The Business Logic of Sustainability

[Sally Lever]

At his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional "take / make / waste" industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce.

Notice the incredibly beneficial effect this company's "Mission Zero" business plan has had on goodwill and market share.

Highlighting the dominant role that business currently plays in plundering the earth's resources and stressing the potential for business as a solution to the problem, his message is clear:

"Theft of our children's future will one day be a crime."

Do create a 15 minute window in your day to benefit from the uplifting messages in this short video.

[Sally Lever]

It's amazing how having a "MIssion Zero" policy makes so much sense when someone spells it out so clearly, isn't it? And thanks for incorporating this idea into the grants scheme, Karen.

Allana - I believe that as time wears on and the more obvious effects of climate change and peak oil start to bite,a larger proportion of businesses will start to "get it". From a spiritual point of view, it's just the right thing to do with a tool, such as business, that has the potential to effect huge changes. It's also, I believe, the right thing for us each as individuals to do, to make the consumer and lifestyle choices that align with our personal principles and the principles promoted on this website and yes I agree with you about leading by example.

I know Al Gore received some criticism for his film "An Inconvenient Truth", specifically some of the scientific data. However, one phrase from it that has stayed with me is the one where he talks about our need to raise consciousness. And everytime we make a choice for sustainability and resilience, I believe we contribute to raising consciousness - setting a good example, as you say - and also effecting an overall energetic change.

[Allana Lane]

It's like a dream isn't it?

Can you imagine a world where every business was Mission Zero? There is no reason why not. Maybe some businesses just need more support. I am surprised at how many businessess just do NOT get it yet.
Oh well as long as we keep in mind that we only use there services and buy products from sustainable business then we are safe in the knowledge that we are acting in the very best intentions and saving the planet from our own little corner of the world.

I find it difficult how so many freinds of mine are totally ignorant to what is actually happening. Many of them even going to the point of mocking me if I dare say things like.."oh did you know that the carpet you are about to buy is made from Oil and damaging our earth?"...where do you stand on things like this? How can you really get the message across to them?
As Rays mentions...it's businesses that need to make the changes. If every carpet business decided to go Mission Zero and close down operations for carpets that are made from oil....the consumer would not be able to buy earth damaging products anymore. I often think about who is leading who here. Is the world consumer led or business led?

We just have to keep going and lead by example don't we? It isn't always easy but it is definitely do-able. And to buy quality and be able to respect our possessions instead of this mass cheap stuff which needs replacing really quickly is just a complete waste of time money and the planets resources.

The poem was beautiful...
Nice post thanks again Sally

[Karen Maskall]

That's a remarkable video Sally thankyou for sharing it with us. And thankyou to Ray for his inspiring "Vision" for sustainable future for all.

I had made a copy of the equation that Ray uses to express the workability of "Mission Zero" concept.

The most poignant part of this equation ( and Ray's speech) for me is the notion that we can all achieve happiness by reducing our impact on the planet TO ZERO MISSION and living more sustainably and we can all achieve happiness if we could only learn to live life more simply with a "less is more" priniciple. If business can do it then so can we all! We really do not have any choices left.

Xmas is coming up now and I'd just like us all to stop and think for a while ..not only about the real meaning of Xmas but about the huge impact all the excessive and greedy waste will have on Our Planet.Millions of people all over the world are being fed with this ridiculous idea that our children will be happy if they wake up on Xmas morning with hundreds of presents,tearing through all the wrappers,investigating one toy first and then casting it to one side to move onto the next. It's a very sad state of affairs and a real shame that our mass produced society has had to arrive at this point. I know of parents who will sacrifice everything and go into large debt every Xmas just to buy their child a gift that has no real meaning. If Parents could only sit down for a while and talk with thier children about the damage that is being to their wallets and to the environment Then I'm sure the child will be a far better and more reasoned and rounded person growing up into a world where sustainabitilty is the norm.

The Missin Zero principle can be applied to every area of our lives.I know it's not an easy task when even our governments cannot put a stop to this ridiculous mass advertising on TV with products that are literally KILLING our Planet. The Advertising Standards Commission have a real lot to answer for. As far as Im concerned they put health warnings n cigarette packets... they should have a compulsory warning on ALL products that are plundering the Earth's resources. THIS PRODUCT IS SERIOUSLY DAMAGING OUR PLANET

As for businesses, Ray mentions that they are the driving force for eveything. And that's true. And in the current climate all business should now have Mission Zero business plan in place. Business should not be talking about creating wealth by plundering the earth and continuing toplunder the earth resources by the greed and worthless consumption by the fat cats at the top who reap all the cash only to put it straight back into a destructive economy with out a single thought for the next man or the next generations.

The creation of business weath should be evenly distributed and used for sustainable purposes. I am proud that Pledging for Change has a Vision to make a real difference in the world and I am also very very proud that I am founder and have never ever consciously spent money to exess on material possessions.(A testament to the fact is that my daughter mentioned she is going to get Trinny and Susannah to come and sort my wardrobe out. Hmmm not dificult seeing as I only have a...well I'm not telling you but clothes are not a priority for me...never have been and never will be I'm sure) And I also very very proud of our members who are striving to save our planet on a daily basis. Thankyou to everybody.

If all business could use the services of a great sustainable bsuiness coach like yourself Sally they could achieve "Mission Zero" and see their turnover increase with consumers who respect and value their products and services that give back to our planet and all it's inhabitants.

I just thought I would leave you with the poem that one of Ray's employees wrote:

Tomorrow's Child © Glenn Thomas

Without a name; an unseen face
and knowing not your time nor place
Tomorrow's Child, though yet unborn,
I met you first last Tuesday morn.

A wise friend introduced us two,
and through his sobering point of view
I saw a day that you would see;
a day for you, but not for me

Knowing you has changed my thinking,
for I never had an inkling
That perhaps the things I do
might someday, somehow, threaten you

Tomorrow's Child, my daughter-son
I'm afraid I've just begun
To think of you and of your good,
Though always having known I should.

Begin I will to weigh the cost
of what I squander; what is lost
If ever I forget that you
will someday come to live here too.