable and attainable. Governments also contribute by fostering a sustainable agenda. The support of enterprises by governments serves to enable and help shape the futuristic design of society.
Digitisation efforts assist society by improving expediency and force a reaffirmation of how critical services are delivered. When done incorrectly, what was once time-consuming transgresses to become a maze of digitised confusion. This illustrates that careful, considerate, and professional holistic attention must be exercised by the government in order to deliver sustainability. In doing so enterprises contribute to the vision and the government provides an essential climate for sustainability.
“Sustainability requires governance in order to provide and achieve durability. Governance is more than a vogue word, it represents critical ongoing oversight to sustain focus and adapt to disruptions of all types.”
Sustainability requires governance in order to provide and achieve durability. Governance is more than a vogue word, it represents critical ongoing oversight to sustain focus and adapt to disruptions of all types. Most likely the people involved with sustainability governance will take on this duty in addition to their routine role. This added load raises the question of resource capacity and the ambitious extent of the sustainability endeavours. It is strongly advised to exercise conservative ambitions befitting of enterprise, market and capacity considerations.
This means,
- Keep your initiatives small and holistically deliberate,
- Chose those that are somewhat immune from enterprise change factors,
- Be prepared for external disruptive effects that can impede sustainable efforts, and
- Form a routine cadence for proactive governance utilising digital indicator analytics.
As you peel back the layers of the onion, we start with sustainable deeds that we can control within the enterprise. These will ultimately contribute to a broader context that is less time-intensive and risky. It is from this that we can then look for ways to make a broader sustainability contribution, possibly locally or regionally, that will ultimately lead to potentially global sustainable efforts. Be cautious of the temptation to go big because of vision expedient opportunities. These areas have a high-risk profile that doesn’t necessarily produce comparable rewards.
Sustainability today requires technological support. Big data to acquire insight, analytics to measure, IoT (Internet of Things) to disseminate, and robotics to facilitate are essential.
What’s In It for ME?
Not everything we do in life equates to reward; often, it will involve a substantiation of purpose and the fulfilment of seeing some degree of positive outcomes. A small part is better than no part, and that part may be the difference not just in outcomes but also in how others chose to become sustainable citizens.
Enterprises aspire to have immortality but when we chose speed we lose mortality. Enterprises that enjoyed century-long histories are now replaced by decade businesses. Sustainability is impacted by this situation by having to make rapid ad hoc decisions that are based on circumstances and are unplanned. Do they work? Yes to an extent, but added attention is required to consider ramifications and monitoring of their deployment.
Sustainability today requires technological support. Big data to acquire insight, analytics to measure, IoT (Internet of Things) to disseminate, and robotics to facilitate are essential. When coupled together (Industrial Revolution [IR]4.0) a powerful adaptive and effective sustainable delivery can be enjoyed. Without such support we are left to implement sustainability inefficiently and may find ourselves struggling to keep pace, and on target.
Sincerity is the cornerstone of sustainability. One must not follow the lead of others and think holistically and more “thee” than “we”.
Cornerstone to Sustainability
The ever-present temptation is to follow the lead of others. Sincerity is the cornerstone of sustainability. Our own sustainability journey wasn’t much different from most. We viewed sustainability as enterprise viability involving resilience. This means our sustainability was really self-centred on our social responsibility. When we shifted from “we” to “thee” we came to the realisation that an enterprise is vulnerable when its role is internalised. Establishing a new view in so far as society, the economy and the environment amplified our appreciation for our contributory role. The upshot was an expansion to our mission, reliance improvements, how services would be delivered and the means of being of sustainable service.
We learned:
- More about ourselves and how sustainability influenced the personality of the enterprise,
- That sustainability was not an opportunistic endeavour but one that required careful scoping, clear vision and unselfish motives,
- Ambitious stretching is healthy but restraint must be exercised to ensure that contributions are not made at the expense of durable quality,
- No matter what your size or state that contributions can be made. We never expected to change the world, only to make a responsible and respectful contribution,
- Sustainability is dynamic and this means that governance is necessary. The ambition influences the resources required and therefore needs to be properly balanced.
- To carefully guard our image and branding. Popular sustainability topics are tempting but also are infused with substantial risk.
About the Author
Jerry Durant is Chairman and Founder of The Clarity Group Global an established advisory consultancy committed to technological and organisational advancement. Clarity Group also is engaged in various progressive ventures involving challenged enterprises recovery, intelligent philanthropic investments and greenfield research.
