Organizational Change
The latest creative strategies and tools helping organizations to engage their teams in building market-leading, purpose-driven brands.
Is Your Board Competent and Proactive on Sustainability? It Should Be
It was the mid-‘90s. The Board of Directors at Vancity – a large regional financial institution based in Vancouver, Canada – was struggling to get management’s attention on its social purpose agenda. I and the other directors believed that marrying social goals with the company’s business could create a powerful vehicle for regional prosperity: attract customers, become a force for social progress and build business. The impasse continued until our Board identified a key leverage point: incorporating our social business objectives into the CEO’s incentive pay. That turned out to be the difference-maker.
Why Sustainability Should Be Embedded in HR
There’s an urgent challenge for human resources leaders: Ensuring their organizations anticipate and prepare for the inevitable effects of sustainability mega-forces. As globalization, shifting demographics and competition for the world’s depleting resources compel transformational change, companies will need enlightened and sustainability-savvy leadership to thrive in this brave new world. HR has a significant role to play to align talent with these emerging realities.
Kingfisher Integrates Sustainability Team Alongside Customer Insights, Communications
Home improvement company Kingfisher, which owns retail chains B&Q, Castorama, Brico Depot, Screwfix and Koçtaş, is undergoing major changes within its sustainability team, reports edie. Rather than reporting to a sustainability director, Kingfisher’s sustainability team is now managed alongside its customer insights, corporate affairs and external communications divisions under the company’s newly-appointed Chief Customer Officer, Pierre Woreczek.
New UN Campaign Enlists Women in Boardrooms to Speak Up About Climate Issues
A new UN-backed initiative is enlisting the help of female execs across the world to bring climate change concerns into boardrooms.
Ford Designing New Campus to Drive Innovation and Collaboration, Invest in Employees
Ford Motor Company today announced plans to transform its Dearborn facilities into a modern, sustainable, high-tech campus to foster innovation and help drive the company’s transition beyond mere automaker to a mobility company. The 10-year transformation of the company’s more than 60-year-old Dearborn facilities will co-locate 30,000 employees from 70 buildings today into primarily two locations — a product campus and a world headquarters campus. More than 7.5 million square feet of workspace will be rebuilt and upgraded into even more technology-enabled and connected facilities.
From Sustainable Technology to Sustainable Evolution
In my previous article I examined the challenge of developing our authentic purpose. In this article I would like to explain a little about how we can approach authentic purpose with a view to helping businesses and organisations make the leap from developing sustainable technology to achieving sustainable human evolution.
The Power of ‘And’: 10 Guidelines for Powerful Purpose Strategy and Programming
A few months back, I led a panel at the annual Points of Light conference in Houston, TX, where we discussed some very important topics along with one very small word: “and.” As in, how to bring credibility and sustainability to a company’s purpose, or how to connect strategies, concepts and people.
Sustainability Reporting 101: Eight Steps to Driving Business Growth
When it comes to sustainability reporting, companies may feel like they’re in an increasingly uncomfortable public-private vice. On one side, consumers and shareholders are pressuring organizations to be better corporate citizens and increase transparency. Governments are establishing more reporting requirements as well, which will inevitably multiply through initiatives such as the recent Sustainable Innovation Forum at COP21.
Do We Still Need a CFO …?
…or should the role be replaced by a ‘Chief Value Officer,’ as suggested by Marga Hoek in her new book, New Economy Business? A CVO role would focus on broader value creation and is responsible for integrated reporting and integrated thinking within the organization. Many voices are suggesting we rethink our form of capitalism, and in this wake the groundswell for the topic of Integrated Reporting as proxy for Integrated Thinking is ever increasing, and new momentum was added in recent weeks: Example Quotes Larry Fink — CEO, Blackrock — world's largest asset management company
The Modern Slavery Act: Why Inaction May Be Commercial Suicide
‘Forced labour affects roughly 21 million people around the globe, of whom 68% are exploited for private economic gain.’ These chastening figures, produced by the International Labour Organisation, are spurring governments around the world to bring in tough new measures to deal with this $150 billion industry.
