AGENTS OF CHANGE

They can exist at any level in a firm – Kiran Dhanapala

The Dictionary of Sustainability defines a ‘sustainability champion’ as “an individual who seeks to lead change in an organisation to transform that organisation into a smarter, more successful and more sustainable enterprise.”

“This individual may exist at any level within an organisation and in any type of organisation – from the Chief Executive Officer to administrative assistant, from Mayor to city staffer, from university president to student leader,” it elaborates.

Sustainability champions are made not born and often birthed through a confluence of factors that force our personal epiphanies. For some, it’s as simple as becoming parents and worrying about the future of their children on this planet.

Champions need to combine their head and heart (both IQ and EQ) so that they can deliver on the myriad responsibilities and challenges that are associated with an organisation’s sustainability journey.

Sustainability demands a long-term perspective and therefore, learning to be persistent and resilient – and building a team, coalition and network – is vital. So invest in the social capital around you…

To be results driven, champions need to develop expertise with a passion for learning and the ability to make things happen. It helps that this learning will impress people and generate a following!

Champions also need to be inclusive operators by establishing a rapport with influencers in their work contexts, and understanding others’ motivations and building trust. Valuing individuals and the contribution of people is vital in building social capital for sustainability initiatives.

These champions are change agents who must not only be capable of generating ideas but also challenge them positively. Embracing change and seizing opportunities is part of the mandate. They must also be ethically oriented in acting with integrity and building trust-based relationships. This must be the basis for interaction since it conveys one’s self- confidence in demonstrating purpose-based values.

Champions are visionaries who explore possibilities in broader strategic and interdisciplinary ways to meet the future.

Be a pro at communicating the benefits and business case for sustainability in general, and in relation to your organisation. Champions must be conversant with the definitions and terminology used, as well as the basic arguments and evidence.

They must also have a toolkit of fun and credible ways, such as YouTube videos, images, social media and so on to share messages on sustainability. While sustainability is for everyone, the method of conveying messages needs to be tailored to diverse audiences.

It’s best not to confuse ‘big sustainability’ (climate change, biodiversity loss, mobilising billions of people towards a better standard of life etc.) with small issues such as school improvement, internal strategies of an organisation to change processes to reduce its environmental impact and so on.

Though these are interrelated, ‘small sustainability’ issues exist because of the larger challenges and it’s best to differentiate which area you’re working on. Engage specifically rather than always overwhelming your audience on the state of the planet.

Think globally but focus your actions on acting locally. Create change locally and build momentum to the next level such as department, region, branch, sector or industry.

Sustainability is an ideal way to connect with a champion’s purpose and search for meaning in the work they do. Rather than only feeling that they’re maximising value for shareholders, even a small job or task plays a huge role and has great significance in making the world a better place for children.

Finally, to balance the disastrous knowledge of what is happening to our planet with the imperative to be optimistic about a brighter future, it’s necessary to understand the need to shift between being fearful and sad together with humour, and that of taking action to generate hope.