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Sustainability, UNSDGs

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10 sustainability lessons from the life of Nelson Mandela

Sonal Desai


Depending on how one wants to view it, the rift between those who support and oppose climate change action, alleviating poverty and hunger, DEI, and promoting world peace and unity is growing or shrinking.

As more data and statistics have become available, our understanding of the problem has expanded and more stakeholders have become involved. This reminds me of Nelson Mandela’s well-known call for an equitable distribution of resources in his (then) racist homeland: “Work, bread, water, and salt for all.”

Today’s Africa is a brand-new novel, with every page lovingly crafted and nurtured by the populace, the state, and the international community, for whom Mandela continues to serve as a role model.

The Mandela legacy:
Call it the Mandela legacy. Long before the world developed official frameworks and nomenclature to make it mainstream, he advocated for social justice, the fight against poverty, human rights, peace & security, and climate change–some of the key pillars of the UNSDG principles.

What began as a personal initiative to bring a nation together and have a positive, purpose-driven impact on society as a whole gradually grew into a global agenda driven by the United Nations, the World Bank, and the think tank across various organisations, all of which are looking for answers to different questions regarding one major cause, global warming and its impact. Every day, reams of paper are used for research, analysis, or the publication of new findings and directives intended to halt local, national, and international catastrophes brought on by heat waves, rainforest destruction, melting glaciers, and carbon emissions and pollution.

Although these are long-term problems, putting a few fundamentals in place can help repair the already thinly stretched fabric. We, the people, are at the heart of it all. Mandela’s attention to people and his pearls of wisdom teach lessons in sustainability and sustainable living that last a lifetime.

I list below my favorite 10:

1. “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.” – “Long Walk to Freedom, The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela” written by Nelson Mandela in 1994

2. It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not (Nelson Mandela by Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations).

3. Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.

4. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wilderness. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.

5. The very right to be human is denied everyday to hundreds of millions of people as a result of poverty, the unavailability of basic necessities such as food, jobs, water and shelter, education, healthcare and a healthy environment.

6. Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.

7. Thus shall we live, because we will have created a society which recognises that all people are born equal, with each entitled in equal measure to life, liberty, prosperity, human rights and good governance.

8. As long as women are bound by poverty and as long as they are looked down upon, human rights will lack substance. As long as outmoded ways of thinking prevent women from making a meaningful contribution to society, progress will be slow.

9. One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen

10. It takes you out of your comfort zone, away from your normal supports and will have people questioning your sanity. No doubt, it’s a brave move.

Contextually, it is time for us to work together to build a better world. Numerous men and women have already started the lone drive. Let us join them and build momentum for a just and sustainable world!!

You can add to the list dear reader. Let’s take the conversation forward.


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ESG, Sustainability, Sustainable workplaces

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Sustainability now and @2030: The India report card

Sonal Desai


A new Sustainability at Work survey carried out by Adobe throws interesting insights into the sustainability trends in Indian workplaces. The report also drew a `now global conclusion’ that the youth (between 25 to 34 years and the millennials are driving sustainability practices at the workplace.

On their part, enterprises too have embarked on their sustainability journey not just to retain existing talent or hire new employees, but also as a part of their conscious effort to drive purpose-driven, ethical, sustainable business practices across their organisation.

Interestingly, the findings which were a part a new study titled Sustainability at Work, highlighted the importance of sustainability at workforce. Notably, Adobe interviewed more than 1,000 Indian employees and business managers for the survey. The findings can act a learning point for the C-suite and experts driving sustainability practices in enterprises across industry verticals.

