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You promote social responsibility– but do you deliver truly meaningful change?
The challenge is like my sons’, who learn to build amazing structures together. Initially, chaos reigns as one brother builds a car’s body while his brother builds wheels for an airplane.
Eventually, however, the brothers align on the big picture: their powerful boat will plow proudly through the waves. By sharing perspective, Rayden connects with his little brother and they play together for hours. The ship they build is bold, yet it’s also the result of both creative minds.
Helping others see the big picture also engages creative minds for social impact: it aligns effort for greater social benefit and more rapid profit growth.
For example, the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance’s (SFPA: #Unilever, #Nestle, #Danone, and #Mars) supports policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (and thus global warming). However, their press release on the topic only clarifies specific policies supported such as carbon pricing and clean energy.
But, what about the big picture? Others could more creatively support SFPA goals if they understood what @DougKoplow recently explained: public policy today net increase, rather than decrease, greenhouse gases. Reduction efforts are highlighted by the 11% of (energy source) gases paying ~$7/ ton of CO2 for emission rights. Yet, such efforts are small compared to the 13% of gases subsidized by ~$115/ ton, pushing the opposite direction (page 23).
As digital technology obscures basic insight in mounds of detail, benefits from shared understanding grows. Others can bring innovation while still aligning effort.
Before leading your own socially responsible effort, ask, “Which tools will empower effective collaboration?”
Redesigning social systems so you can profitably deliver key outcomes requires new strategies, yet doing so enhances your life and that of everyone around you.
Do you understand your area of social responsibility well enough to summarize the challenge simply? Share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, business strategist, and expert on digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our pressing social problems. Contact him at info@RodWallacePhD.com.