Greetings!
The challenge changes.
It's easy to get caught up in the depressing machinations of budget policy, congressional assaults on the EPA, legal challenges to AB32, the accelerated melt of the ice sheets, and more. It's easy to be depressed and pessimistic. But that's seeing only half the glass.
The best companies and communities don't need convincing any more; they're stepping up to the sustainability plate with a depth and seriousness and level of innovation that we've rarely seen.
At the recent Sustainable Corporation Conference (presented by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group), initiatives that wouldn't have been dreamed of in these quarters two years ago -- certainly five years ago -- were the currency of the day. Zero waste. Zero carbon. Zero net impact. Sustainability as a critical supply chain driver. Sustainability as an innovation driver. Expanded commitments to transparency. Sustainability as the core purpose of the company.
What's striking is not just the level of goal being set but the recognition of the integral significance of these opportunities to the enterprise.
(Five years ago we published the Declaration of Leadership for Sustainable Business -- in response to a client that asked us to lay out the sustainability vision, unrestrained. It's fascinating to see how much of what's declared there is now coming to pass. Have a look, endorse if you're willing, and watch for exciting news about what we'll be doing with the Declaration next!) So now the challenge changes. The bar of leadership is being raised, as companies challenge themselves to evolve -- rapidly -- from testing the waters, to declaring bold goals, to effective integration into the very heart of their organizations.
What's the level of leadership being exercised at your company? What's the level of leadership that you personally embody? That you hold yourself to realizing? Now that's a conversation worth having! (See the sidebar and below for more.)
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What to do? Ask Yourself These Questions.
In a recent article on GreenBiz.com, I proposed 4 Qs for Q4: A Sustainability Checklist to Finish the Year and Plan the Next -- four questions that can mobilize your company to better engage and monetize the business opportunities embedded in the sustainability challenge -- and the enormous contribution you can make to your brand, shareholders, community and the world. We're well into the new year, but the questions are still apt (with a few more thrown in for good measure):
- Where are you going? (Have you set your sights high enough?)
- Where are you now? (Do your actions match your aspirations?)
- What resources and capacities can you muster to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want -- and need -- to be? (How will you find them, buy them or grow them?)
- What will you do to bridge that gap?
You can't do everything at once. But you can make the major leaps that can transform your company -- if you are willing.
We can make it easier for you. Click here right now for a menu -- and price list -- of seven specific ways we can work with you to help you answer these questions and put your company's sustainability strategy on sound footing for 2011 and beyond.
Some of them are small enough to fit within your discretionary budget. Some may take some persuasion to free the funds. Each of them will deliver exceptional valuable to you. Guaranteed.
Yes, we want your business. Why? Because we both grow, make lasting contributions and pay it forward. Because when you and Natural Logic work together, we change the world.
That's why we do what we do. And we can't do it without you.
Call (1-510-248-4940) or email us today to explore how.
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Where to Start? Start right here.
Natural Logic can help you and your organization:
Assess your Sustainability Plan, and help you refine it to achieve greater real world impact and greater executive buy-in.
Provide "Rapid Diagnostic" assessments of your gaps and opportunities in relation to Risk, Carbon, Metrics, Operations, Capacity, Culture, Communications and more -- and prioritized recommendations of how you can move against them.
Develop a strategy, plan and budget that will catapult your sustainability initiatives -- and your marketing of them -- to a new level (and help you sell it to your C-suite and Board).
Deliver executive briefings to help your leadership understand "The Mysteriously Elusive Sustainability Business Case."
Coach your sustainability team -- and company leadership -- in the personal and business practices that are essential to fulfilling the commitments that you've made -- to your board and your boss, your family, and to yourself.
Interested? Read about our Full Cycle Sustainability™ approach, and contact us today to determine which of these programs is right for you.
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A closing word from a favorite "competitor"
Our sidekick Hunter Lovins puts it in her characteristically direct way in her new book (with Boyd Cohen), Climate Capitalism:
Believe in climate change. Or don't. It doesn't matter. But you'd better understand this: the best route to rebuilding our economy, our cities and our job markets, as well as assuring national security, is doing precisely what you'd be doing if you were scared to death about climate change. Whether you're the head of a household or the CEO of a multinational corporation, embracing efficiency, innovation, renewables, carbon markets and new technologies is the smartest decision you can make. It's the most profitable too. And, oh yes, you'll help save the planet. I couldn't have said it better myself. Are you ready? Let's get on with it! |
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Natural Logic
designs, implements and
measures profitable sustainability strategies.
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| Breaking News
The International Society of Sustainability Professionals has named Natural Logic CEO Gil Friend a finalist for its first leadership award, as someone who has "contributed significantly to the advancement of the profession of sustainability." The other finalists are Ray Anderson, Amory Lovins, Karl-Henrik Robert and Bob Willard. "I'm deeply honored to be in their company," Friend said. "I've learned so much from each of them." The winner wiill be announced at the ISSP conference in September.
Gil was also named one of the 'top three sustainability tweeters' (a more dubious honor) by hoosaid.com and (for the second year in a row) "one of the movers and shakers in clean tech" by finance firm RoseRyan.
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Join the Conversation
Join us for In Conversation with Bob Dunham, April 26 at New Resource Bank in San Francisco. Our topic: Sustainability & Innovation: Language & Leadership
Bob, director of the Institute for Generative Leadership and author of The Innovators Way, is a master of language action & embodied leadership. Next in the series: In Conversation with R. Paul Herman, May 18, exploring the cutting edge of sustainable finance, and the challenge of "getting the prices right.". (You can purchase the audio of our first two hour dialog (with Bryan Franklin) on Cracking the Door to the C-Suite with Your Sustainability Message.
Other upcoming events:
Earth Day at discussion with Rebecca Costa (author of The Watchman's Rattle), April 22, SF Public Library
The ROI of Sustainability (pre-conference workshop), and other sightings TBA, Sustainable Brands '11, June 7-10, Monterey CA
Videos of recent speeches: Sustainability in 7 (Designers Accord), Commonwealth Club, Clean Tech Open -- and our video pages at YouTube, FaceBook and Natural Logic.)
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Resources for You
Sustainability In Practice, the eLearning version of The Truth About Green Business, brings interactive sustainability learning right to your employees' desktops. Click to arrange a preview.
Strategic Sustainability Coaching can help you -- or a colleague, boss employee, supplier or customer -- excel. Visit here or contact Gil directly at 1-510-248-4943.
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