Listed below are some key findings:

1. Some findings:
• The company wants to reduce its environmental impact
• Employees are individually involved in enforcing the company’s sustainability initiatives
• Sustainable practices in the workplace lead to improvements in workplace culture, reduced negative environmental impact, and increased overall productivity rates
• Employees in the age group 25 to 34 years (97 %) directly involved in driving sustainability practices
• Important for 97% executives to achieve high sustainability at work
• 41% executives ranked sustainability at workplace as one of their top three metrics for business success
• 83% respondents feel empowered to help improve their company’s sustainability practices
• 82% employees want to be more involved in driving sustainability practices
• Around 70% said their company is in line with or ahead of other companies in its sector in implementing sustainability practices
• 84% said their company has dedicated personnel to implement sustainability practices

2. How Indian employees view sustainability?
• 77%: Company prioritises sustainability and wants to reduce its environmental impact
• 93%: Company has boosted its sustainability efforts to attract prospective employees
• 71%: Want to only work at a company that prioritises sustainability

3. Technology is the key:
More than 90 percent employees responded that hybrid working can make businesses more sustainable. Because:
• Increased focus on digital document storage and management (44%),
• Encouraging use of digital collaboration and workflow tools
• Lower electricity consumption in commercial office spaces

4. Tracking sustainable practices:

According to senior executives and business managers surveyed, Indian companies track sustainability initiatives in several ways. These include:
• Publishing sustainability performance reports (56%)
• Running internal auditing and reporting (51%)
• Including sustainability in management performance scorecards (50%)

5. The split:
However, the opinion of who should primarily drive sustainability initiatives in the workplace was split. About 30% respondents said everyone should drive it equally, while the rest said that either employees or executives and managers should be tasked to do so (35% and 29%, respectively). Indian employees also see sustainability as an opportunity for innovation, talent attraction and retention.

6. Sustainability @ 2030:
• Sustainability initiatives will be viewed as opportunities for innovation (85 %)
• Companies will consider their entire supply chain, including vendors for sustainability initiatives (82%)
• Companies will have a dedicated sustainability department to reduce environmental footprint (82%)
• Increase use of digital document storage and management (41%)
• Prioritise renewable energy (41%)
• Work towards reducing or eliminating plastic in the workplace (40%).
• Employees hope to see more recycling programmes and reduced paper usage and printing in the office

Leader comments:
Prativa Mohapatra, Vice President and Managing Director, Adobe India, said, “The findings of Adobe’s Sustainability at Work survey show that more employees want to be involved in driving sustainable business practices in their workplaces and it is a clear reflection of an inspiring mindset that the Indian workforce holds towards a sustainable future of work.”


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ESG, Sustainability, SMB

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Entry barriers!

Sonal Desai


Entry barriers!

I am sure the sentence resonates with my friends in sales and marketing organizations. Does it not?

Folks, each one of us—across business categories, across designations including the C-Suite has faced entry barriers. These do not come just from nay-sayers who oppose any new idea or innovation, but a new breed of defensive souls is laying new barricades.

Consider this:

I am using the example from ESG and sustainability, not because these are new buzzwords or are a part of the mandatory compliances globally. I also want to highlight how ignorance or fear of losing power is building the wall. Result: we received a backlash from a top source in the sector recently.

WriteCanvas was invited for a `chat’ to map the company’s ESG initiatives. As an enterprise that does not believe in box-ticking, we identified some gaps that could be plugged at the entry-level. Considering the prospect was an ambitious enterprise in the SMB segment, we took a four-pronged approach and informed the prospect that we would not just handhold them throughout the project but maintain transparency at all levels.

Needless to say, we did not bag the project!

The indicators were present from the second meeting itself! One of the managers started getting restless and defensive. And the parting shot was: If we have everything in-house, why do we need you?

The importance of compliance:
Compliances in ESG if not strictly implemented invite heavy penalties. And organizations that want to scale up, and expand geographically, may face issues due to non-compliance.

We believe that an external agency can help you to identify and plug the gaps until you acquire adequate manpower in the sustainability department, with adequate skillsets.

Lessons learnt:

1. We will have to face naysayers at every stage
2. We have to learn to deal with the defensive structure
3. The prospects have to really look inward and scope the requirements. They need experts to plug the holes, for course correction and NOT to mutely nod their heads in YES SIR fashion
4. We HAVE NOT, DO NOT, and WILL NOT promise the moon. We are realistic and know our capabilities

No one can address climate change single-handedly. It requires collective efforts and the involvement of all stakeholders. Override your resistance. We are not there to replace you, but to extend a helping hand in your journey to transform your organization into a purpose-driven, sustainable one.


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