FutureOfCSR_June07Baruch

27 June 200727 June 2007 Steven G Brant, Trimtab Management SystemsSteven G Brant, Trimtab Management Systems 11

How the UN Global Compact How the UN Global Compact Can Transform Can Transform

the Global CSR/Sustainability Movementthe Global CSR/Sustainability Movement

Steven G. BrantSteven G. [email protected]@TrimtabManagementSystems.comwww.TrimtabManagementSystems.comwww.TrimtabManagementSystems.com

Globalization and the Good Corporation2nd International Conference

International Center for Corporate Accountability


So much progress has been made…even in America…

Why is a transformation needed?


Because something most people can’t imagine happening, is now possible…

…if we bring the art (and science) of innovation to our movement.


…And Because We Still Face A Huge Socio-Political Economic Challenge


A “Blue Ocean” Strategyfor the CSR/Sustainability Movement…


…Championed by The Global Compact, Because of its Performance Model

At its core, The Global Compact is about learning and internal motivation, not just meeting certain

standards set by others.

“Raising The Bar” (Greenleaf Publishing, 2004)By Claude Fussler, Aron Cramer, and Sebastian van der Vegt


The Performance Model: The methods we use are as important as the results we want to achieve.

Expanding from Plan-Do-Check-Act (the Deming Cycle, where mistakes are opportunities to learn and improve)…

…To include the view that organizations are systems made up of interdependent parts(as Dr. Deming taught the Japanese, using this diagram)


Innovation and a Systems-Based Approach for the CSR Movement

Include the Sustainable Science and Technology Include the Sustainable Science and Technology movement movement (How many of you link to the Rocky Mountain Institute or (How many of you link to the Rocky Mountain Institute or McDonough-Braungart Design Chemistry on your sites?)McDonough-Braungart Design Chemistry on your sites?)

Expand from improving the parts of the world (the Expand from improving the parts of the world (the environment, labor relations, human rights) to improving environment, labor relations, human rights) to improving the whole worldthe whole world

(Just how much good can the CSR movement create?)


The Essence of the Available Transformation:Going From a Reactive To a Proactive Movement

Our origins in risk management: Stopping bad things from Our origins in risk management: Stopping bad things from happening to our reputations (meet external codes happening to our reputations (meet external codes developed by others) which led to stopping bad things from developed by others) which led to stopping bad things from happening to the worldhappening to the world

Our future in inventing new options: Giving people - Our future in inventing new options: Giving people - including the NGO communityincluding the NGO community - what they don’t know they - what they don’t know they can havecan have


Proactive Strategies:Expanding From Stopping Bad Things

To Starting Good New Things

How much good can the CSR community create?How much good can the CSR community create?

Just how “good” can a “good corporation” be?Just how “good” can a “good corporation” be?

Who defines what “good” is?Who defines what “good” is?


Innovation in the Sustainability Movement

Amory Lovins and the Rocky Amory Lovins and the Rocky Mountain Institute know how we Mountain Institute know how we can “win the oil endgame”.can “win the oil endgame”.(see www.oilendgame.com)(see www.oilendgame.com)

Bill McDonough and Michael Bill McDonough and Michael Braungart know sustainability Braungart know sustainability isn’t about reducing waste; it’s isn’t about reducing waste; it’s about eliminating the concept of about eliminating the concept of waste. To Mother Nature, there is waste. To Mother Nature, there is no such thing as “waste”.no such thing as “waste”.(see www.mbdc.com)(see www.mbdc.com)


The potential of a more fully integrated CSR/ sustainability movement

What if every socially responsible business championed What if every socially responsible business championed “thinking sytemically”, in addition to its company-specific “thinking sytemically”, in addition to its company-specific CSR activities?CSR activities?(They could all just say “It’s time to (They could all just say “It’s time to think differentlythink differently.”).”)

What if every socially responsible business - What if every socially responsible business - no matter no matter what industry it was inwhat industry it was in - promoted the work of Lovins and - promoted the work of Lovins and McDonough on its web site? McDonough on its web site?


Sustainability science expert William McDonough says, “Leaders must become designers, and designers must become leaders.”

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are needed to see this picture.

What if we in the CSR movement began thinking like designers?


The CSR movement as a “Design Exercise”The CSR movement as a “Design Exercise”

What can the CSR movement accomplish as a whole, that What can the CSR movement accomplish as a whole, that goes beyond improving the environment, labor relations, goes beyond improving the environment, labor relations, and human rights (the “parts of the whole”)?and human rights (the “parts of the whole”)?

What is “the whole system” which needs to be redesigned? What is “the whole system” which needs to be redesigned?


The System That Needs To Be Redesigned:How Humanity Relates To Itself


Since we really are one global community - one human family -

how would we ideally like to live together?


Two UN Initiatives Can Help Us Answer That Question

MDGMDGThe Millennium Development Goals: (2015 is the deadline)The Millennium Development Goals: (2015 is the deadline)Goal No. 8 - Develop a Goal No. 8 - Develop a Global Partnership for DevelopmentGlobal Partnership for Development

DESDDESDThe Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) “The…goal…is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all “The…goal…is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviorwill encourage changes in behavior that will that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.”society for present and future generations.”


