Business and business-like management is so central to our society that if business doesn't become engaged in building a better world, there will not be one.
Business can contribute mightily to conquering problems like global warming, community breakdown, pollution, injustice, war, species extinction and resource exhaustion. Why?
• Most pollution is made of wasted resources.
• Most social injustice is a waste of human potential.
• Most resource exhaustion comes from ignoring renewable resources.
• Most habitat loss is the result of failure to serve people's love of nature.
• Most wars are fought over economic inequality.
While there are numerous opportunities to make money by contributing to solving society's major
problems, many people in business still believe caring about the impact on the broader society is an unaffordable luxury. A growing number of Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce members believe strongly enough in themselves to take on the challenge of combining success in conventional financial terms with service to their deeper ideals. They have the courage to act on their convictions.
Over the past 10 years, there has been a dramatic shift in business toward deeply understanding the importance and imperative of corporate responsibility and sustainability. Now, this already substantial shift in managerial attention has gone into warp speed with:
• Visible effects of climate change driving a sense of urgency.
• Mounting pressures for carbon disclosure and risk management from institutional investors managing more than $31 trillion in assets.
• Increasing fossil fuel costs stimulating a search for renewable alternatives.
• A widespread expectation for sustainability reporting.
• Pressure through global supply chains of environmental and social responsibility performance being added to the procurement requirements of some of the world's largest companies.
This acceleration is further fueled by the fact that sustainability is at the heart of profitability, innovation and business development. Sustainability is frequently the source of new technologies, markets, business models, products and services.
Today, no leader can afford to ignore sustainability as a vital aspect of continued organizational viability and prosperity. Sustainability and corporate responsibility are clearly on the radar screen of corporate strategy and branding of almost every large company, and are the fundamental essence of many small local ventures.
Sustainability provides a key to community economic revitalization. Perhaps most importantly, sustainability engenders a renewed sense of personal and societal hope.
Engage with other chamber members in the newly-formed Sustainability Committee of the Carlsbad Chamber. Help us transition the way business is done, for good!
Thompson is the executive director of the BetterWorld Together Foundation. The longtime Carlsbad resident is co-chair of the chamber's Sustainability Committee.
Business can contribute mightily to conquering problems like global warming, community breakdown, pollution, injustice, war, species extinction and resource exhaustion. Why?
• Most pollution is made of wasted resources.
• Most social injustice is a waste of human potential.
• Most resource exhaustion comes from ignoring renewable resources.
• Most habitat loss is the result of failure to serve people's love of nature.
• Most wars are fought over economic inequality.
While there are numerous opportunities to make money by contributing to solving society's major
problems, many people in business still believe caring about the impact on the broader society is an unaffordable luxury. A growing number of Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce members believe strongly enough in themselves to take on the challenge of combining success in conventional financial terms with service to their deeper ideals. They have the courage to act on their convictions.
Over the past 10 years, there has been a dramatic shift in business toward deeply understanding the importance and imperative of corporate responsibility and sustainability. Now, this already substantial shift in managerial attention has gone into warp speed with:
• Visible effects of climate change driving a sense of urgency.
• Mounting pressures for carbon disclosure and risk management from institutional investors managing more than $31 trillion in assets.
• Increasing fossil fuel costs stimulating a search for renewable alternatives.
• A widespread expectation for sustainability reporting.
• Pressure through global supply chains of environmental and social responsibility performance being added to the procurement requirements of some of the world's largest companies.
This acceleration is further fueled by the fact that sustainability is at the heart of profitability, innovation and business development. Sustainability is frequently the source of new technologies, markets, business models, products and services.
Today, no leader can afford to ignore sustainability as a vital aspect of continued organizational viability and prosperity. Sustainability and corporate responsibility are clearly on the radar screen of corporate strategy and branding of almost every large company, and are the fundamental essence of many small local ventures.
Sustainability provides a key to community economic revitalization. Perhaps most importantly, sustainability engenders a renewed sense of personal and societal hope.
Engage with other chamber members in the newly-formed Sustainability Committee of the Carlsbad Chamber. Help us transition the way business is done, for good!
Thompson is the executive director of the BetterWorld Together Foundation. The longtime Carlsbad resident is co-chair of the chamber's Sustainability Committee.