What does sustainability look like? What kind of people do you work with? What kind of work counts as “sustainability”? As Appleshed has aligned its client work to sustainability over recent years, these are questions I have been trying to answer. So I filter opportunities through questions like “does it feel right?”, or “does this excite and extend me?”, and “does this reach the people who can make a difference”? What makes the decisions correct though?
Sustainability is a very broad topic, there is so much to do. To create a sustainable future we need to tackle a few ridiculously large mountains, like saving the planet, creating a fair and just society, holding ourselves accountable, and doing it all so quickly that fundamental system change is required. So making the improbable, or even the impossible both tangible, doable and within reach is key. But what does that look like in every day connection and clients?
I work in a number of ways, through contracting with Innovation SuperNetwork around sustainability and Net Zero for environmental impact. This allows me to work in my regional area (where increasingly research is suggesting people will be able to create the most informed impact as we know the “who” and “what” in our regional space that needs to change) by supporting and building relationships and organisations who seek to make change. I consult with indivual corporate organisations at a strategic level to incorporate sustainability into their overall organisational strategy. I engage with and support those looking at the BCorp framework to encourage understanding about explicit transparency and what social and environmental impact looks like in our organisations and on paper. I also support leaders in the Voluntary Sector with their strategy and resilience building and continue to work with the School of Social Entrepeneurs learning about Social Impact organisations and grant giving.
Finally, and possibly where I may be able to make the most difference is through leadership coaching and mentoring towards better, more impactful leadership. More confident, knowledge leaders are empowered to create change. Knowing that incorporating sustainability into your organisation and your life is a large mindset shift means I need to earn people’s trust and make sure I translate the complex into something tangible to enable my clients to feel they can take real steps and see the difference they make. I learn in this space daily, because the most real thing I can do is be a sounding board for whatever is most immediate, and that may have nothing to do with sustainability. However, I also know that my views on sustainability are the base foundation from where my thoughts come from and extend into building a fair and just life for ourselves by design – so compliments what my clients need at any given time.
I love working at a strategic level where a combination of awareness raising and practical action make sustainability feel more tangible for organisations. I love working from an environmental angle, where carbon is only part of the conversation as we head towards Net Zero and also includes water, waste, power, procurement and policy. I am learning so much about Social Enterprise and organisations and feel people working in these spaces are forever acting as the glue to society’s support systems and services where gaps are found, and unforunately there are many. Corporates have so much to learn from Social Enterprise and visa versa.
Have I and Appleshed got the mix right? Is this what working in sustainability looks like? For me the balance feels right, a mix of strategy, Net Zero, Social Impact, BCorp and leadership coaching is building relationships across many differing parts of our economy, areas I believe will be able to and need to work more closely together to achieve our collective goals for ESG impact and a sustainable future. This may all change, the mix may become different, but the focus remains – how do I empower individual leaders and their organisations to take the bull by the horns and step up to be a part of the solution? A question I may take the next 20 years to answer – however, despite how hard this work can be, the ride will be amazing!