A Whole Systems Approach:Combine Your MDG and DESD Participation

The CSR community could influence the nature of this The CSR community could influence the nature of this “global partnership for development” so the entire human “global partnership for development” so the entire human family “develops”- physically, intellectually, & ethically - family “develops”- physically, intellectually, & ethically - by learning what it needs to learn by learning what it needs to learn and unlearning what it and unlearning what it needs to unlearnneeds to unlearn so that it can transform from a family at so that it can transform from a family at war with itself to a family living in peace.war with itself to a family living in peace.


One thing we need to unlearn

Although it was the true nature of reality for thousands of years, we no longer live in a

“scarcity of resources” reality.


Other Resources That Can Help

Systems-based development experts such as Drs. Russell Systems-based development experts such as Drs. Russell Ackoff, W. Edwards Deming, and R. Buckminster FullerAckoff, W. Edwards Deming, and R. Buckminster Fuller

Caring-focused economics theorists, such as Riane EislerCaring-focused economics theorists, such as Riane Eisler

Historian James Burke’s “Knowledge Web” projectHistorian James Burke’s “Knowledge Web” project(Burke did “The Day the Universe Changed” and (Burke did “The Day the Universe Changed” and “Connections” TV series“Connections” TV series


Before Addressing What the USA Network of The Global Compact Can Do…

The following related news crossed my desk just last week…


The Journal of Corporate Citizenship Issue 26, June 2007

A Special Issue on “The Corporate Contribution to One Planet Living in Global Peace and Security”

McIntosh Waddock Kell

“There are common threads and themes…about how businesses can contribute to peace and security and to what we are calling, after (Hungarian political economist, Karl) Polanyi, the next great transformation. Clearly, there are significant signs that transformation is needed in the world today.” - from the issue’s Editorial, by Malcolm McIntosh (Coventry University, UK), Sandra Waddock (Boston College, USA), and Georg Kell (UN Global Compact)


This special issue is tied to…

A conversation about the future

“… a conversation taking place at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England from 24-26 October 2007 organized by the Applied Research Centre in Human Security, the UN Global Compact, Boston College and The Eden Project.Conversation, inspiration, music, food and change”*

* From http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com/default.asp?contentid=55


What Unique Contribution Can The USA Network of The UN Global Compact Make?

Focus on the need for Focus on the need for a vision beyond wara vision beyond war (and (and full of hope, as Tom Friedman - in “The World Is full of hope, as Tom Friedman - in “The World Is Flat” - says the world is missing today).Flat” - says the world is missing today).

Invite that part of America’s business community Invite that part of America’s business community with the ability to communicate the resulting with the ability to communicate the resulting vision to the public at large - vision to the public at large - “Hollywood”“Hollywood” - to - to participate in The Global Compactparticipate in The Global Compact..


It Can Also Help Make The Transformation Fun

A transformation - especially a “great transformation” - must be about the adventure ahead, not just the bad things being left behind.


From Danny Kaye to Star Trek…The American media and entertainment industry has the unrivaled ability to inspire people to boldly go someplace they’ve never been before (and to help people learn what they need to know to get there) by making the journey fun.


In Fact, It Has Done This Twice Before for the Whole Country

During WW II, when During WW II, when new recruits were new recruits were needed…and those needed…and those recruits then had to learn recruits then had to learn the skills to win the war.the skills to win the war.

In 1955, when the general In 1955, when the general public learned that we public learned that we had the science to make had the science to make space travel a reality, space travel a reality, sowing the seeds for the sowing the seeds for the creation of NASA. creation of NASA.


What Has Inspired You?


What might the Hollywood UN Global Compact Special Interest Group Look Like?

Some participants will probably continue to focus on Some participants will probably continue to focus on stopping bad thingsstopping bad things

Some will champion hopeful things we have (or are close Some will champion hopeful things we have (or are close to having) the ability to do, like this celebrity is to having) the ability to do, like this celebrity is already already doingdoing




Catalyzing the Transformation of Humanity:A Powerful Future for The Global Compact

Beyond Meeting Standards…to Beyond Meeting Standards…to Creative Creative InnovationInnovation

Beyond Separate Parts…to Beyond Separate Parts…to The Whole SystemThe Whole System From Improvements We Make Out of Fear…to From Improvements We Make Out of Fear…to A A

Transformation We Make Out of Hope and the Transformation We Make Out of Hope and the Bold Spirit of AdventureBold Spirit of Adventure

From Killing Each Other…to From Killing Each Other…to Respecting, Learning Respecting, Learning From, and Working With Each OtherFrom, and Working With Each Other


Maybe Hollywood Will Dramatize The Journey To The Future We Finally Have the Ability To Achieve



Here’s someone who knows how to do that…


Maybe Tom Hanks Will Do for The Global Compact What Danny Kaye Did for UNICEF


Here’s to the “unreasonable person” inside us all…

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Thank you very much

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

- George Bernard Shaw

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