The Problem is not the Problem

we have to change the system!

As Lucas Simons and Andre Nijhof suggest in their book Changing the Game (see the relevant article here ) I will definitely review in next Book Bits.

Lucas' speech was inspirational and insightful during the Procurement Climate Council 2024 which was successfully organised by Sourcing Champions , thank to Robert Waalder and Vivianne Courte-Rathwell for their invitations for the second time (I could not attend the 2023 council due to clash with my trip to SNEC in China).

While listening Lucas' exciting presentation, I could immediately noticed that as solar industry we define the problem as the problem in the beginning and Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) was the common sense and right approach to pursue with inclusion of all stakeholders. As Lucas said there is no a silver bullet for sustainability challenges which are the outcome of the "system" the market has created.

Most of us would agree that Climate change, Pollution, loss of Biodiversity and Poverty are some of the most pressing sustainability challenges of our generation. But solving them actually starts with accepting that these problems are not the problems to be solved. These problems are mere symptoms and natural outcomes of the underlying system that produces these problems. An underlying system in which the incentives and interest are placed such that sustainable behavior is punished and unsustainable behavior is being rewarded. And as long as we continue to play according to the current rules of the game, we will continue to reward the same behavior and that will lead to the same outcomes. Therefore solving these problems means changing the underlying system in such way that you get different outcomes.

The secret of market transformation is to understand in what phase the change is, to know who should be doing what, and to ensure that different stakeholders actually do the right things at the right time

Sustainable Market Transformation is built on three powerful principles:

1. Yes, it is possible to accelerate, steer and even manage system change and market transformation. It is very much possible and even necessary to work towards a shared vision of what it is you trying to achieve in the future.
2. There is not one party that to blame for creating the problems. We wish it was that simple. All parties – Governments, Corporates, Banks, even NGOs - are all part of the cause of the market failure and for the fact that we haven’t solved them by now and therefore all of them are also part of the solution.
3. Changing the rules of the game is a matter of getting organized and knowing and ensuring each stakeholder does the right thing at the right time, and also understands what not to do anymore.

It is not a lack of action that causes us to fail, it is the fragmentation, the division and arbitrariness of it. There is not an overarching

Obviously, the solar industry can learn a lot from Lucas' model and I look forward to discussing further to explore the possible collaboration opportunities.

Last week's another event was Verdantix 's Sustainability & EHS Summit Europe 2024 held in Amsterdam and it was real pleasure for me to share my minds in Engaging the C-Suite on EHS & Sustainability: A Seat at the Executive Table panel along with Isidora Díaz Heredia , Rens Duisters , Roberto Garcia and moderated by Bill Pennington.

Key takeaways:

Best practices and pitfalls for embracing a business-focused mindset to communicate EHS+S concerns

How to harness the influence of top executives to drive engagement

The value of establishing strategic partnerships with other functions across your organization

Mood Elevator

Our state of minds (moods) determines; our effectiveness and our quality of life. Mood elevator is a tool as powerful as the Accountability Ladder and I should have explain it prior to the ladder and in next editions I will try to explain it by using my experience with SunEdison's cultural transformation initiative and its inventor's material.

The Mood Elevator is an illustration of the human condition; it is our moment-to-moment experience of life. We all ride the Mood Elevator every day, take a moment and identify what floor you are on right now.

The Mood Elevator map is based on Larry Senn 's own experience, as well as input from hundreds of groups and tens of thousands of people who have attended seminars that Senn Delaney, a Heidrick & Struggles company , the culture shaping firm has put on over the past few decades.

Look at the top of the Mood Elevator and think of the times you are more likely to be at those levels. It could be when you hug your children at the end of the day, it could be spending quality time with your significant other, or it could be when you accomplish something at work. We all, of course, would love to live on the higher levels but that’s just not realistic. As part of the human condition we will experience loss, stress, financial insecurity and other events that will cause us to drop down to depression, anger, and stress. But, knowing that our thoughts determine our moods gives us a little distance from those moods. It helps be less gripped by worry, fear, and anxiety and less driven by our emotions to take action when we should probably wait-wait until we are a little higher on the Mood Elevator.

In Larry's book The Mood Elevator , he provides a variety of tips and tools that will help you better understand your human dashboard as well as help you navigate the daily up and down ride on the Mood Elevator.

We will be diving deeper into different mood levels in upcoming editions of the newsletter.