No more paper promises: A new approach to sustainability

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Post COP27, people are calling for leaders to move away from paper promises and focus on strengthening actionable targets to reduce rising global temperatures. 

In this area, organisations have a significant role. Companies have an immense task ahead when implementing sustainable business practices to achieve rapid, long-term emissions reduction. 

We need bold leadership, innovative solutions and an increased ambition for new approaches to combat these problems. One such course could focus on playing to strengths in places where organisations have the most effect, affecting meaningful change at scale. 

When adopting or transforming organisational sustainability, there are many aspects to consider, which may make it tempting to tackle everything at once. 

Current research suggests people are suffering from climate change anxiety leading to hopelessness and despair. Other studies explain that reluctance to act may ascribe to people feeling too distant from climate change or not feeling the effects yet. Whatever the reason, these experiences also crop up in organisational settings.

In contrast, when we play to peoples’ — and companies’ — strengths, confidence can increase by focusing on the favourable, can-do mindset. Organisations have often used a strengths-based approach to empower people and the same can apply to implementing sustainability. Here, a strengths-based approach requires being mindful of the adage, “how do you eat an elephant?” – by tackling sustainability one goal at a time. 

Knowing company limitations is crucial; organisations may realise they are part of the problem they wish to solve. This may sound counter-productive, but a company can only focus on its strengths if it knows its shortcomings. 

Then, once integrated, organisations can look at their shortfalls, as people would have become comfortable with sustainability and its actions. Facilitating this process often includes implementing a long-term framework as a practical business tool to set, support, and reach organisational goals.

Companies can also consider aligning internal frameworks to the sustainable development goals , mapping the relevant goals against core business. Arriving at these focus areas requires asking what an industry’s most critical sustainability needs are and where it can make the most significant difference. 

This way, organisations can grow while achieving aligned, appropriate goals to facilitate a smoother transition to sustainability instead of being a nice-to-have or add-on.  

But because we cannot work in isolation to tackle these complex issues, leaders must bring everyone along when embarking on this journey by joining forces with others in the private sector, governments, and communities while activating youth as future leadership drivers. 

Blueprint thinking — offering an alternative to standardised frameworks — provides a structure to navigate holistic planning, collaborations, and communications when considering external engagement. Like this, partnerships are centralised and more likely to be successful, allowing people to work together towards sustainability goals in areas of strength while making space for diverse voices at the table. 

Further, collective action through a strengths-based approach creates more opportunities for innovation, with science being the mechanism to get there. We see the successful application of scientific-based innovations by using, for example, technology when designing products, with end-of-life in mind to minimise production emissions and waste.  

The consequences of not being sustainable or working towards climate targets could significantly cost people and the planet, especially in regions like Africa, particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. After all, lives are not replaceable, neither livelihoods nor nature. 

In short, organisations must act to mitigate or remove activities that contribute to global emissions while also closing the loop and regenerating the damage already done.

While current ambitions aim to be carbon neutral over the coming years, achieving these goals will require learning to walk with others, innovation, and investment across borders. We have yet to arrive, and no one has all the answers. Only the most open, forward-thinking companies will be able to respond, creating a future for themselves and future generations, a feat made possible by playing to their strengths.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Mail & Guardian.