Ready for Our New Better?
Let’s not yearn for 2019’s “normal” or January’s “business as usual.” The majority of men, women, and children across the globe were not thriving back in the “good old days.” Certainly, the natural systems on which life depends deserve to be viewed in a new way and returned to a healthy balance.
What have we learned so far during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The president and his acolytes ignored science and poorly analyzed risk, leaving effective solutions off the table, and creating confusion on what to do and who to trust.
We turned inward to learn, explore, and consider who we are, what our purpose is, and who/what is important and essential.
We looked beyond our homes and reached out to family, friends, neighbors, colleagues more frequently and with more consideration than usual.
We acted responsibly for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our nation, to keep people safe and healthy.
We learned that many of us can accomplish a large part of our responsibilities remotely, while the celebrated “essential” workers cannot.
Let’s use these lessons and go beyond the way “life used to be.” It’s time for a Fresh Start and it’s time for Our New Better.
As our habits, our work practices, and our expectations continue to evolve with the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic, the reckoning of our nation’s history of brutal racism, and the global climate emergency, there are significant opportunities to look anew at what we prioritize and how we can become better as family, friends, colleagues, employers, employees, clients and customers, and collaborators.
Here are three recommendations on how and where you can start:
Examine your purpose, strategy, services/products, practices and marketing to consider how they match your aspirations and how your company can create positive change for everyone related to the enterprise
Engage with your employees and other stakeholders to discuss where the company needs to change for today’s circumstances and what advantages and disadvantages that may result
Consider how your company culture and operations would be strengthened and its reputation enhanced internally and externally if the organization commits to becoming a socially and environmentally responsible employer
If you have questions and these ideas make sense for you and your business or nonprofit, please reach out and let’s talk about how you can move forward.
#NHBSR #Sustainability #SocialResponsibility #Climate #Antiracist
Susan Kaplan, Principal, Sustainable Futures Consulting