Sustainability is often thought of as the ability to sustain the status quo, but what if we don’t have to view it that way?
How we view what sustainability is, and what it encompasses, has a direct influence on our actions and what we choose to sustain into the future. However, we have the power to frame our view on sustainability and choose what we seek to sustain, as well as how we will do that.
It is worth asking ourselves, is sustaining our current scenario going to be what gets us to where we want to be, or do we need to be more strategic in our approach to sustainability? Does it require us to think about what we want to sustain and work backwards to achieve it, or do we maintain the status quo?
Sustainability is an active process
These are words and actions that aren’t synonymous with staying the same. Therefore, sustainability doesn’t have to be either. We have the ability to evolve, to be proactive, to innovate, and test the boundaries of what we thought was possible. Sustainability requires us to do the work to ensure that we are set up for the future.
What can this look like in New Zealand Agriculture?
We know that sustainability is an active process and that taking action requires thought and intention. We need to have a strategy. We have the power to choose. It doesn’t need to be bound to the criteria of an assurance programme, or dictated by regulation or policy. We can go further, and many already are. There is great power in choosing how we want to approach sustainability, rather than be dictated to. True sustainability is something that we are continually working towards, led by purpose and our values to create meaningful actions and outcomes in all parts of our farming business, now and into the future.
So, how can we approach sustainability strategy in our farming business?
One approach to sustainability strategy can be taking a three-step approach centered around ‘why’, ‘what’, and ‘how’.
The 'Why' - Our purpose, Vision and values
Our strategy for sustainability needs to be led by purpose and our ‘why’. Purpose is the reason we do what we do, why we continue to strive for better, and what sets our north arrow in where we want to head. Purpose grounds us by putting the ‘why’ at the forefront of what we do, knowing that the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ will come later. If we want true sustainability in our farming businesses, purpose can’t be something that tags on to everything else – it has to be at the core of our approach. Having a strong vision and purpose not only benefits approaching sustainability but benefits our forward thinking and strategy for managing our business as a whole.
Some questions to prompt thinking about purpose and vision are:
- What are the values that guide our business and our way of doing things?
- What is the vision for our farming business? What do we want the future of the business to look like?
- What does sustainability mean to us, and why is it important for our business, our farm, and our family?
- Why do we want to be sustainable for now and into the future?
The 'What' - Our aspirations and Goals
Having a clear picture of what we value and our purpose sets a really strong foundation to move into the next part of sustainability strategy – the ‘what’. The ‘what’ encompasses our aspirations and goals. This step is all about building on our purpose and values to set clear direction on where we want to head, as well as how we want to approach sustainability in our business.
Some questions to prompt thinking about aspirations and goals are:
- What do we aspire to achieve in our farming business?
- What are our goals for the next year, 5 years, and longer?
- What do we want sustainability to look like in the context of our farming business? What does this involve?
- What do we want our farming system to look like into the future?
- What do we want for the people involved in our farming business?
- What do we want for our physical environment? (soil, water, biodiversity etc.)
The 'How' - Our actions
Once we have strong purpose and values, combined with clear direction through our aspirations and goals, we can then move into focusing on the ‘how’ – how are we going to achieve our vision, and how we want to take action towards our goals in the short- and long-term.
A great way to start with the ‘how’ is to focus on priority actions:
- What are the priority actions that I want to introduce and/or maintain in our farming business?
- What steps are needed to undertake these priority actions?
- What do I need to help undertake these actions?
- When do I want to have taken these actions by?
- How will I know that I have achieved what I have set out to?
Priority actions can cover various facets of farm business including production systems, farm system resilience, staff wellbeing and professional development, freshwater, biodiversity, soil, health and safety, and community involvement.
The complimentary role of farm planning
Along with a broader sustainability strategy that is led by purpose, values, vision and goals, farm planning has an important role to play in providing a way for farmers to work towards different aspects of sustainability. Farm planning provides a great way to focus on the ‘how’, as well as to provide a way to measure, monitor and record our progress and outcomes. It allows us to further focus on different aspects of our farming business and ensure that we are looking to be holistic in our approach to sustainability throughout all facets of our farming business.