Sustainability is gaining ground but many are waiting on the sidelines for the right moment to engage. There are tremendous opportunities to contribute to the green economy and protect the long term viability of your business in the process. The alternative to engaging sustainability is untenable both for your business and the health of the planet. The urgency of building a sustainable global economy now cannot be overstated. There is much to be done including reducing energy use, cutting emissions, decreasing water consumption, and working to green your supply chains.
Martin Rohner, the director of the Alternativ Bank Schweiz made a noteworthy comment at the 3rd annual G21 Swiss Sustainability Forum, in Lausanne, Switzerland. He lamented that while some offer excuses for delaying action, leadership is required today.
At the G21 Swiss Sustainability Forum on finance, directors of global companies and research institutes talked about the difficulty of change. They urged patience and insisted that it takes time to ensure that sustainability does not interfere with profit.
Rohner hit the nail on the head when he said “We will go nowhere as long as there is no real leadership for truly responsible business, either here in Switzerland or abroad.” We cannot wait, now is the time to remove roadblocks to sustainability, educate consumers and divest from unsustainable corporations.
Failing to engage sustainability ensures your obsolescence. In some cases this may delay profits, but what choice to we have? If so much were not in the balance, we could argue that it is a good idea to wait and time your entry prudently. However time is a luxury we do not have, we cannot dither, the immanent threats we face demand that we get involved today.
Leadership is required and while this often entails an element of risk, it is nowhere near as risky as waiting on the sidelines. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.
You are being called to join the green economy and help solve the world’s most pressing problems. Will you heed the call?
© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.
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