Sustainable Business – Pure survival strategy
People can also be like this …
… and they have always been able to do so all over the globe.
“We fish on our side, you fish on your side, and nobody fishes in the middle.”
“Manchau gagog changau gagog chaugo gagog amaug“
This is the name of a lake in America, to be understood as a simple instruction for the sustainable use of vital resources. (cited in Edmund Spindler, History of Sustainability, p.2)
Sustainability or sustainable development has roots in all cultures, but indigenous peoples in particular lived their responsibility in a very conscious way because of their closeness to nature.
A sense of sustainability, responsibility and respect for nature can also be seen in Commons thinking, for example, which was about the shared management of grazing land.
Companies need a new operating system
As long as it is a “nice to have” to be “also sustainable”, everything is usually fine.
But when it comes to making one’s own business seriously sustainable, to making the effort to do so, to discarding entrenched patterns of thought and action and venturing into uncharted territory, things look very different.
Doing sustainable business in an unbridled capitalist and consumer-driven world means nothing less than developing “a new entrepreneurial operating system.”
The usual argumentation I often hear is: First I am successful and then I take care of nature and social issues. So loosely, “First do well an then do good.”
Unfortunately, the environment shows us, the impending climate catastrophe shows us, conflicts and wars around the globe show us that we can and should no longer afford this attitude if we want to keep the earth at least still “suitable for grandchildren”.
The world is a multi-dimensional energy field consisting of countless interdependencies, immeasurably complex and highly unpredictable. “Either-or” has had its day; a “both-and” attitude is more likely to get us ahead.
Sustainable management is a survival strategy, and there is historical evidence of this across cultures, as the example above shows.
Industrialization and the unbridled development of capitalism have brought material wealth – for many, at the expense of nature and at the expense of social justice.
The Maslow Pyramid
In 1943, the American psychologist Abraham Maslow published the famous pyramid of motivation in his paper “A theory of human motivation” (Psychological review). Unbridled material growth, capitalism and consumerism to the point of no return serve mainly the first 2 levels, and disproportionately broadly.
The satisfaction of the levels above remain wishful dreams or empty promises (see also Anders Indset Quantum Economy. What comes after digitalization, Econ 2020).
Prosperity: More than money and possessions
Prosperity is more than money and possessions. But what does the new picture of economic success look like, one that also satisfies the upper levels of Maslow’s pyramid, that makes prosperity possible for all and does not ride the world to shame?
This cannot be done at the push of a button. Making the business of a company sustainable and aligning it with ESG criteria is a turnaround with innovative and also disruptive potential. Here, the whole operating system has to be changed, not just one or two accessories. Those who move faster and more confidently here will succeed.
Every great journey begins with the first step. It starts with values, mindset, purpose, includes framework, a strategy for sustainability followed by deriving business opportunities and action plans. An exciting and rewarding task – from start to finish.
Please note,
because above all this should be considered and not underestimated:
In the future, European legislators will require all companies – even small ones – to credibly disclose their sustainability efforts.
On the other hand, banks are required to canalize their financial flows in a sustainable manner.
For companies, that means: If they want a loan from banks, the financial institutions will question their efforts in sustainability and classify their project as creditworthy in terms of sustainability or not.
So do the right thing today. Let’s talk.
Learn more
