
My sustainability words or expression for 2024 is meaningful engagement.
Imagine the following situation.
When travelling on a train or public transport, if we we knew that no one was going to check for our ticket for a particular journey, how many of would comply and buy a ticket? How many of us would actually continue to buy tickets if no journey was monitored ever again in our lifetimes?
We need laws as an incentive to do good and make decisions that benefit society as a whole (e.g. paying for public transport services which is good for the economy and more sustainable). However, at some point, you can have the strongest laws mandating that we should be ticket carriers, but fundamental behaviour change is necessary to ensure we're not just ticking a box, but we understand why what we are doing matters. We do it because of the penalties and risk, not because we see value in contributing to our society when we benefit from it and its resources (or services), which can add even more value for us.
It's similar for human rights due dilligence (HRDD).
We can approve and adopt laws that mandate corporate HRDD and duties for corporate disclosure and DD. But ultimately it's about how companies incorporate HRDD in their business as usual, the embeddness of human rights and sustainability in strategies and values that drive the business. We keep framing it as a risk to business, to operations, a threat to growth and survival; As a reporting obligation whose failure can lead to large financial penalties and reputational damage, which is why we do it.
Ultimately it's about how companies incorporate HRDD in their business as usual, the embeddness of human rights and sustainability in strategies and values that drive the business.
When it comes to HRDD, there's too much stick and not enough carrot.
Laws and obligations are important, but HRDD is already falling into a tick-box exercise. Let's make it meaningful.
Use it as fuel for growth not a threat to protect your business from.
My challenge for 2024 for you, business leaders and sustainability professionals is to frame sustainability and human rights as an opportunity, not as a challenge.
Will you join me in buying train tickets even when no one is watching, because we've learnt and can be trusted to do the right thing?
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