Why Sustainability Is All Our Jobs Now
Guest post by Ann Beavis, Crown Workspace
Protecting the planet and supporting society are rapidly becoming a business’ licence to operate. If your company is not yet thinking about, talking about and doing something about carbon, water, biodiversity, air pollution, inclusivity, wellbeing, gender equality (to name just a few areas that come under the umbrella), it soon will be. But you’re not a sustainability professional so what does this have to do with you?
No business can expect to be environmentally or socially responsible just by employing an in-house and/or external team of sustainability experts. In much the same way, no business can expect to be financially responsible just by employing a team of accountants, or ensure a safe environment just by employing health and safety consultants. Yes, someone needs to have the technical knowledge and take overall responsibility for targets, metrics, reporting and coordination but sustainability requires everyone to take ownership, to innovate in their area of the business, and apply a sustainability lens to every decision.
Currently there are benefits for those who innovate and lead – whether individuals giving themselves career advantages or businesses giving themselves competitive advantages. But before long, this will be business as usual. Ignoring this agenda will become hugely disadvantageous and ultimately businesses who do so will face an existential challenge. This isn’t just my opinion – legislation, public procurement requirements, societal expectations, aspirations of younger employees, investor demands and many other pressures will ensure this is the case.
Most of us want to do more to protect our planet and communities but don’t know what to do or how to go about it – so this is a positive thing right? Whatever your role, sustainability and sustainable workplaces, are going to be part of it, and your employer should provide the direction and skills to enable you to do so, whether you’re a workplace consultant, facilities manager, designer, architect, or supplier of materials, products or services to the workplace.
You will be asked to optimise workspaces that maximise wellbeing as well as productivity, carry out low carbon fit-outs that facilitate reuse, design and build circular offices, promote biodiversity in grounds and other outside spaces, provide socially responsible services and eco-friendly products, and much more – if you aren’t already. Your career, and your business’ licence to operate, will rely on you being able to respond coherently and authentically to these demands.
In the words of polar explorer turned environmentalist Robert Swan, ‘The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it’. Sustainability is all our jobs now and we need to learn how to operate in this new paradigm. Join me at Workplace Trends this October and find out how to overcome the practical challenges in delivering sustainable workplaces.
Photo by Danist Soh on Unsplash