The Leo Effect: In a Post-CSR World, Can Purpose Really Co-Exist with Profit?
When Leonardo DiCaprio channeled his long-awaited Oscars acceptance speech last weekend into an urgent call to climate action, it represented something of a defining moment. In just 60 seconds, he effortlessly pushed the emerging concept of ‘society as stakeholder’ into the media spotlight, forcing more than 34 million viewers to take note.
Oscars Parties Putting the Spotlight on Purpose, Sustainability
What if the celebrities on the red carpet were asked questions such as “What is your purpose?” instead of “Who are you wearing?” PwC wants to find out. A partner in tallying the Oscar ballots and delivering the results on the big night, PwC aims to rethink the role of the red carpet.
How a Partnership with Parley for the Oceans Is Driving Engagement at adidas
Leading up to her trip to the Parley Ocean School, adidas Group designer Jasmin Bynoe was unsure of what to expect. She was about to take to the seas for a 5-day adventure in the Maldives alongside 17 of her colleagues from adidas; they would be learning about plastic pollution and what they could do to help from Parley for the Oceans educators, and it was sure to be a unique experience.
The Big Short Meets The Big Bang: Can Wall Street Win in Sustainable Investments?
Nearly 12 months ago, I dove into the investment ecosystem to survey from the inside the dynamics of the ‘sustainable investing’ trend. I was moved to do so by the much ballyhooed transfer of investable wealth to values-seeking millennials (estimated at $30 trillion) and to women (estimated at $22 trillion). How prepared was Wall Street to meet this imminent and perhaps pent up demand for well-performing investment vehicles that enhance the sustained well-being of people and the planet?
#BeeSustain: Inspiring Greater Sustainability at Global Conference Events
The 2016 MPI European Meetings & Events Conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday saw the launch of the #BeeSustain Challenge, an immersive new workshop experience intended to help industry professionals to incorporate sustainability into event planning, share best practice and reduce their financial outlays.
What Are We Really Eating? DNA Testing Enhances Transparency for Consumers, Supply Chains
As the demand for transparency and emphasis on consumer choice continue to grow, so do the challenges of supply chain management. Brands are increasingly expected to work with their suppliers to reduce their environmental impact, eliminate labor abuses, and replace certain ingredients. Ensuring product quality and label accuracy remains an issue, especially for brands with international suppliers or extensive supply chains.
New Global Commission Aimed at Quantifying Business Case for Helping to Achieve SDGs
Businesses that join global efforts to end extreme poverty and protect the planet’s finite natural resources can reap great rewards and protect their long-term performance, a proposition that will be tested by a new commission launched today at the World Economic Forum.
Global CEOs' Growth Confidence Falling as Geopolitical Threats Rise
Two-thirds of CEOs (66 percent) see more threats facing their businesses today than three years ago. Just over a quarter (27 percent) believe global growth will improve over the next 12 months, a decline of 10 points on last year.In addition, PwC’s Annual Global CEO survey shows only slightly more than a third (35 percent) are very confident of their own company growth in the coming year, down four points on last year (39 percent), and even one point below 2013.
Millennials Seeing How Business Can Be More Innovative, Sparking Innovation from Within
Millennials are earning a reputation for doing things differently. They communicate intensively using social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest), are revolutionizing transportation (Uber, Lyft), and are now demanding corporate sustainability and accountability. Currently the largest living generation in the United States, Millennials have enough ‘buying power’ to throw their weight around.But this innovation doesn’t happen by chance or because Millennials passively expected it — they create it by advocating for themselves.
#BusinessCase: Hilton's Global Activation on Sustainability Has Saved It $550M Since 2009
Four years after launching its corporate responsibility strategy, Travel with Purpose, Hilton Worldwide says its investments in global partnerships and sustainability programs is not only driving positive social impact, but also supporting long-term business success. Hilton discusses its strategy and provides updates on its global impact in its fourth annual corporate responsibility report.Travel with Purpose was designed to examine global issues where Hilton can make an impact while simultaneously contributing to its future success:
