A few years ago, Alison ran a series of 5-question interviews here with SAS employees. We recently published a corporate responsibility e-book that includes a similar series of interviews with experts and practitioners in the corporate sustainability movement. I'll be republishing those interviews here over the next month or so, but you can also download the entire e-book to get all of the interviews, plus in-depth articles and case studies about organizations around the globe that are reinventing responsibility.
Our first interview in this series is with Marc Cornelissen. As an expedition leader, Marc has witnessed the impact of climate change on the North pole with his own eyes. He has since been actively devoted to climate research and the sustainability of society. He initiated the Ben & Jerry's Climate Change College in 2005. This European project supports environment-minded young entrepreneurs. Via his company Icentials, he helps companies design and realize sustainable growth strategies.
What are good examples of sustainable entrepreneurship?
“What inspires me, are companies that have shaken up an industry with their approach to sustainability. Ben & Jerry’s is such an example, as their energy-neutral ice-cream is made with sustainably acquired dairy products. And the company has already been discussing energy issues with both their suppliers and society since 1978. Patagonia, producer of outdoor sportswear, has also noticeably influenced its industry. They use plastic bottles, organic cotton, reusable polyesters and environment friendly dyes for their sustainable and recyclable fleece jackets. I certainly respect the way in which Tendris is creating an acceleration in innovation within the light industry. These trendsetters are not put off by paying the price of one’s mistakes.”
How has sustainable entrepreneurship taken shape within your organization?
“We use wind energy, compensate for our carbon emission, meet via conference calls and have eliminated the need for commuter traffic as much as possible. The profit for society is helping organizations in making their primary processes sustainable. This especially involves continuity, and we investigate which products and Innovations are needed to ensure that we still have a market in the future. In order to deploy the transition to a circular economy, companies have to explore new forms of collaboration and unknown territories. They have to start thinking differently, and must organize processes in a completely different way.”
Where should the responsibility for sustainability lie within an organization?
“Sustainability is often still considered a separate branch of the Corporate Social Responsibility department. If sustainability is embedded in the core activities of an organization, then everyone is jointly responsible for sustainability performances. This includes an assessment and rewarding of the board and top management with regard to these performances.”
What are realistic targets to set within an organization?
“The targets depend on the context and maturity of the organization. In order to establish targets, companies must first show how they manage the dimensions of people, planet and profit. They can subsequently assess how this corresponds to the best practices in their sector. By measuring with key performance indicators, companies can measure their progress and celebrate successes. Once again the old principle applies: to measure is to know.”
How sustainable are you in daily life?
“People nearly expect me to have a sustainability aureole, but I too am confronted with the same daily dilemmas as everyone else. I do live a sustainability-conscious life, though I also book air holidays for my family. Besides, the North pole is difficult to reach without a plane. Creating a smaller footprint will not solve everything. In my opinion, the solution can be found in working together to create a society in which we can live together and do business in a sustainable manner.”
For more inspiration, download the full e-book today: Future Bright - Reinventing Responsibility.
