I have been working in the Sustainability /CSR business for many years now. And I am increasingly coming across more and more people that are of the opinion that the Sustainability Business sector is totally different from all the other business sectors.
So I asked myself that question. Is this business sector different to other sectors for example the chemicals business sector?
Is the Sustainability business sector different?
Can we actually say this is correct just because we as Sustainability professionals and enthusiasts, claim to have the moral high ground and possible answers on how to save our planet and all of us eventually?
The answer in my opinion is a clear “No”. I don’t think we can say that the business sector is different from any other business sector.
Why? Because no matter what you do, business, including the Sustainability related business, is being conducted between individuals that have their own personality, likes/dislikes, ambitions and education.
In my opinion any outcome / interaction of these individuals is what you call “Business”. These business basics are also valid for how business is conducted in the Sustainability business sector in my opinion. This is a very basic way of seeing business but it always helped me in the business world.
Having said that there is just one that probably is more developed in the successful business person working in the Sustainability sector then in other sectors.
What Really Counts in the Sustainability Business Sector
Being a level-headed, open and approachable person is essential and even more important in the sustainability business sector then it is in other sectors. Why? Because we can only then convince other people and organizations that we are serious about what we preach if we are seen as realists as well as enthusiasts at the same time. In other business sectors this not an absolute necessity for conducting business from what I have experienced so far. For people in the Sustainability sector this is an absolute business imperative.
This view of the Sustainability business sector always served me well but I am keen to hear what your experiences are? Do you agree or disagree?
Picture Credit: lepiaf.geo
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Good to read your comment on Sustainability professionals – very interesting thoughts.
In the past sustainability has been linked closely to environmental issues, meaning it could more easily be ignored by too many business leaders. The move of the definition to business sustainability is much more useful. By definition, this means that anyone truly working in this sector needs to have a business-wide understanding across economic, social and environmental streams.
The move to this definition makes the required sustainability professional a broad business manager, able to see how these three areas are balanced within an organisation. They need access to tools that allow them to be managed alongside eachother and tools that allow the risks of them not being effectively delivered fully identified. They also need to understand behavioural issues and change techniques that address these as much as changes to process, equipment and other tyes of 'hard' change. These tools are now available and should be part of the core skills of those in this business activity.
The sustainability professional of the future (required now!) needs to be a true business professional, otherwise they will be marginalised by those who have responsibility for business performance.
Good to read your comment on Sustainability professionals – very interesting thoughts.
In the past sustainability has been linked closely to environmental issues, meaning it could more easily be ignored by too many business leaders. The move of the definition to business sustainability is much more useful. By definition, this means that anyone truly working in this sector needs to have a business-wide understanding across economic, social and environmental streams.
The move to this definition makes the required sustainability professional a broad business manager, able to see how these three areas are balanced within an organisation. They need access to tools that allow them to be managed alongside eachother and tools that allow the risks of them not being effectively delivered fully identified. They also need to understand behavioural issues and change techniques that address these as much as changes to process, equipment and other tyes of 'hard' change. These tools are now available and should be part of the core skills of those in this business activity.
The sustainability professional of the future (required now!) needs to be a true business professional, otherwise they will be marginalised by those who have responsibility for business performance.
Good to read your comment on Sustainability professionals – very interesting thoughts.
In the past sustainability has been linked closely to environmental issues, meaning it could more easily be ignored by too many business leaders. The move of the definition to business sustainability is much more useful. By definition, this means that anyone truly working in this sector needs to have a business-wide understanding across economic, social and environmental streams.
The move to this definition makes the required sustainability professional a broad business manager, able to see how these three areas are balanced within an organisation. They need access to tools that allow them to be managed alongside eachother and tools that allow the risks of them not being effectively delivered fully identified. They also need to understand behavioural issues and change techniques that address these as much as changes to process, equipment and other tyes of 'hard' change. These tools are now available and should be part of the core skills of those in this business activity.
The sustainability professional of the future (required now!) needs to be a true business professional, otherwise they will be marginalised by those who have responsibility for business performance.