The Sustainability Challenge

Corporations are increasingly in the public spotlight, and the business decisions they make are now subject to scrutiny in both the traditional media as well as on blogs and Internet sites. And they are being judged on new, far-reaching criteria.

There is a growing sense among senior leadership that corporate responsibility is no longer an option. Now, to achieve sustainability, corporations realize they must pay attention to what is called the “triple bottom line” -- economic prosperity, environmental quality and social justice.

As a consequence, many companies are asking themselves a new set of questions: 

• What would triple bottom line success mean in our business?
• What impact are our business decisions having on the environment?
• Do our corporate values include concern for the physical health and well-being of the communities in which we do business?
• Are we aware of public attitudes? Are we concerned?
• Do we know the impact of our decisions on all levels of society?
• Do our corporate behaviors appeal to the employees we need to attract?
• Are we doing a good enough job of communicating our value system to our stakeholders? Employees? Shareholders? Unions? Service providers?
• What are the areas that we must begin to address to maintain our competitive edge?
• What are the areas in which we could more easily begin to make an impact?

As corporations are addressing these questions by launching initiatives that bring the CSR dimension into the business, they are facing new challenges. 

“The opportunities for making gains in sustainable practices require coordination across business units. The challenge is to have the whole organization see the big picture. You have to get everyone to play ball in a different way than business as usual.” Manager of CSR, Fortune 500

 

• Do you have trained leaders who can drive your organization towards sustainability?
• Do you have leaders who understand, believe in, and execute, corporate responsibilities?

The stakes are high. Until now, in the USA and much of the developed world, business decisions have been made on assumptions that are no longer valid, like resources are unlimited; growth and expansion are fundamentally good and carry no risks. Significantly, much of the corporate world has acted in almost willful ignorance of the consequences of their actions, and of the systemic connection between all facets of our environment. Each action has an impact on our larger system.

The Sustainability Revolution is changing the way business is done. Leaders are facing complex challenges, for which they have not been prepared. Practices in accounting, manufacturing, new product development, logistics, marketing, sales, procurement, investment, business development and Human Resources have all been set up to operate in a market-driven economy focused on global expansion, and on the principle of maximizing returns.  However, legislators, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the general public are looking at compliance and the impact of current practices.

As some companies have begun to realize, it doesn’t have to be at the expense of profit. On the contrary: multi-dimensional thinking can create wins on the environmental, business and community level.

But this requires a new way of thinking.

Do your leaders have the mindsets and skills to develop a sustainable business?

 “In a complex world, a complex mind in the leader is no luxury. We simply cannot afford otherwise.” Robert Kegan, Harvard University 

The new complex challenges demand more than linear thinking. They demand systemic, and creative thinking. They demand inquiry and advocacy skills. They demand increased self-awareness and dialogical negotiation skills.

LIM ’s CoRe (COrporate REsponsibility) Program is designed to develop the competencies and mindsets required for this new leadership profile...- more