Sustainability: A trend or a necessary approach?

What is there to know about Sustainability? How can we participate in this change as businesses or individuals? This article will provide useful tips to help you navigate the journey to sustainability.

Change happens around us, for better or worse

Let's face it. Change is not always a choice you make for yourself. Often it is unexpected and elicits strong emotion - joy, sadness, hostility or uncertainty. Your attitude towards a change may depend upon how you think it will affect you. It is quite natural to resist change only because of the stress of not knowing what lies ahead. 

Think of some good and not-so-good changes that have come your way. How do you respond to change that pushes you outside your comfort zone? Do previous experiences influence how you react to change?

• Executing a new business strategy or set of goals
• Restructuring or rebranding of the organisation
• Implementing a new IT system
• New policies, training requirements and job expectations
• Changes to management, job roles or workforce size
• Initiatives to lift performance e.g. safety or culture
• Launching new products or approach to marketing and sales.

As an employee, you are expected to engage in "change initiatives" that help improve the company's performance. How do you participate? 

Sustainability is a relatively new concept for modern society and business. The new challenges we face mean we need to change, push our boundaries and adopt new approaches. Creating a sustainable society is a collective, long-term journey that affects us all personally and professionally. Some may resist change or ignore the need for it, but pressures on people and the planet are already evident. The change required is transformative; we need to reimagine the way we address every challenge, much of the work lies in challenging our own assumptions about what's possible.

Here are some introductory points about the type of change we need to make to achieve sustainability:

1. It's a journey. creating a sustainable society is a collective long-term journey that affects us all personally and professionally.
2. This is something new. sustainability is a relatively new idea for modern society and business the new challenges we face mean we need to push our boundaries and take on new approaches.
3. Change is inevitable. some may resist change or ignore the need for it but pressures on people and planet are already evident.

The change required is transformative. we need to reimagine the way we address every challenge much of the work lies in challenging our own assumptions about what's possible.

A Paradigm Shift

Ultimately, sustainability is about redefining human prosperity on planet Earth. It is a new paradigm that requires us to think about our place and purpose in the world. We need to change how we think in order to change how we act. As Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

Tips for Participating in Change Toward Sustainability

1. Teamwork: The scale of change needed is bigger than any single actor can implement alone. Teamwork both within and between organizations is essential. More and more businesses are showing that it is possible to work together to change norms and standards in a sector, even while competing for the same customers.
2. Acknowledge Complexity: Global change is complex and unpredictable. We have to get better at working with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.
3. Learn by Doing: There are many good examples to learn from, but no one has all the answers. We need to be prepared to take risks, experiment, prototype, learn from our mistakes, and build on each other's achievements.
4. Be Bold: The journey is long, but keeping sight of the goal is important. We need to constantly think of ways to lead, push the boundaries, and become more innovative. The good news is that year after year, we see businesses making more ambitious commitments to sustainability.
5. Lead by Example: Much of the world is still quite unaware of how serious our challenges are and the scale of change needed. Those of us with knowledge must share it and lead the way.
6. A Race Against Time: Our window of opportunity is closing. Pressures on the environment continue to increase as the population grows and available resources are reduced. We need to challenge ourselves to do better and move faster.
7. Remain Hopeful: The state of our world can sometimes be depressing. We have to stay hopeful, encourage progress, celebrate it, and inspire others to act. Focusing on low-hanging fruit (simple and easy actions) is a great way to build momentum and get results that can be expanded upon.
8. Every Step Counts: When the scale of a challenge is so large, it is easy to forget that small steps really do matter. Steps may be small on their own, but when taken by a lot of people, they all add up. Small steps also enhance our familiarity with change so that it no longer seems so daunting.
9. Think Global, Act Local: Take a global perspective while working on your local issues. Doing so will show us what works in different parts of the world and inspire further action. Our unique connection to and knowledge of places and cultures can be used to make change happen.
10. Focus on Opportunity: There is a lot to gain and everything to lose. Businesses can create new opportunities by offering more sustainable solutions, foreseeing changes to customer preferences, and reducing the cost of future challenges and uncertainty.
     

The Benefits of Embracing Change for Sustainability

Embracing change for sustainability can lead to numerous benefits, both personally and professionally. By viewing change as an opportunity, we can harness its power to drive growth and success. Here are some key benefits of embracing change:

• Personal Well-being: Reflecting on sustainability and its impact can help us cope with its effects and improve our overall well-being.
• Acceptance: Understanding why sustainability  is happening or necessary, can lead to greater acceptance and reduce resistance.
• Engagement: Actively participating in sustainability initiatives can increase our engagement and buy-in, leading to more successful outcomes.
• Opportunity: Embracing sustainability can create a culture that leverages new opportunities and drives innovation.
• Maximized Results: By better designing and managing sustainability change projects, we can achieve more effective and efficient results.

Preparing for the Future

As environmental, social, and technological changes continue to accelerate, it is essential to be prepared for what lies ahead. Business success will increasingly depend on how well organizations can adapt to what is now happening. By embracing change and viewing it as an opportunity, we can position ourselves and our organizations for long-term success.

As a first step, we invite you to spend sometime now to estimate how many of  the above 10 tips/actions your organisation currently applies, and which ones you are ready to commit to start applying from now on. 

At AIMS International Gulf our team is equipped to support you to plan for sustainability and navigate the necessary changes that will  mobilize your organization towards the future. 

Written by: Nicole Mantzikopoulou, Associate Partner AIMS International Gulf