How do you know when it's time to take on a new sustainability challenge?

Importante avaliar se a lideran?a de que você é parte possui os mesmos compromissos e ambi??es de transforma??o que você busca. Ao se questionar e responder esta pergunta você poderá decidir se realmente é hora de mudar ou n?o.

If you are contemplating if it's time to take on a new sustainability challenge could mean that you are not fully satisfied with your current situation. Firstly, understand what causes your lack of satisfaction: - is it the feeling of stagnation? - remuneration? - not enough challenge? Based on this starting point, answer the question, what type of new sustainability challenge would fill the void you are experiencing in your current situation.

Up-skilling on sustainability is useful for so many in business from self employed right up to corporate employee. We all have a part to play in a more environmentally friendly focussed future. If it was my first sustainability challenge I would try to identify things that I can have an impact on quickly to attain fast results then build from there. Many taking on their first sustainability challenges try to go too far too soon and are then disappointed with the results, lots of small actions create bigger actions over time!

1. Understand what it is that's giving you the feeling you want to change. That's often too little or too much of something. 2. Line up the possibilities to tackle that feeling. Oftentimes you can stay within your current job, but just make some tweaks, to resolve the nagging feeling. Other times, it does make sense to start exploring other options and see which ones fit. 3. Re-evaluate your feeling after a couple of job interviews. The grass often seems greener on the other side of the fence than it actually is. Job interviews can show you what you've got and give you a new level of appreciation for it.

In my view it is always the right time to take a sustainability challenge that will have a positive impact on your local environment or community. Any localised initiative you join or even start can be applied regionally or nationally, but my advice would be to start local as this will also help you to understand local issues and local people.

Want a new challenge in your organization? In most organization, there are nearly unlimited sustainability opportunities. Find a sustainability project that also looks and feels like it solves a traditional business problem at the same time. If you want to reduce CO2 from a process, for example, take on the challenge of finding an energy inefficiency--and then propose an efficiency solution. Your solution will reduce supply need, probably cost, and CO2. Think newer motors, digitalization, LED lighting, etc.

Usually, employees have two choices at this point: stay with the current employer and transition to a role that aligns with the vision or look for a new job. I'd suggest to explore the opportunities your current employer can offer, as that's probably going to be easier than moving jobs on top of transitioning to a new job.

Be open to conversations with TA hunters. Over the last 20 years I've only worked at 1 place that I actually applied for, the others reached out or were referred by a friend. I feel interviewing is a skill that can fade with time so even if you aren't looking have the chats and go through the process you never know when you'll get a great job that you didn't even know you wanted. If you aren't actively looking or time is on your side be picky. Set your value and know the lines you won't cross and stick to them. You provide more value than you realize so don't sell yourself short.

Think about more than just salary and package. What geeks you out and only look at that those that do that. Our priorities change as we grow in our careers, look back and see what you just hated doing and what energized you. Ask detailed questions during the interviewing process to ensure what they want aligns with you. If you're done with excel then ignore the analyst roles, if you're done with storytelling and always selling then look at PM work. Life is too short to be miserable at work!!

Assess the impact you have managed to imprint in your organisation over time and what is left you can do to pursue your objectives for change. Should what is left be very little or with no possibility to achieve, then is a good indicator for you to pursue other oportunities.

Dentro de tu progreso, no solo evalúa los resultados que obtienes para la compa?ía, también considera los resultados que obtienes para tu crecimiento personal y profesional. En mi experiencia siempre es bueno contrastar lo que estás haciendo con tu IKIGAI (si aún no has realizado este análisis, te recomiendo hacerlo, te ayudara a tener más clara tú motivación y razón de ser en el mundo).

This is so difficult into today's hiring climate. HR doesn't have the bandwidth to get back with everyone. It's hard to hear but they just can't do it, get creative. Stalk the hiring manager on LI and after a few weeks reach out with a clear ask of "what was missing" or "not a good fit, can you help me understand why?" Be clear in the ask and give them space to get back to you. Talk to past leaders and see what they're saying.

To determine the ideal timing for tackling a new sustainability challenge, it's essential to consider monitoring market trends and regulatory changes as these can highlight emerging areas in need of sustainable solutions. Assessing organizational readiness is equally important; it's the right time to embark on a new project when your organization has the necessary resources, expertise, and commitment. Listening to stakeholders, including customers, employees, and community members, can also provide valuable insights into urgent areas requiring attention. Moreover, the stability or completion of current initiatives can signal an opportunity to explore new challenges.

Global environmental events, such as climate change-related disasters, can be a wake-up call to address certain sustainability aspects. For example, after witnessing the impact of severe weather events, we launched a project focused on enhancing our business's climate resilience and supporting local communities in disaster preparedness. Sometimes, the impetus to take on a new sustainability challenge comes from personal passion or expertise. In my career, my interest in sustainable agriculture led me to spearhead a project on integrating vertical farming techniques within our company's food service operations, combining personal passion with professional objectives.

New / additional sustainability challenges / goals (when existing are already being worked upon) are driven by 1. Logistical issues. A ship wrecked / war so diverted / suppliers non compliances to standards of ESG. 2. New policies and laws. Such as G20/ COP etc. Resulting in new targets for ESG compliances. 3. Additional products / services being launched resulting in newer vendors / customers / factories. When we undertake any new ESG / sustainability goal we have to go through the process of identifying materiality again. And reassess the supply chain / value chain so as to define touch points and identify factors we need to monitor and report.

Technology and innovation play a crucial role, Advances in technology often introduce innovative solutions that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your organization's sustainability efforts. These solutions can span various sectors, including energy, transportation, waste management, and resource conservation. You need to assess whether emerging technologies align with your objectives and if they warrant a new challenge. Then consider whether the technology contributes positively to your environmental and social goals and fits your overall sustainability strategy.

By monitoring what influences your stakeholders and consequently your business strategy. Things like a new regulation, shareholder pressure, reputational management etc. can all be indicators of where you make need to adjust strategy and take on a new challenge in your sustainability journey.