Aiming for Sustainability is not Good Enough - We Need Courage

When talking about sustainability, there are a few important terms that come to my mind: honesty, courage, frugality, etc. Today, I want to talk about courage.

The former Unilever CEO Paul Polman shared a number of insights in this interview and I want to highlight two quotes which are well linked together:

• "How can a company profit from solving the world’s problems, not from creating them?"
• “If a goal is not making you uncomfortable, it’s not aggressive enough.”

Basically, we need to shift our mindset to "win-win" - currently we are stuck in win-loose. This new attitude means the planet wins, our global community wins, and we as companies win.

In order to achieve this, our operations and products need to become restorative, reparative and regenerative. This is what we as net positive leaders are required to do.

What is the biggest barrier? It is not technology, finances or capabilities. The biggest barrier is courage. What are Paul's suggestions?

1. Take responsibility for that total impact in the world; also the bad side of business
2. Operate for long-term benefits of business and society; actually, optimising the return for all stakeholders
3. As societal leaders, drive broader system changes
4. Be purpose driven, cherish partnerships, be multi-generational, show a high level of compassion or empathy, act with humanity and humility
5. Understand the importance of doing this in all parts of your business models, in all brands, in all operations; and the activities need to be consistent

Yes, this sounds huge; it is huge. Still, the best time to make your first step in this direction is today. One step at the time.

What is your first step?

Source: Former Unilever CEO Paul Polman Says Aiming for Sustainability Isn’t Good Enough—The Goal Is Much Higher, Harvard Business Review, November 2019