Business Ecological Model: Reducing Carbon emissions in business through responsible thinking

These are urgent & alarming times for our environment. The world stands at the edge of peril and its high time we as citizens of the world act responsibly & from a sustainability pov. In addition to awareness & changes at an individual level, we need to start thinking at a macro level now.

All businesses are run by individuals at the core & the organic drive of a business rests with the thought processes of the individuals sitting at the table charging their insights for business development. The amount of carbon emission for the betterment of the company & the impact of the same on the environment is a matter of scrutiny and exigency.

How does an individual factor in if we speak of a full fledged business which is engineered by multitudes??

Let us start with understanding what is a business in layman terms,

What is a business?

A business or a brand is an ecosystem that includes people and inculcates in them a sense of uniform goal tracking, a culture of ascription to the processes at play in that space and efficient product rendering to the market.?

Now let us adopt a very popular psychological theory of all times- Bronfrenbrenner’s ecological systems theory where an individual is at the centre of the ecosystem and his theory expands upon her systemic relationship with other meta players of the society in micro, meso & macro systems respectively.?

Similarly, if we translate this model into a business ecological model and keep a business at the centre which is run by a group of individuals, the three levels of engagement & assessment would be micro, meso & macro.?

What are the three broad levels of a business ecosystem?

Macro-level: At the very top and the most outer level of compliance sits the macro group. International agreements, United National Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education and other National Climate & Environment Policies are the major players in the macro field of business compliance.

“There is no ‘Plan B’ because we do not have a ‘Planet B.’ We have to work and galvanize our action.” ?

[Source: UN Foundation]

Meso-level: At the Meso level business handlers sit who have a widespread influence over the market. This influence ranges at a broader scale spatially, temporally and at the organisational level. The heads & holders of all major businesses can use their ranks and leadership to guide the hierarchy towards a sustainable ideation of business strategies.?

It is important that the leaders of today develop a mindset for a better & a sustainable tomorrow.?

Micro level: A business largely is an organised set of ideas, products, people & a panel of leadership. The leadership at a meso level inspires and initiates motivation in the hierarchies of the company.?

To be able to inculcate a culture of carbon consciousness it is important to educate and create relatable internal carbon communication.

There are invariable ways to administer a positive anti-carbon culture in an organisation. Educational workshops, efficient processes & in-depth carbon cleaning mechanisms are some ways one can devise and think of internal communication based on carbon consciousness.?

The three levels of business ecosystem theory adds to the inculcation of an informed carbon culture in the organisation. The individuals functioning at the micro level do not work independently, all the departments & personnels are tied together in some pattern or the other. Initiating information related to carbon conscious business leads to a sustainable growth and maintenance of a responsible business.?

Why is carbon consciousness important for a business in 2022?

It is important to note that the leadership of any organisation plays a very important role in advancing a thought process for the employees to follow. Therefore, it is crucial that the decision-makers themselves are educated and motivated to bring about change in their industry.

Today, many countries have aided the idea of carbon monitoring & goal tracking and it is imperative to understand that the future dictates a carbon-free business culture.?

The macro level players or the international decision makers develop and rationalise agreements like the Kyoto Protocol to maintain and standardise climate & environmental norms across the globe. This in turn impacts and translates widely into the functioning of the meso and micro level of business ecosystem.?

To be able to sustain and maintain businesses in future, it is necessary that all meso-level players educate themselves to pass on a culture of carbon consciousness at the micro levels.?

It becomes thoroughly important that change is initiated, maintained and reflected upon by individuals at all levels. It is time for responsible sustainable behaviour and we must adhere to the basics of a carbon free future.?