This is what Sustainable Leaders do
Being sustainable. Recycing is one of the most basic initiatives companies have to take care of the environment.
Sustainable leaders are a new kind of leader born from the needs of these modern times. Due to different issues attaining our world and its natural resources, companies started hiring professionals with a whole new set of capabilities.
Nowadays, companies are more involved with environmental, social and corporate governance practices. They have acknowledged that they need to return part of their benefits to contribute with society and, mostly, the planet.
Sustainable leaders (let’s call them SL) are people who give an extra effort to lead companies that can generate a positive environmental change. They face their new responsibilities with passion.
You know what a sustainable leader is however, in this article we will go deeper, so that, it the end you will learn what you need to become one of them.
What competencies does a Sustainable Leader must have?
Sustainable leadership is not a unique characteristic. In fact, is a condition you can exercise. In other words, there are some common points that sustainable leaders share. Some examples of people who are SL (and they are actually making a change).
Here you will find some examples of what characteristics make a Sustainable Leader.
Care and involvement. Sustainable leaders are usually involved on committees and groups focused on responsible development around the world. They tend to be in more than just one group.
Focus. They dedicate their time to support and/or develop sustainable solutions. It can be a new solution to an old problem or an innovative gadget.
Recognized expertise. Gathering people attention could be something hard to achieve. Sustainable leaders are experts on their fields and they frequently are contributing on conferences and webinars where they share their knowledge and inspire others.
Creativity to accomplish new challenges. Aren’t you amazed by the new devices that come out to make the world better every day? Every change implemented, every machine and every technique invented to improve processes was born in the mind of somebody. For example, electric cars are replacing traditional ones and thus, we found a way to reduce pollution. Challenge yourself and your creativity to make improvements that save the earth.
One time I had the opportunity to meet a highly innovative, courageous and disruptive person, Bertrand Piccard, that created the first Solar Airplane, and he demonstrated that it was not necessary to use fossil fuels to flight, you can read more on his web page what a truly Sustainable Leader is as an example https://bertrandpiccard.com
Responsible. The SL practice the care of the planet in every little action he or she does, at home, at work, at any meeting, convention or group is participating.
Stays informed. Dedicating a part of the time each day to get information about new developments and needs around the world on climate change and environmental impact is such an important activity.
Many portals, nowadays, inform about the latest news and, there are several investigations you can watch on streaming platforms like documentaries films on Netflix.
If you want to learn more, you better start with these. Some examples you can watch on Netflix are:
Cowspiracy and
How to be a sustainable leader?
Involve yourself in more projects. Does your company have any environmental, social or corporate governance project? If yes, great! Get involved in it! Rise your hand and be proactive, the planet is yours, and even a small action can make a difference.
If not, be proactive and ask yourself: what could you do to start one of these initiatives?
The easiest way you can start is being Aware of CO2 emissions. Take care of your own emissions and you can turn back those emissions on different socially responsible projects to reduce them. For example - and this is not the only one - there’s a Belgian organization named the green tripper, where you can calculate your CO2 emissions in almost anything you do. Travelling by car or plane, cooking and using the lights at your house. With this information, you will be able to give back those emissions through a voluntary support to different projects around the world.
Talk to your peers in the place you work, get together and do something good for the planet, just a recollection of plastic in a beach or park near where you live is a good support for the planet.
A sustainable leader, can be you, do not think that is someone from another planet or with extraordinary capacities, money or competences to do it. Is up to you, me and all of us.
Now tell me…
Are you doing something for the planet? Would you like to participate and take care of it?
Please let me know below and I will be happy to read your comments.