
I see lots of passion and mission-driven values in web3
[Interview] We meet Kris Tucker, Global Head of Business Development at Leyline.gg and Proof of Good DAO. [Views are his own]
Jose Carlos is an international consultant with over 15 years experience in sustainability, evaluation, donor relations, resource mobilisation and international relations. He is a member of several panels and working groups in the framework of the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He is the founder of “Your Chief Sustainability Officer”, a novel sustainability services consultancy.
Sustainability is key to ensuring the survival of the planet, our societies and our way of life, even if the latter must change in order to achieve a sustainable future. I would say that sustainability is part and parcel of maintaining our life on the planet as we know it. Sustainability is also a way of understanding the environment, the economy and society. Being sustainable entails a whole new way of understanding your behaviour as a human being, worker, investor or a consumer. Sustainability requires that we challenge ourselves constantly: Am I doing my best to ensure a sustainable environment? Am I contributing to a more equitable economy? Am I considering the stakeholders affected by my actions and activities? Is there a better or more sustainable way to live and work? working? In a nutshell, sustainability brings about a new socio-economic paradigm that calls for a new mindset.
I welcomed Mr. Guterres’s address and his commitment to the global sustainability agenda. He made a bold and determined call to action. In that vein, I applaud the new UNDP campaign “Don’t choose extinction”. It represents the voice of 4 billion people who call for urgent action against climate change. The campaign cleverly uses the image of an extinct dinosaur shaming world leaders into action!
Regardless of their level of accomplishment, the SDGs have been a major achievement as they represent the first global development agenda. They are a landmark agreement on development, societal, the environmental and economic sustainable targets. The SDGs are a global sustainability road map and as such they are the yellow brick road that society, the private sector and governments should follow in order to secure a sustainable planet for future generations. In other words, the SDGs are the paper on which the international community will write its legacy for forthcoming generations.
The private sector is key to achieving the SDGs. The masterminds of the SDGs and the UN system had one very clear idea in mind i.e. non-traditional development stakeholders had to be part of the process and take responsibility for a sustainable future and planet. It was amazing to see how the idea of public-private partnerships, and engaging with non-traditional stakeholders caught on so rapidly. I have been very lucky to be a part of that breakthrough. It is worth mentioning that it was the first bold call to action to corporations in history.
As stated before, corporations have been called upon by governments and the UN system to support the implementation of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs. The private sector represents approximately 80% of the world’s GDP and at least 80% of the world’s workforce. Without the contribution and commitment of the private sector the world cannot accomplish the SDGs. They are a critical part of the sustainability process and public debate.
First and foremost, it is the right and ethical way to run a company. However, it is important to highlight a number of compelling reasons why sustainability is moving from a “nice to have” to a “must have”:
In this respect, I would add the following to the above-mentioned sustainability drivers:
I think companies should view sustainability as a long-term strategy that guides decision-making and investment options. Importantly, sustainability should not be approached as a marketing/ greenwashing opportunity as this strategy is bound to backfire. Companies can start with coming to grips with the basics of what the broad sustainability umbrella includes and offers. We are not just talking about solar panels and recycling plastic and paper, which is great and the best starting point. The private sector can analyse the opportunities that a sustainability road map offers in terms of profitability, ethical behaviour and business, social, and environmental opportunities. They will learn to embed sustainability in their core business model and to set up a dedicated department to implement sustainability strategies. The establishment of mutually supporting partnerships with a view to achieving sustainability objectives is also key.
In “Your Chief Sustainable Officer¨ we offer the sustainability services and functions that a CSO and a sustainability department would typically perform within a company. We help companies and public institutions to identify relevant SDGs, design and implement sustainability plans and road maps. We insist on the fact that ¨green washing¨ is not an option and that transparency and openness are a must.
I have been boogie surfing for many years and as such, I would like to answer with a metaphor that reflects my views on the challenges ahead. Sustainability represents a revolution, a new economic/social paradigm and this creates an earthquake. This earthquake has provoked several tsunamis and swells which are the incoming legislation, market trends, banking and insurance ESG criteria requirements, talent competition and the search for profitability. Following the analogy, companies and public institutions are the surfers waiting for the swell to come. Their surfboards are the different techniques, methodologies and required standards to implement and report on sustainability. The wax is the willingness to insert sustainability in the core business. I am the sustainability consultant, the surfboard shaper. It takes effort, diligence and perseverance to get sustainability right but when you do, you will stand upright riding the biggest waves while everyone else may have fallen off the board with the first swell … In “Your Chief Sustainability Officer” we facilitate the implementation of the SDGs and sustainability in your core business. We help you to shape your board.
[Interview] We meet Kris Tucker, Global Head of Business Development at Leyline.gg and Proof of Good DAO. [Views are his own]
[Interview] We meet André Vanyi-Robin, CEO and Founder of Nozama. Nozama.green is a SaaS software platform that provides tracking of CO2 savings and kilograms of packaging recovered in a complete suite of data driven tools that allow for sustainability marketing that is transparent and verifiable.
[Interview] We talk to sustainability communications expert Rosie Davenport, founder of Impact Focus, about greenwashing and why a clearly communicated sustainability strategy is imperative for business survival.
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