East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire)’s Post

Sustainability is the compass guiding humanity towards a brighter future. It’s a profound acknowledgment that we are not the sole inhabitants of this planet, but rather stewards entrusted with the well-being of our shared home.

Hi everyone, as promised, here is my take on sustainability in Australia in 2023 and the prospects for 2024 with my impressions of major themes in the state of sustainability here in Australia (including some related global implications). These are just my stream-of-consciousness impressions from reflecting on my reading and experiences in 2023 to help set the scene for 2024.   Everywhere I look there are positive developments across sustainability and its many dimensions; yet these are often challenged by forces in opposition or neglect, limiting the overall sustainable development value of the things that are changing.   And if the number of reports, papers and reviews on sustainability themes issued in the past year are any indication, the world has collectively been busy in pursuing, promoting and critiquing sustainability. Yet I am concerned that a lot of this activity will not result in real change; my sense is there is a lot of “smoke and mirrors” at work here. Having said that, I believe that much positive and transformational change will continue in 2024, and that systems change will be a major driver of discussion and debate in 2024 with more calls for system change through an integrated multi-level, multi-scale, multi-system approach. I can't ignore the fact that many global sustainability challenges will falter or stagnate, due to increasing geo-political challenges. There is too much recent conflict globally as well as increasing instability and political movement towards the far right leading to a slowing of climate change response and global systems change for sustainability.   So many places are heading in the wrong direction, and all eyes will be on the US election in 2024 – a bad result there will set back the cause of sustainability (again). Combined with the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the Israel-Palestine disaster, 2024 will have some serious issues that must be resolved to deal with the bigger climate and sustainability problems we face.   A key aspect of sustainability is having a fundamental capacity to change our ways of living. When people are fighting wars, famine and ecological disasters, the task is immeasurably harder, and progress slows. However, we can hope that recent disruptions settle down – primarily for the sake and benefits of peace for the people suffering – as well as the benefits of continuing our global sustainability transformation.   Please keep growing and developing in whatever role you play in the sustainability transformation. You can read an extended version on Second Nature, so please consider subscribing. If I can be of help to you, please let me know. #sustainabilitycourses #sustainabilityeducation #sustainabilitytransformation #sustainabilityleadership  

🌿 Exciting developments at the Greater Cleveland Sustainability Summit! 🌍 More than 850 leaders, CEOs, students, and stakeholders registered for the Huntington Convention Center for the largest public-private sustainability summit in the country. Let's spread the word about the incredible strides Greater Cleveland is making in sustainability. As CEO Baiju Shah urged, "Sustainability is occurring. It's not just vision." 🌱💙 #GreaterClevelandSustainability #GreenFuture #SustainabilityLeadership

🌍 Excited to share my latest blog on Introduction to Sustainability! 🌱 I’ve broken down the basics of how sustainability works and the steps we can take to contribute towards a more sustainable future. Let’s make impactful changes together! 💡 #Sustainability #SustainableFuture #EnvironmentalAwareness #GoGreen #EcoFriendly #SustainableLiving #ClimateAction

As we observe World Sustainability Day on the 26th October 2024, let’s ponder what is sustainability really about. Read our latest Blog post. https://lnkd.in/gg6yBvMi

🌿💡 Ever thought of sustainability beyond recycling? The top sustainability conferences of 2024 challenge the norm and delve deep into a greener future. Here's a glimpse of what you could discover: 🌍 **9th Annual Sustainability Week** - A powerhouse event merging sustainability and energy transitions for a brighter tomorrow. 🌞 **World Future Energy Summit** - Exploring clean energy, sustainable water solutions, and more to shape a sustainable landscape. 👗 **Innovation Forum Apparel and Textiles Conference** - Transforming supply chains, scaling circularity, and setting new standards in a world of evolving sustainability. 🌎 **EarthX** - Connecting minds and businesses for a sustainable world through discussions on energy, policy, wildlife, and more. 🔬 **19th Conference On Sustainable Development Of Energy, Water And Environment Systems** - Pioneering the path towards a smarter, more sustainable economy while balancing environment, society, and economy. 🌱 Dive deeper into the unseen realms of sustainability and reimagine a world where systems work together efficiently like a symphony orchestra, harmoniously intertwined for a sustainable future. 🍃✨ https://lnkd.in/dKP3wkFX

Sustainability is an ongoing journey for us all. By using this survey tool, you are making a vital contribution to the long-term future of our planet. You can use this to measure where you are right now and return in a few months' time to see the progress you have made.

