Sustainable Business magazine - essential reading for sustainability professionals
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/137958
Editorial Will Parsons This is not a question of first past the post. There is no post. There is no finish line, at least not one that's visible from where we are now It's easy to position the drive towards sustainability as a race. We've done it on the front cover of this issue in fact– albeit because, with Adidas, Saracens Rugby Club and Formula One all featured this month, it was a theme that seemed specifically appropriate. It's true that there is an absolute imperative to effect change and drive the agenda forward, both from an environmental perspective (just read this issue's Blog Spot if you need convincing of that) and of course in terms of good business sense. However, using the concept of a race as the model is, it seems to me, fundamentally flawed. First there's the fact it's off-putting for many. The slower, chubbier, more 'bookish', runners (think Sport's Day participants that got a medal just for finishing the beanbag race) are never going to be able to beat the champion runners. And gaining buy-in from businesses across the board, including those for whom the process may be more challenging or the benefits less clear, is crucial. Pitting them in a 'race' against each other just isn't helpful. More importantly this is not a question of first past the post. There is no post. There is no finish line, at least not one that's visible from where we are now. There should only be an ongoing, never-ending process of improvement, albeit an urgent one. Don't misunderstand me, competition is crucial. Competitive advantage drives innovation, striving to meet and beat targets pushes the process forward, but the fundamental problem with a race, in my eyes, is that it can only ever have one winner. And one isn't enough – by a very long way. Hand-in-hand with competition needs to come collaboration, with knoweldge transfer driving the level of best practice ever upwards. Or, going back to the race analogy, the pack leaders need to look back, and pass their training tips down the line. The stragglers need to look forward and learn from those in front. Only in that way will we ever finally get in view of the finish line. *disclaimer – while the concept of a race may not be a great model for sustainability, it's an excellent model for an editorial comment.