DISCUSSION Force for Good Pioneers

by Luisa Bramao Ramos

Dr. Mark Wade (a Trustee of Tomorrow’s Company) pointed out that despite this progress profound change is still needed to attain sustainability. The ‘Vision 2050’ study, undertaken by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, produced a visual mural that lays out the pathway to be followed over the next 40 years to ensure society does become sustainable. It is clear that a lot yet needs to be done. Take a look at it here.

However, there is no question that there has been a shift in the way businesses operate, and a transformation in what we consider to be most important. The manner in which business needs and people’s needs are bridged has changed, and during the past 50 years there has been an overall shift in values. It was suggested that perhaps something revolutionary is happening, manifested in the current thinking about leadership and about business. CSR is driven from within this. It is new values being put into practice. All the current crises, be they environmental, social or economic are inter-linked and there is an acute pressure and inner motivation to overcome these. It requires heart. Tania, aptly paraphrasing the Dalai Lama, said that if you can’t give from the heart, give anyway, and the heart element will eventually come. This is perhaps the driving sentiment required in our time, and this is perhaps how we have all become, or are striving to become, more spiritual.

Professor David Wheeler (Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Plymouth Business School) posed the following question: yes, there has been progress and change, but in reality, what is actually different about today’s conversation as compared to conversations had by industrialists in the 1850s? How do we take this lovely discourse about Western companies doing mostly the right thing and project that in a more global sense, one that transcends the western view and the capitalist model? Indeed, how do we make sustainability real for Africa, Asia and the entire globe? Without an all-inclusive approach, sustainability will not amount to much.

Ramon then spoke about Interface’s view that the future of sustainability is hinged on promoting a shift from corporate to products. People buy products, not companies, so measuring sustainability should begin and end by measuring a products impact. To read more about Interface’s Environmental Product Declarations and Full Product Transparency policy go here.

The discussion that followed pointed out that even in the tobacco or weapons industries, CSR reporting has become more honest and the products themselves have become more sustainable. However, an inherent problem is that there is no simple way to measure the impact of any given product, be it a carpet tile or a stadium, nor is there a simple way, as Mark pointed out, of making these numbers meaningful in a way that has traction and that will drive change. It is not just labelling, it is when for instance the price of energy goes up because one product consumes more, that numbers on a label actually start to take on significance. David followed on by saying that for some people, good fair trade indicators about a product are much more important than its carbon impact. So, how do we weigh up and differentiate what is valuable? Audiences and stakeholders have to be understood.

Interface’s example nevertheless encourages others to innovate, provides competition and creates relevant sustainability accountability. When you link EPD facts and figures to reporting they become truly important as they are a much better measure of impact. Perhaps in the future, when one can amass what a product’s environmental, social and economic impact is and communicate it in an effective and meaningful way – and this is done so across the entire gamut of products in the world -the planet will be truly sustainable.

There was a very positive response to the idea of creating a forum and a learning community that will carry these discussions into the future. It will exist both virtually and physically in order to allow for intimate and expert discussions that can be followed and informed by a global audience. It will tap into the student population that is eager to learn from the experience of those who live the field, and in a way that is more interactive than your typical lecture/speech. It will provide guidance and support to all those engaged in this complex area and this meeting of minds will hopefully generate some co-creative value. These can take on numerous forms; be they reports, toolkits or webinars that can later be accessed on YouTube. Most importantly, it will be a living and breathing community providing a platform where one can both learn and teach.

This is what we’re currently working on. Back to the springboard!