
Three things I know: taking over the family business
How many times did I secretly wish for my father to leave the business and leave me the sole “Queen” on board? Ten years later, I cannot imagine working without him by...
by Knut Haanaes, Frédéric Dalsace, James E. Henderson Published August 18, 2022 in Brain Circuits • 3 min read
It seems everyone is talking the talk on sustainability these days, but are they walking the walk? Some companies actually spend more resources on looking green than their actual environmental footprint. There are things you can look for to identify greenwashing in your clients and maybe it’s worth examining your own company to ensure you aren’t unintentionally failing in your commitment to sustainable action.
If we cannot trust the announcements made about sustainability, we cannot undertake the two central tasks of assessing any company: (1) how does it compare to competitors, and (2) is it improving over time? Here is a checklist of questions you can ask and things you can look for to discern whether a company is true to its stated green commitment:
After making sure your own company can answer these questions, start looking at your partners and vendors. This will become even more important as you move forward with your green goals.
Lundin Chair Professor of Sustainability at IMD
Knut Haanaes is a former Dean of the Global Leadership Institute at the World Economic Forum. He was previously a Senior Partner at the Boston Consulting Group and founded their first sustainability practice. At IMD he teaches in many of the key programs, including the MBA, and is Co-Director of the Leading Sustainable Business Transformation program (LSBT) and the Driving Sustainability from the Boardroom (DSB) program. His research interests are related to strategy, digital transformation, and sustainability.
Professor of Marketing and Strategy at IMD
Frédéric Dalsace focuses on B2B issues sustainability, inclusive business models, and alleviating poverty. Prior to IMD, he spent 16 years as a Professor at HEC Paris where he held the Social Business / Enterprise and Poverty Chair presided by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. Prior to his academic life, Frédéric accumulated more than 10 years of experience in the business world, both with industrial companies (Michelin and CarnaudMetalbox) and as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company. At IMD, he is Director of the Integrating Sustainability into Strategy program.
Professor of Strategic Management at IMD
James E. Henderson is Professor of Strategic Management at IMD, Program Co-Director of the Leading Sustainable Business Transformation program, and Program Director of the Strategic Partnership course. He helps companies achieve and sustain their competitive advantage either at a business unit, corporate, or global level through directing custom specific executive programs, facilitating strategy workshops, or teaching MBAs and executives.
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