Words like ‘unprecedented’ or ‘climate change’ are wearing thin with many of us these days. Instead of listening to the noise and confusion, I find it more informative to observe what leading firms and industries are actually doing.
It is clear that some companies and industries are re-orienting and forging ahead, and that part of their strategy for success involves forging new relationships and alliances.
Recent research by the Wall Street Journal examined 5,500 publicly traded businesses and ranked the 100 most sustainably managed companies in the world. Their list is dominated by technology hardware and electronics, or clothing and footwear businesses and none are based in Australia.
The French luxury-goods conglomerate Kering, which owns brand like Gucci, was ranked 75th overall and number two on the sub-category for business model and innovation. In one initiative, they are working with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Stanford University to teach Mongolian herders good land-management practices.
I wonder if Kering considered bringing world class goat industry expertise into their partnership?
It seems that there is a critical mass of major global businesses that have decided there is long term value in managing for sustainability. They are innovating, forming new global strategic partnerships and investing for scale.
Progressive NGO’s are doing well in this space. For example, the Global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the Global EverGreening Alliance and Greening Australia recently launched a major project to plant 25 million trees across Australia – one of the largest-ever privately funded restoration projects in the country.
There are plenty of examples where leading firms and industries are acting on environmental and social sustainability issues – from regenerative agriculture to preserving trees for carbon-offset credits.
Achieving and sustaining success involves new relationships.
It would be great to see more industry service organisations seizing the opportunity to be a visible part of these new global partnerships that are designed to produce different results at scale.