SIGNALS OF CHANGE
Catching social and environmental trends early
Newsletter February 2014 Vol. 2 Issue 1
About this newsletter:
We monitor the news flow from a wide variety of sources from the last 30 – 60 days for developments that could inform your organization’s social and environmental strategy which in turn could affect your overall business strategy.
The idea of this newsletter is to alert you to trends that, in your leadership role, you may need to be aware off. Once alerted, if salient, you will start to pick up on them and apply your understanding.
Signals of Change Newsletter is produced in cooperation between the Institute of Swedish Safety and Security and Stephen Hinton Consulting with support from the Water and Food Award.
Together with our partners we offer dialogues, training, webinars and consulting to help organizations rise to the social challenges of our times.
THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE SHOWN INCREASING SIGNALS THAT BUSINESS LEADERS NEED TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE AT THE END OF THE INDUSTRIAL AGE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THAT ADAPTATION MIGHT MEAN IS BEING OFFERED FROM SOME SURPRISING PLACES AND IN SURPRISING WAYS. SIGNALS OF CHANGE INVITES YOU TO SHARE OUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.
SIGNALS: Hard facts about climate change are often disputed. However, as 2014 kicks off there are several signs that leaders can point to that we are in a fast changing planet consequently some opportunities and challenges in the ascendency. How though, does this relate to business? Some see it as a technical challenge to invent climate changing technology, some see it as a business continuity challenge to factor in the increased costs of the risks, you could see that a lot of people are going to get affected and that is an opportunity for your organization to do good.
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COMMENT: We see it as positive that enough signals are coming to convince leaders that business as usual is not a highly profitable energy intensive operation. On the contrary, as old models fail, leaders are required to see their organisations through fluctuating energy prices and falling demand in general whilst society is hit with all manner of hardships. This does not mean capitalism is dead. It does mean we need to do some radical rethinking. We remind readers of the financial risks associated with reduced demand for fossil fuel: extraction requires ever increasing capital and without the case of a strong future demand, extraction could fall faster than predicted due to lack of investment.
SUPPORTING LINKS:
Stephen Hinton sees a new leadership emerging: one where corporations are at the heart of creating common value for all.
The Guardian sees the same trend
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/sustainability-business-sense-profit-purpose
The British retail chain switches to 100% renewable energy
http://www.rtcc.org/2013/12/12/john-lewis-switches-to-100-renewable-energy/
Capitalism as it is, is not working
CEOS not ready for capitalism
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/12/is-capitalism-in-trouble/354683/
The Pope’s criticism of money system
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/26/pope-francis-evangelii-gaudium_n_4342964.html
IMF admits it got it wrong
http://www.businessinsider.com/imf-admitted-their-economists-were-wrong-2013-1
Economist Hazel Henderson explains how traditional economists are rethinking
Harvard Business Review article takes aim at growth ism rather than capitalism
http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/10/this-isnt-capitalism-its-growthism-and-its-bad-for-us/
Why capitalism without the money, mimicking nature is more functional
JOINING THE DIALOGUE: Stephen Hinton Consulting, together with the Swedish risk management organization, ISSS and the Water and Food Award offers strategists and business leaders support in framing strategies for the new, resource constrained but connected world. Building awareness is one of the first steps. Contact us through our websites for more information on how we can support you.
http://stephenhinton.org
http://ISSS.se
http://wafaward.org
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