Redefining acceptable business behaviour in favour of the environment
In my 2nd Blog dated 14 March 2019, I commented on why waste management and recycling are an important part of the environment4change strategy. In the writing I said,
“Our shared planet has a definable set of scare resources, but mankind arguably has an undefined ability to be creative, innovative and resourceful. As demand for raw resources continue to increase over time, with an increasing population, production processes reliant on the raw materials MUST consider every avenue, other than the consumption of our rare and scarce virgin natural resources, as the inputs and imputes s to production. Recycled production inputs must make up an increasing and growing percentage of raw material requirements towards our global wants.”
Twentieth century Industry was degenerative by design. We took Earth’s natural resources, turn it into something we wanted and after use, threw it away. This was the business model of the 20th Century where business was motivated primarily by profit. This is a linear consumption model, degenerative in nature and works contrary to the laws of nature. If left unchecked and allowed to run unabated, this linear model will eventually see the world running scarce of many natural resources. This is not a model where future generation are respected. Also, it simply does not have to be this way! There is an alternative model.
A Circular economy is circular by design. Natural resources, once turned into something, can be reformed to their raw material inputs to be used for something else, a process that can be repeated. This circular model means that we do not need to add to the existing destruction and damage caused to our planet. This Circular Economy calls on sociality and humanity to build ecosystems of plastics reuse, metals reuse, electronics reuse etc. Today, the globe is waking up to the importance of all-natural resources being managed in a sustainable fashion.
A recent focus on cause and effect has the big end of town listening. There appears to be a changing mood, a mood where big business is willing to accept it is in our shared interest that our single shared planet is cared for and replenished, where possible. The environment4change team believe all corporates can help if given the right mechanism and partner to become environmentally aware, engaged, empowered and active. Catherine Weetman summarised the different business models as follows:
The team at environment4change are not the first, nor will they be the last, to identify the importance of reusing Mother Earths raw materials again and again. Part of this blog is to identify other organisations doing incredible work around recognising the importance and value of nature. Last week we identified The Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN). Let me bring your attention to BTeam.org (http://www.bteam.org/)
The BTeam is a striking example of ‘environmentally focused,’ corporate leadership promoting their responsibility to run their business in a manner that considers the wellbeing of the planet as a priority in everything they do. The BTeam.org was founded by Sir Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz as a not-for-profit initiative to catalyse a better way of doing business, for the wellbeing of people and the planet. Founded in the belief that the private sector must do a lot more by redefining both its responsibilities and its own terms of success, they are developing a ‘Plan B’ for concerted, positive action that will ensure business becomes a driving force for social, environmental and economic good. More on this great initiative in a later writing, but in the meantime please visit their webpage here: http://www.bteam.org/about/
We (environment4change) support the BTeam and their initiative wholeheartedly.