The Growing Importance of Sustainable Leadership
Ricardo J Flores
Sustainable Business Leader | TradeWinds Vice-President | ESG | Angel Investor and Sustainable Startups Mentor | PCMK Coach (APC) | MBA Organisational Happiness
Sustainable leadership is an increasingly important concept in today's business world. It refers to the idea that strong, ethical leaders are necessary for companies to survive and thrive in the long-term. More and more businesses are recognizing the need to focus on sustainable leadership practices in order to ensure their success. Let's explore why this is becoming so important.?
First of all, what exactly is Sustainable Leadership??
Sustainable leadership refers to a style of management and decision-making that takes into account the ethical, environmental, and social impacts of business decisions. In other words, it focuses on making sure that any decisions made by leaders have a positive impact not only on the immediate bottom line but also on society as a whole. This could include things like promoting diversity and inclusion, providing access to education, investing in renewable energy sources, or focusing on sustainability initiatives.?
Why is Sustainable Leadership Important??
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Businesses need strong ethical leadership if they want to remain competitive in the long term but more importantly, because it’s the right thing to do. In today's world, customers are increasingly aware of corporate responsibility and will be more likely to support companies that take their social responsibilities seriously not just as a marketing strategy. Additionally, having strong sustainability practices can help companies attract top talent who want to work for organizations with values they believe in. Finally, sustainable leadership helps businesses prepare for potential future challenges by being proactive rather than reactive when it comes to decision-making processes.?
There are many examples of successful sustainable leadership practices out there, many of them are very exciting and show us we all can do our part. Closer to my heart is TradeWinds Experience example, a values-driven global luxury vacations company where, since its foundation in 1999 sustainability, social consciousness and doing the right thing is non-negotiable. From banning bleach and other toxic products and replace them by in-house developed bio cleaning products, sun screen and mosquito repellent for our guests; single-use plastics banned from the operation; responsible sourcing, always searching for suppliers who share the same values and goals as TradeWinds and organic products availability: helping the communities in the many countries and islands where we operate and supporting people’s development; actively engaging and supporting coral reef restoration organizations and, more recently by participating in the innovative project Smart Electric with Fountaine Pajot and other partners to develop the first zero-emission cruising yacht, hydrogen powered which will soon be launched. These are just a few examples of how TradeWinds and other businesses have implemented sustainable leadership practices into their strategies for long-term success.?
Sustainable leadership is becoming increasingly important for businesses looking for long-term success. By implementing effective sustainable leadership practices such as promoting diversity and inclusion, investing in renewable energy sources, or focusing on sustainability initiatives, businesses can create a healthier environment both inside and outside their organization while also increasing customer loyalty and attracting top talent who share their core values. Companies should look at examples such as Microsoft’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint or TradeWinds’ commitment to protect the sea life and the oceans as well communities around the world at the same time aiming a global fleet of zero-emission yachts as inspiration when developing their own strategies for sustainable leadership success moving forward!
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Experienced Human Resources Leader
1 年A fantastic article Mr Flores! So astute and on point. Deliberate and careful decision-making in leadership is such a vital skill. I also appreciate your comments around sustainability and the positive (or negative) impact our everyday decisions can impact the environment, especially areas that allow us to thrive in our industry. Great food for thought! ??
Strategic Account Director at Finastra
1 年Hi Ricardo, Great article. I also conducted some research years ago around the Triple Bottom Line and found it extremely helpful. I know that there was work on a scorecard under-way to force firms to report on their improvements in this field. Evolutionary thinking seems to only happen in the aftermath of seismic change and it is sometimes useful to pull on this lever to properly motivate leaders to do the right thing. Some firms offer incentives to their staff to get ideas on innovating. In my opinion, every staff member needs to have a KPI pushing for this and I think we will then be able to edge the needle in the right direction.
Head of Charter at Odyssea Yachting
1 年Very interesting article Ricardo. We have indeed leant a lot from Tradewinds and now that we have started our own company, we can make the right decisions from the word ‘go’ to ensure that what we do gives rise to an ethical, sustainable company of the future!!!
Entrepreneur, Tech-Innovation Lover, Family & Team Player.
1 年Great Initiative Ricardo.!!!! I think is important to differentiate between to be compliant with law, be ethical and then to be sustainable. Leadership can variate and play around between all 3 fields, but I think it is important to make clear the true value for achieve the Sustainable Leadership in an Work Environment full of pressure or challenges, and who benefits. Not all companies are actually prepared for it, no? Appreciate if you can develop more about it in this channel..!!
Sustainability Education Coach and Consultant
1 年Ricardo, may I share this with the first-year students who are taking my Introduction to Sustainable Development course? They are all heading into business and/or tourism-related programs, and this will be a great addition to my class on Spheres of Influence. (Nice to see a fellow Mind-Kinetics coach working in the sustainability field!)