Sustainability, Systems Change and Staying the Course.

2024 looks like a year of reflection for many. For those who have spent the last 2 decades (or more) working on climate change solutions, we’ve been through a lot. 20 years ago, I was working on documentaries for “channel 31” an open-access community television station covering topics relating to politics, the environment and social justice. A few years later in 2005, the Kyoto Protocol finally came into effect — an international treaty to address climate change by reducing emissions — and I truly felt the world was heading in the right direction towards balancing economic progress and environmental justice. It was also around this time I started documenting climate solutions, not just challenges, working with projects supported by multilateral orgs like the UN Environmental Programme . In 2010, at 21 years old, I established my career in Singapore working at the intersection of the for-profit business sector, the non-profit impact sector and the government.?

In 2014, (which is hard to believe was 10 years ago now), I documented 7 youth from every continent in the world join a journey in Switzerland, to see for themselves the latest technological innovations such as solar, hydro and wind. Despite being from such diverse backgrounds, (a Maasai village, a fishing town in Alaska, a research station in Antarctica, and cities in Chile, China, Australia and Switzerland…) we all felt a collective sense of global momentum towards climate action. This culminated the following year in 2015, when the world adopted the Paris Agreement with the aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees at #COP21 .?

But in 2016; things started to take a turn. Trump was elected, and in 2017, he declared the US would withdraw from the Paris Agreement. However, this was a time where I found solace in the private sector. Initiatives like Bill Gates “Breakthrough Energy Coalition ” were born to accelerate clean energy innovation, Tesla was changing the automotive industry, and Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched the “CE100” coalition of businesses coming together to advance the circular economy. Paul Polman had already launched Unilever's “Sustainable Living Plan”, and Emmanuel Faber had started to truly advocate for the B Corp movement as CEO of 达能 , advocating for a business model that integrated financial performance with social and environmental responsibility. It was during this time that our own B Corp business VS Story really took off, providing Vision Strategy and Storytelling for purpose-driven brands, investors and networks.?

When covid hit; the purpose-driven business community rallied together, and we supported each-other both professionally and personally. In many ways, the world became smaller, as business networks and impact coalitions strengthened around the world, thanks to ecosystem nodes like Carlo Giardinetti, MBA and Kim Polman ( Reboot the Future ), and platforms like NOW Partners Foundation and WeTheChange .

Post-pandemic, I feel like we all hit the ground running, with a renewed imperative to respond to the ever-increasing climate emergency . I merged with a global firm to accelerate our mission; establishing ourselves in offices around the world. And in a similar way; the fragmented impact frameworks which we had been following and measuring against to find a global consensus on what exactly we mean when we talk about “impact” and “sustainability” also started synergising.

This year, the B corp Assessment (BIA) is going through a major transformation ;

“As the climate crisis intensifies and societal inequality grows, the need to bring about systemic change is clear. We must advance the standards for B Corp Certification to meet the magnitude of the challenge ahead. The new standards will provide clarity for companies, galvanizing the most impactful business actions and focusing on what really matters, meaningfully demonstrating the leadership role that B Corps and the B Corp movement play in the world.”

Likewise, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), now led by Emmanuel Faber, has been working tirelessly to develop a globally accepted baseline of sustainability disclosure standards; and it seems like 2024 could be the year it all comes together.?

As an impact-driven entrepreneur; all of this momentum is energising; if we keep it in sight. But this is easier said than done.?

Because behind all of this positive momentum, is the ominous forecast that the economy is on the verge of crisis.

We are reminded, on an almost daily basis, to cut costs, do more with less, and find ways wherever possible to maximise operational efficiency. Almost every CEO I know is faced with a similar mandate, and it feels like everywhere I look, people are bracing themselves for a transition. ?

And so, where I once found a deep solace in the private sector back in 2016, I am now experiencing for the first time the true "achilles heel” of our economic system?—?the boom-bust cycles of the economy, and the short-term mindset of prioritising immediate financial gain over long-term value creation for all.?

So what does this all mean, and where do we go from here??

For me, 2024 is about staying the course.?

When times are turbulent, our integrity and values are the first to be challenged. Despite a mounting pressure to veer away from your purpose to pursue profits above all else — we must find a way to stay true to our guiding principles. To quote Adam Grant , we must find a way to get to the top without cutting others down, “expanding the pie” to benefit not just ourselves but the people around us. Because, as Grant discovered in his research ;

“Givers succeed in a way that creates a ripple effect, enhancing the success of people around them.”

And so, while it may be tempting to step away from the arduous, and often unremunerated work required to collaborate towards standardising global impact frameworks, strengthen and expand our communities of change-makers, or advocate for social and environmental justice —?this year, I’m committing to stay the course.

Because anyone who is entitled enough to be in any position of leadership, has a responsibility that most others will never have the privilege to attain. As Jane Goodall reminded us at WEF ;

“nobody should be appointed to decision making positions if they are not thinking about the future generations”.?

So, I hope you too, find the resilience & capacity to continue; embracing evolving standards, forging stronger partnerships, finding solutions for the trials and tribulations of changing systems, and driving bold new ways of synergising and scaling together, without compromise.