Unfortunately, we discovered the concept of sustainability too late. We could have discovered today’s content in the 1970s. We didn’t succeed. We didn’t listen. In fact, companies are trying to manage sustainability strategies without even knowing about the 1987 Brundland Report, which today is considered the beginning of the emergence of the concept of sustainability. Milat, of course, is the IUE Conference held by the United Nations in 1992. Today, I would sincerely recommend that companies that are trying to make sustainability policies start by listening to 11-year-old Everyn Suzuki, who gave a speech at that conference.
Communicators have a hard job. Because on the one hand, they manage the agenda about the success of the companies they represent in a ruthless competitive environment, and on the other hand, they try to keep the troubles of the planet behind this success away from the agenda. For example; Companies are evaluating carbon footprint targets within their sustainability strategies, but data on plastic and water footprints have not yet been included in the reports. Issues critical to sustainability such as humane conditions in raw material supply, the situation of women and their children, poverty, hunger and decent living conditions have not yet been identified in the areas of measurable performance. Social responsibility makeup prevents us from grasping the basic philosophy at the core of the problem. Hasn’t the concept of social responsibility already come to our agenda as an outcome of the irresponsibility of humanity in the name of development and modernization?
The main need that will be reflected in the reputation of companies is the “sincerity” behind their policies on issues within the scope of sustainability. If there is this sincerity, there is no need to report!
If we want to move fast, we need to change the success criteria of companies from financial metrics to social and environmental metrics.
(*) This article is published at Business Life magazine
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