Sustainability: business, life, environment

A challenge with corporate sustainability has been all about changing mindsets and systems.  Businesses often try to sell change to the organization as a way to attain agreement and accelerate sustainable business implementation. Selling change to people is most often not a sustainable strategy for success.  It creates resistance. 
 
Think about it.  When somebody tells you what to do, do you do it?  Probably not.  No one likes to be told what to do - even when they are up for it.  While sustainable business strategies may further the corporate vision and simultaneously create meaningful work for employees, the employees actually have to be engaged and involved for it to be meaningful. 
 
Sustainable change needs be realistic, achievable and measurable. Before taking action, it’s important to ask a few questions.  As mentioned in our business sustainability programs, we encourage business leaders to gain insights and valued feedback from those involved.   
 
•    What do we want to achieve with this change?
•    Why and how will we know that the change has been achieved?
•    Who is affected by this change, and how will they react to it?

 
The traditional methods and approaches of getting employees on board with a corporate program are ineffective.  Sustainability is all about inclusion. By embracing sustainability’s core principals of inclusion, transparency, and engaged communication with stakeholders, sustainable change is not only possible but encourages ownership and accountability within multiple levels in the organization.