Greening business is more like a triathlon than a marathon
November 14, 2011
Last weekend I read the article “Why firms go green” in The Economist. It was a disappointing piece. It points out that more businesses see profits in “greenery”, but it presents sustainability (“ a woolly term”) as a new development.
For over a decade our firm has been advising corporations about the opportunities of sustainable entrepreneurship. Yet, this is relatively new and woolly to The Economist?
Today’s Dutch Financieele Dagblad included an insert in the “Future leaders event”. It presents sustainability as a key element of the business agenda. Looking at the challenges ahead, the message is that there is basically no alternative for a transition to a green and more efficient economy. This shows a needed sense of urgency to the article in The Economist. Whether the “future leaders” are capable of making the change remains to be seen, but there definitely seems to be a clear commitment to try.
In terms of sense of urgency, however, Peter Bakker, the new President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) stands out. Bakker, ex CEO of TNT, is interviewed in today’s Guardian (“Radical change and innovation is needed to meet the challenges ahead)”. He claims a fundamental shift in business models, values, and behavior is required for a more sustainable future. Bakker points to the need for companies to go through a fundamental reimagining of their business models. While he sees increasing numbers of companies experimenting, the key task now is to bring them to scale.
Peter Bakker’s drive is very well known and his amount of energy is very much needed. As long as the majority of CEO’s still regard greening-the-business as an option -- something to consider for when the economy is back on track - we have not surpassed the awareness phase. More is needed in terms of discipline, distance and endurance. Looking at it this way, the metaphor for realizing the transition to sustainability is in fact not a marathon but a triathlon. Let’s keep going!
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