Making Sense of Sustainability
The sustainability movement has been around for decades, but in recent years, its popularity really took off when it became very clear that not taking action in this area had real world consequences. Impacts felt by the many and threatening our way of life meant corporate sustainability became a social responsibility. People are concerned about the sustainability of how we live on this planet and want to be proactive in preserving it. But what does sustainability mean in the context of your business or job?
What we are actually asking ourselves are these two main questions:
(1) Am I engaging in activities that advance us as a society, or have a positive impact on the world?
(2) Am I engaging in activities that do no harm to people and don't upset the balance of natural environment?
Think like a Sustainability Superstar
When you start thinking like a Sustainability Superstar, you can tackle any endeavour by thinking:
What positive impacts will this project, activity or business create in the world? Examples include closing the loop of a waste stream, protecting natural resources, creating renewable energy supplies to replace fossil-fuels, and uplifting marginalised communities.
What negative impacts will this project, activity or business cause in the world? Examples include treating workers poorly, destroying ecosystems, creating waste streams, and incentivising greater inequalities, funding systems that perpetuate the same problems.
So where do I start?
Making sustainability a priority in your life can seem daunting. When you're just starting out, it might feel like there's too much to do and not enough time to learn how to take action on an issue or approach that really resonates with you. Plus, society is inundated with messages about what kinds of things are important when it comes to sustainability, you'd be entirely forgiven for feeling stuck and overwhelmed.
I've been working with clients for over fifteen years, some with huge teams and dedicated humans whose role it is to think about and implement sustainability in these huge companies. And, you know what I have learnt? There is no right or wrong way of doing it. The only thing you can do is not do anything at all.
So start small. Just pick one topic or area of your business that you feel passionate about or you know might be causing a negative impact in your business or industry. Still not quite sure where to start? Take for example, this - it's well known that STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) tend to attract a certain personality type and predominantly men. As a result these industries are not benefitting from the diversity of thought and problems are beginning to emerge. What happens when a group of white male technicians create AI? They write algorithms that work really well for people like them and fail to see the inherent flaws that might not work for other sets of people. That's why we see a huge amount of effort across the industry, by multiple players to attract candidates from different genders and ethnicities into these roles. It's not just diversity for its own sake, there is a valuable impact that comes from having different kinds of people in the room.
I can talk on this for hours, but if you are just getting started and want an easy guide to being your own sustainability consultant (whether for your own project at work or for a business you own), then download my free seven step guide. Then tell me the ONE thing you are going to do now - because that's the point. Not just to learn but to implement. If you want help applying this knowledge to your own project or business, please do get in touch. I'd love to help you... until next time Superstar!
