ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
This is the third in a series of articles examining the many facets of ‘sustainable leadership.’ Find links to the entire series below.
The first step in our search for sustainable leadership has shown how purpose and values can make us more able to handle change. Managed correctly, this generates a form of competitive advantage that grows stronger with each challenge we face, making other leadership models “obsolete.”
This article looks in more detail at how we can achieve this.
LEADERSHIP -
This is one of a series of interviews that started when Rosie Warin, CEO of culture and communications agency Kin&Co, began having conversations with high–profile, values–driven leaders of the ‘purpose revolution’ about the future of leadership. Each explores how these leaders got to where they are now, and what they think the future of values–driven leadership looks like.
Did you know that Niall Dunne, Chief Sustainability Officer at BT, used to be a professional athlete? Or that his first job was on the floor of a cat food factory, and he used to break the rules? And that’s not even the best bit…
LEADERSHIP -
What if the next era will be better than expected?
Human beings are fascinated by the idea of predicting the future. We have always tried to know what lay ahead, by looking at events that were about to determine our destiny, for good or for bad, in order to be ready to face them.
The desire to have the power to foresee the future goes back to ancient times. In Eastern and Western cultures alike, fortune tellers, wizards, astrologists, ministers, oracles, shamans and prophets have interpreted comets and stars, atmospheric events, animal behaviors, bones, entrails, rings of smoke, crystal balls, the fire, their dreams, books and so forth.
LEADERSHIP -
The People’s Climate March is coming to Washington, DC on April 29th. Businesses and their employees can take part and show their support for climate action.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
I recently had the honor of speaking on the TEDx stage. In my talk, I asked: “Can we build an economy that isn’t built on greed? Is it possible to build an economy that is additive, not depletive?”
I believe we can, and I believe the Sustainable Brands community has a leading role in re-constructing our current economy and building one with a much stronger, more durable and more evenly distributed foundation.
This blog summarizes the message I gave in my TEDx talk.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
As a responsible shopper looking to do the right thing, you might think if a brand is openly talking about their environmental or labor practices, they’re probably legit. And if they show you a picture of a happy worker or an NGO partner, it’s probably a sign of good intent and practices, right?
Wrong.
Buyer beware — greenwashing (i.e. exaggerating their environmental chops or social practices in an effort to make themselves seem sustainable, and even diverting attention away from negative practices such as child labor, or the consumption-driven fast-fashion model) is definitely a thing, and it’s not just the big fast-fashion brands.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
This is the first in a series of articles examining ‘sustainable leadership’ and what it entails Find links to the full series below.
Building a ‘sustainable’ brand or enterprise can involve many things. Depending on your circumstances, these might range from generating sustainable solutions for everything from energy to supply chains, packaging, manufacturing, food, electronics, transport, marketing, buildings, textiles … Building a sustainable brand is about identifying the strategic and tactical priorities that face your business today and leveraging the more sustainable alternatives, which are constantly emerging, to solve them.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Luxury goods maker Shinola has unveiled a new national campaign — Let’s Roll Up Our Sleeves — that celebrates the American worker and work ethic, and encourages Americans to band together for the greater good.
LEADERSHIP -
Some leaders make change look easy. While most people strive to drive change through persuasion, they stoke our imaginations and inspire us to embrace daring new visions of what could be. How do they do it?
A breakthrough from the behavioral sciences called the Voice Code has answered this question, offering us profound new insights into the invisible levers of influence. These insights have now been made actionable through the LUCK cycle, the following four-step engagement sequence:
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
A little over a year ago, I was having a conversation about ‘brain drain’ with three change-makers in my community. We were debating what could reverse the brain drain of young people from smaller cities, towns and rural regions. Could we find out what other non-metropolitan regions are doing to keep their brightest talents in their hometowns to help their communities grow and thrive? We also questioned what an attractive and livable community looks like in the 21st century, in the age of connectivity, globalization and social enlightenment.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
As a humanist, Bill Gates has been on something of a roll. Recently, he launched Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a $1 billion fund for startups working on promising sustainable energy solutions. This isn’t actually that much money compared to what’s needed for a game-changing solution, but Breakthrough Energy will be only part of the funding picture, and $1 billion is undoubtedly a real boost.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
In celebration of World Water Day, brewer Stella Artois and National Geographic have joined forces to create Our Dream of Water, a documentary by Crystal Moselle spotlighting the effects of the global water crisis. The film, which was commissioned by Stella Artois, will premiere on National Geographic on March 22nd at 6:00 p.m. EST/PST. Our Dream of Water is an extension of the brewer’s Buy a Lady a Drink campaign, an ongoing partnership with Water.org.
LEADERSHIP -
You could say she’s unconventional. You could say she’s ambitious – her first job was an administrative assistant to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. But you can’t say she’s in it for herself – her proudest professional achievement is that of the individuals on her team. But who inspires Bea Perez – Coca–Cola’s Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP of Global Assets, Partnerships, Innovation, Licensing, Retail & Attractions – and what are her values?
LEADERSHIP -
Some leaders make change look easy. While most people strive to drive change through persuasion, they stoke our imaginations and inspire us to embrace daring new visions of what could be. How do they do it?
Believe it or not, a breakthrough from the behavioral sciences called the Voice Code has finally answered this question, offering us profound new insights into the invisible levers of influence. These insights have now been made actionable through the LUCK cycle, the following four-step engagement sequence:
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
In the land of systems thinking, there is a principle called “emergence.” It refers to the interaction of the parts of a system, whereby characteristics arise that cannot be found in any of the system’s individual parts.
In other words, something new forms.
WASTE NOT -
This is the first in a three-part series from The Recycling Partnership on collaborating to drive effective engagement – and action – around recycling.
Attention! Recycling needs you.
Wait, we’re still talking about recycling? Yep, and here’s the kicker: While recycling feels universal, it’s currently only functioning at 50 percent of its potential.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
This is part one of a four-part weekly series exploring the LUCK formula for creating the inner change necessary to become a transformational leader.
Some leaders make change look easy. While most strive to drive change through persuasion, they stoke our imaginations and inspire us to embrace daring new visions. How do they do it? Is there a secret formula or are they just lucky?
The simple answer is yes.
LEADERSHIP -
Change is one of the most challenging elements of life within an organization. To sustain a change agenda moving away from behaviors and decisions that are life-destroying to becoming life-enhancing, the nuances of both corporate culture and the patterns of human behavior need to be understood. This requires systems thinking - also called visual seeing and thinking skills.
I sat down with Fritjof Capra, one of the world’s most distinguished scientists and systems theorists, to discuss the implications of systems thinking for business, leadership and society.
NEW METRICS -
This post is a response to a challenge posed earlier this year to new IIRC Chief Executive Richard Howitt by Dr. Mark W. McElroy and Martin P. Thomas, co-authors of The Multicapital Scorecard (2016).
The goal to make Integrated Reporting the global norm in corporate reporting is indeed at a breakthrough moment.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The political unrest seems to be good for advertising with a conscience, as this year’s Super Bowl saw the highest number of Goodvertising campaigns ever.