Illusion of success?
October 4, 2009
I understand their scepticism. Sustainability is to be achieved by actions and true progress rather than signatures. Yet, one should not turn a blind eye to the signs of a different future.
One such sign can be found in the publication of the the annual Chinese rich list compiled by Hurun, a Shanghai-based consultancy. The owner of BYD, a Shenzhen car and battery maker has emerged from the growing pack of Chinese millionaires to be named the richest person on the mainland after a boost to his wealth driven by an investment from Warren Buffett. The second place on this list was for Zhang Yin, whose family controls Nine Dragons Paper, a paper recycling and packaging company.
In the Financial Times Rupert Hoogewerf, of Hurun, said: “It seems to me pretty significant that the two richest people in China are both now from companies that have an important green element.”
Then again, in the same FT article it is being said that not all green entrepreneurs have fared well over the past years. Several examples of tumbling millionaires are presented.
So the green business shows real success and real failure; and this is the case not only in China. The Netherlands has its own share of examples that fit both categories. The green industry is resembling mainstream business in more and more ways. Real success, sometimes the illusion of success, and real failure.
The bottom line is that the green market and sustainability entrepreneurs have left behind the stage of writing signatures under lofty principles. Enough reasons to leave skepticism behind us; don’t measure the success of sustainability in terms of signatures but in terms of business.
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