So, Harvard Business School has developed an MBA Oath for graduating MBA students which requires them to “create value responsibly and ethically”. (Reported in the Financial Times, June 5 2009). It appears to have taken on a life of its own as over half the class signed within the first week. Of particular interest in the context of credit crunch and climate change is the clause that ‘I will strive to create sustainable economic, social, and environmental prosperity worldwide.’
The Impetus for Sustainable Prosperity
A round table chaired by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), and reported in their Finance & Management publication in May 2009, made some key observations about the imperatives in the business community that typically prompt activity to support sustainability. For example, the scramble to implement initiatives in order to meet impending legislation, or the need to avoid embarrassing encounters which may damage brand reputation and (more critically) financial performance and shareholder value. These are at best described as ‘away from’ or ‘avoidance’ motivations. Against this backdrop, what hope then is there for those who want to champion sustainability in their organization when it is perhaps not rewarded or recognized?
The Power of the Individual
Thankfully, it’s not all doom and gloom. Step forward David Evans, Chairman and CEO of the Grass Roots Group, who received the MBE in 2008 for his contribution to Corporate Social Responsibility (one of only three that had been awarded in this category at that time). Grass Roots invests a sizeable chunk of its annual commercial budget to projects such as waste management, environmental accreditation and investment in energy-efficient lighting. Internal initiatives include the ‘green team’ a self-selecting bunch of ‘eco-warriors’ who meet regularly to agree on, and implement, initiatives to support a more sustainable environment in the context of their business.
Grass Roots embraces and incorporates the green agenda into its business approach, and for the third year in succession has been included in the Sunday Times Top 100 mid-sized businesses to work for. Its capacity for ‘Giving Something Back’ was featured as a major strength.
It’s inspiring when the Chairman of an organization sets and drives the agenda to make a difference, and yet it is not the sole preserve of the ‘one at the top’. Fiona Astin of Synergy Housing Group has taken it upon herself to drive a sustainable agenda in her organization. She started back in 2005, and achievements so far have included converting the van fleet to be more environmentally friendly, and campaigning for a procurement manager to facilitate more joined up and sustainable purchasing across a range of office goods.
It’s worth mentioning that Fiona has gained a promotion to Group Development Manager during the time she has been spearheading this initiative, and now represents her company at forums for sustainable change across Europe.
5 Approaches to Personally Influence Change
For individuals who want to make a difference in their own organization, it is a diverse subject, and there is much information available. The following approaches, characteristic of both David Evans and Fiona Astin, may help you to make a start:
They have a genuine passion for creating a more sustainable world and this drives the action they take. What is it that drives you? There may be a particular aspect of sustainability that really gets you going – in which case that’s probably the place to start!
They know their stuff. They read around the subject and conduct their own research; find out what other companies are doing. Fiona has gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business from Cambridge University.
They are clear about what they want to achieve. They have a personal vision that drives them, and they can convert that into chunks of measurable action. They recognise that small steps are important.
They know their stakeholders, the key people they need to influence and get on board. They think laterally, because the key stakeholders may not always be the first people that come to mind. If the ‘80/20’ Pareto principle is alive and well in businesses across the world, this would suggest that 20% of employees will influence 80% of measures to improve sustainability. Choose your allies well.
They are empathetic to how their organization operates. For example, the first step Fiona Astin took was to create a business case for sustainability because she recognised that was the way Synergy approves new ideas and projects. She needed to set out the benefits of taking her proposed approach. Use existing channels and processes to gain buy-in for your ideas.
You can read more about Fiona’s approach in a case study.
The Final Word
Mahatma Gandhi, as quoted by Prince Charles in his recent Dimbleby lecture on ‘Facing the Future’, once said:
‘The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems’.
Contact us to discuss how you can influence positive change.
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© Helen Krag, 2009