Our commitment to achieving net zero This week, I attended a free course funded by Brighton and Hove City Council called "Net Zero 360: Free sustainability course for businesses in Brighton and Hove" (link below) I'd encourage any SME and VCSE to sign up and attend this. It's a great course, delivered by passionate presenters (#cleangrowthuk and #small99) The course was timely, as this week I read about a study in which every placenta tested as part of a study was shown to contain microplastics. The long-term impacts on health aren't yet fully understood but it's believed these plastic traces can clog arteries. Healthy environments and good health go hand-in-hand. And protecting our environment is everyone's business - and the good thing is, we can all make a difference. The course gives you access to a carbon calculator to determine your organisation's emissions footprint which is the starting block for determining a plan to reduce emissions We support our city's goal of becoming carbon neutral (https://lnkd.in/exh4gBtP) and the role we play in delivering that. Over the next 18 months, we'll be working out what action we can take. Link to the course: "https://lnkd.in/etqFyjGf

🌍 My 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 from Sustainability LIVE in London 👇🏻 From the sessions I attended, it’s clear that while companies are taking steps toward sustainability, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. We must shift the paradigm and embrace the fact that meeting minimum regulatory standards won’t solve the climate crisis. 🌱 Sustainability isn’t just a deliverable—it must be considered as a daily default commitment if we want a future for the #Planet and all the marvellous #Creatures on it. 🔍 A few insights: 🟢 Smruti Naik-Jones (Deloitte) shared compelling insights from the Deloitte 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙲𝚡𝙾 𝚂𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚁𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝. The standout recommendations for leaders? 💡 First, shift from the concept of Sustainable Delivery to 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁. Second, #collaborate beyond the four walls of your business. These principles are at the core of the project I designed and manage—𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. 👉 [Deloitte 2024 CxO Sustainability Report (here to download it, https://lnkd.in/d7iF65Am )] 🟡 Gerard Gallagher (EY) pointed out that in 2022, 30% of organizations were making progress on emissions plans. However, by 2024, that number dropped. Why? People addressed only the surface-level actions—like reducing travel and adopting renewable energy. It’s time, as Gerard emphasized, to 𝙧𝙚-𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨🌿 🟣 Rajeev Peshawaria (Stewardship Asia Centre) introduced the powerful concept of 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽—𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦. Rajeev showed that it's #possible to maximize profit by maximizing purpose. 📈 We just need to adopt a long-term perspective on growth and environmental responsibility, rather than focusing solely on quarterly earnings. Companies that don’t embrace this long-term view won’t survive—because without faster transformation, we may not have a future at all. 🚨 🔵 Individual commitment is essential. Alessandro Armillotta (AWorld) emphasized that the actions of just 20% of the world’s population can drive real change. The challenge? Many people don’t know where to start. That’s where AWorld 🌐 kicks in—it’s a game-changing platform that teaches everyone how to make a real impact. Keep up the amazing work, Gaia Arzilli and Alessandro Armillotta! 🌍 🌳 Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to the person I consider my first #Mentor in #Sustainability, Ash M.—every discussion we have is always mind-blowing! 🙏 A special thanks to Ilaria Staltari for sharing this incredible learning experience with me. In conclusion, a big thank you Paolo Longhi (HRC Learning & Development) for always believing in me! 💫 𝔸𝕕 𝕄𝕒𝕚𝕠𝕣𝕒! Congrats for the amazing work Neil Perry! I'm ready for the next Sustainability LIVE event! 🌿🌍

This week the UN is holding its first annual sustainability week to discuss sustainability efforts across industries. But I question the UN's #choosesustainability pledge as a launch campaign for this inaugural event. I have a problem with pledges. They signal what people intend to do. But the gap between intention and action is like the Grand Canyon. You can be stuck in intention for years. And some people don't have good intentions but sign pledges as an exercise in greenwashing. They make a public declaration but in private there is no action. If you're committed to doing, you don't need a pledge. Your action speaks for itself. Pledges are seldom accompanied by step by step plans, action toolkits, skills development, or accountability assessments that move intention to action. I also question "choose sustainability". I went through the specific choices they encourage you to sign up for. Choose public transportation or active transportation for example. The problem is here in the US, neither of these are feasible choices in many cities. When I lived in Munich I chose to bike 30km a day to work because the whole way was separated from traffic. There was bike storage and showers. In the winter from my apartment I had the choice of a tram, bus, or underground within walking distance. These were easy choices because investments had been made in this infrastructure. Where I live in the US, two people have been killed recently on their bikes and there is little connected public transportation. I have contributed to city and regional pedestrian and bicycle masterplans. And when we discovered money was not assigned to active transportation because there wasn't enough data to include it in the models that determined funding, we shared our data from multiple research trials. To me the action we need right now is 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 of sustainability so that sustainability is a viable choice for more people. And when we support sustainability we are not just choosing for ourselves but empowering others to choose too. Supporting sustainability will lead to the scale and impact we need. Corporations can also take this approach more often, rather then telling consumers to make the right choice, they can support more consumers to have a real choice with infrastructure changes that make it easier e.g. cold wash cycle defaults, bottle filling stations, battery collection boxes in the home, etc. How we lead change is important, because it gives others the confidence that we understand how change happens and that we're investing in effective solutions. And when we lead with collective empowerment verses individual choice, we multiply our efforts. What actions do you want to see leaders taking?  #humanresources, #change, #culture, #leadership #behavioralscience #employeeengagement #organizationaldevelopment #inclusion #future #innovation #management #sustainability #socialimpact