When it comes to sustainability, people often ask ‘where do I start?’
Simon Sinek talks in his book, Start with Why, about the Golden Circle.
At the centre of the circle is why – why we do what we do.
This is followed by how – how we approach doing it.
Finally this is wrapped up with the what – what outcomes we would like to see.
We also have a golden circle when it comes to sustainability. that builds on the why, how and what.
At the centre of this circle are sustainability values – the why behind our approach to sustainability. This is our foundation, our purpose, and our inspiration.
Once we have our values, this is followed by sustainability strategy – how we approach sustainability.
Finally this is followed by sustainability outcomes – what we seek to achieve and seeing results.
Today we are focusing on the values part of the circle and looking at how we can set up strong core foundations to our approach to sustainability that is driven by our purpose, also known as our why.
Why is it important that values are at the centre of our approach to sustainability?
Sustainability is something that is personal to us. It is driven by our beliefs, what we value, and what inspires us. It is really important that sustainability is purpose-driven, meaning that is is led by our values. This is important because it ensures that our approach to sustainability aligns with our personal beliefs, as alignment ensures that we are more likely to act in line with our values and therefore create greater action towards sustainability. When we don’t have the connection and buy in to creating action towards sustainability we get trapped in a cycle of doing things for other people and for their values, or we get stuck not doing anything at all.
how can you define your sustainability values?
Taking some time to get really clear on your purpose and the values behind your approach to sustainability is a really beneficial exercise for everyone to do, whether it is towards your personal approach to sustainability, and that of our business. So, how can we do that?
There are three key questions that I would suggest reflecting on to get clear on your ‘why’ – the values that guide your approach to sustainability.
Knowing what sustainability means to us is a core foundation of our approach to sustainability. If we don’t know what it means, it makes it really hard to act towards sustainability in a way that generates meaningful outcomes. Knowing what sustainability means to us provides a key direction that guides us in all we do.
Knowing what sustainability means is important but it is also crucial for us to be able to articulate why sustainability is important to us as individuals and to our businesses. This further solidifies our purpose around sustainability and allows us to really connect with sustainability in a personal context that continues to drive our direction and purpose.
We all have values that guides us in all facets of our lives. Getting clear on the key values that guide us for sustainability ensures that we continue to align our approach to sustainability with what is important to us. Acting on sustainability needs to be connected to what is important to us, and putting names to the values we have ensures that that connection is front of mind in all that we do.
Example: How Lucy Defines her sustainability Values
Sustainability to me is deeply rooted in an ethic of care and responsibility. It means being a guardian, knowing that we have inherited from our ancestors and are borrowing from future generations. It means ensuring that things can be sustained in perpetuity, ensuring that there are enduring and thriving environmental, economic, and social systems, now and well into the future.
Sustainability to me seeks to find balance between factors that would otherwise compete, and ensuring that action towards one area does not take away from, or negatively impact, another. It is about being conscious that I am only a visitor and that there must be work to sustain systems for the benefit of future generations – ‘planting trees under whose shade I won’t sit’.
Sustainability is important to me because of considerations for today and tomorrow. The actions that we take today have implications for the future, therefore how we choose to at today has a direct correlation with what we will reap in the future. It is important to me because it feels like I have a responsibility to act in a way that consider the future, and honours the past, ensuring that I approach things with care and a sense of responsibility.
- Care – for people and planet
- Guardianship and stewardship
- Responsibility
- Legacy
- Continuous improvement
- Serving future generations
- Perpetuity