Who are the drivers for change? Is SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP key to future success?

PART II

What is sustainable leadership?

Sustainable leadership is when leaders of businesses manage companies in a way that benefits societies and the environment and long-term sustainable development goals, such as ending poverty, while maintaining financial performance.

Often, Sustainable leadership is also referred to as PPP, or the triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit.

Who are the drivers for this change?

Its us, the people, customers, employees, suppliers, investors etc. everyone who is challenging companies to respond to changing societal values or to the concerns about climate change or political instability.

Consequently, successful businesses and their CEOs realise that the criteria and economic models that ensure commercial success are changing.

The pandemic has only served to further highlight those challenges and inequities! No business can thrive sustainably and long term in a world of poverty, inequality, unrest, widening social and health inequalities and environmental stress and as such, has a vital interest in ensuring that the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its Goals are met.

The COVID-19 pandemic is for many another sign of exposing fundamental weaknesses in our global system and the fragile nature and a reminder to turn commitment into action. Maybe now even more than ever is the right time for all companies to raise their ambition for people, planet and prosperity in tandem with commercial results.

Sustainability is a leadership imperative. The time to act is now!

As António Guterres United Nations Secretary-General recently highlighted “focus more than ever to ensure that our post COVID strategies, goals and plans fully integrate the SDGs to create a strong and more resilient world.” 

In light of the above, it doesn’t come as a surprise that 92% of CEOs believe integration of sustainability and a sustainable mindset will be important to the future success of their business.

However, as always there is a gap between rhetoric and reality; despite changing stakeholder expectations of businesses and leaders, as of yet sustainability is not widely embedded in leadership expectations or culture — what companies look for when they hire leaders is a good measure of this.

Only a leader with a sustainable mindset, managing across commercial, societal and environmental outcomes, can be successful in the long term. It is those leaders with a sustainable mindset that will align all aspects of running their organization with these core values and beliefs and will be critical to future success and viability.

Interested to learn more? Get in touch with one of our professional UN insiders and learn more about the next webinar on “Sustainable Leadership in 2020”.  

Download our UN application guide or reach out to us if you need further support for your career https://unitedcareercoalition.org/how-to-work-in-the-un