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    Sustainability

    How should businesses talk about climate change?

    by Susan Goldsworthy Published 21 November 2024 in Sustainability • 7 min read

    Corporate messages about the climate crisis can evoke feelings of helplessness. In contrast, life-affirming, empowering narratives can be more effective drivers of sustainability.  

    As awareness of the climate crisis and other interconnected global challenges deepens, the importance of reimagining how we communicate these issues becomes clear. Rhetoric centered on urgency and catastrophe has dominated public discourse, but it’s time to shift toward language that cultivates a sense of purpose, interconnectedness, and active hope. By framing these challenges within a broader context of potential and renewal, we create space for constructive action that not only sustains but regenerates the world we share. 

    Rather than operating in a system that feels outdated and ineffective, businesses now have the opportunity to embrace models that align with the life-supporting systems of the natural world. The metaphor here isn’t one of survival in a hostile environment but of stewardship and growth within a thriving ecosystem. By working together, we can support a future where both people and the planet flourish. 

    Human psychology is designed to respond to challenges, but how we frame these challenges matters.

    Inspiring transformation

    Public messages about climate change often highlight collapse and loss, such as the disruption of ecosystems, the loss of biodiversity, and supply chain breakdowns. If framed in this way, such messages can inadvertently cultivate resignation, leading to inaction. However, we can inspire change by communicating the potential for businesses and societies to be part of solutions rooted in collaboration, regeneration, and creativity.

    The question for businesses, then, is how to acknowledge the seriousness of our global challenges while fostering a sense of shared responsibility and opportunity. As businesses focus on living systems language (as opposed to war and mechanistic metaphors) they can empower employees and stakeholders to take meaningful action, encouraging creativity and innovation as essential tools for addressing climate challenges. Rather than despair, the tone could be one of possibility and potential. It may even be helpful to speak about ‘becoming’ versus change as this implies agency of the individual, group, or organization.

    Human psychology is designed to respond to challenges, but how we frame these challenges matters. A fear-based approach can lead to narrow thinking, or a ‘fixed mindset.’ Carol Dweck’s research into mindsets shows how important it is to move beyond such limiting frames. A ‘growth mindset’ embraces learning, potential, and openness to new ways of thinking and working. This mindshift can be a powerful guide for businesses tackling climate change, encouraging them to view this not as a problem to avoid, but as an opportunity to evolve, learn, and contribute to a living system.

    “During the pandemic, individuals and businesses found new ways to live and work, despite the loss of old patterns.”

    New beginnings 

    The word ‘apocalypse,’ often invoked in discussions of climate, actually means ‘revelation,’ ‘lifting the veil,’ or ‘a new beginning.’ This is a powerful metaphor for the transformation we are experiencing. It invites us to see the crisis not as the end, but as an invitation to co-create a new, more harmonious world. 

    We can learn from the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which showed how quickly humans can adapt to major shifts. During the pandemic, individuals and businesses found new ways to live and work, despite the loss of old patterns. There was a collective sense of innovation, solidarity, and discovery. Businesses can similarly approach sustainability by embracing innovation, trusting in their ability to co-create resilient systems, and recognizing their role within a larger, interconnected ecosystem. 

    Even though many companies returned to pre-pandemic practices as the immediate crisis waned, the seeds of change have been planted. There’s a growing awareness that traditional systems are no longer sufficient. This awareness is an invitation to reimagine work and align business practices with regenerative systems that nurture both people and the planet. 

    In today’s world, we are living all three stories at the same time, and this can create a sense of anxiety and cognitive dissonance.

    A new story for our time 

    In their book Active Hope, Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone share the concept of ‘the three stories of our time’ to provide a helpful framework for understanding where we are and where we can go: 

    • Business as usual – the focus on economic growth regardless of its broader impact
    • The great unraveling – an awareness of ecological and social collapse 
    • The great turning – the movement towards regeneration, collaboration, and redesigning systems for long-term flourishing

    In today’s world, we are living all three stories at the same time, and this can create a sense of anxiety and cognitive dissonance. When businesses embrace ‘the great turning,’ they become agents of transformation. They can move beyond outdated paradigms and, as tempered radicals, lead the way toward resilient, regenerative futures that support both human and planetary well-being. 

    By engaging in meaningful dialogues, raising awareness, and recognizing our collective responsibility, businesses can help foster environments where solutions are nurtured, not imposed. 

    Nurturing regenerative systems 

    Rather than focusing on ‘fixing’ the old system, businesses can embrace the natural cycles of life – growth, adaptation, and renewal – as models for sustainable success. In change, humans often grapple with ‘the three Ds’: denial, distraction, and despair. Instead, we can muster the courage to engage in the fourth D of dialogue and hold open, honest, and heartfelt conversations about sustainability. By engaging in meaningful dialogues, raising awareness, and recognizing our collective responsibility, businesses can help foster environments where solutions are nurtured, not imposed. 

    We no longer act as if we are separated from nature; we remember we are of nature. Recognizing this interconnectedness allows businesses to shift from extractive, survival-based mindsets to generative, life-affirming strategies. When companies embrace this regenerative mindset, they can be part of a positive ripple effect that supports global sustainability. 

    As organizations tap into these inner resources, they become better equipped to navigate complexity, respond to challenges with creativity, and co-create systems that nurture both people and the planet

    Inner Development Goals: A path to clarity and balance 

    One powerful framework that businesses can adopt to navigate this transformative journey is the Inner Development Goals (IDGs), which complement the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The IDGs emphasize the importance of inner capacities—such as being, thinking, relating, collaborating, and acting—that allow individuals and organizations to align their actions with a deeper sense of purpose. By focusing on cultivating these human qualities, businesses can rebalance the emphasis on human doing with the often-overlooked human aspect.

    Working with the IDGs can offer leaders and teams a clearer sense of direction, helping them to foster environments where sustainability is not just a strategic goal, but a natural outcome of a more mindful, purpose-driven approach to business. As organizations tap into these inner resources, they become better equipped to navigate complexity, respond to challenges with creativity, and co-create systems that nurture both people and the planet.

    By acknowledging that the old systems are no longer serving us, and stepping into the role of nurturers of change, businesses can lead the way towards a necessary future that is regenerative and thriving.

    A hopeful path forward 

    Corporate leaders have a unique role in guiding this transformation. They can inspire their teams by acknowledging the significant challenges and then focusing on the positive actions that can be taken today, emphasizing agency and accountability. This approach helps people reconnect with their purpose, encouraging a mindset of possibility rather than fear.  

    By acknowledging that the old systems are no longer serving us, and stepping into the role of nurturers of change, businesses can lead the way towards a necessary future that is regenerative and thriving. The challenge – and the opportunity – of our time is to move beyond survival and into a mindshift that fosters life in all its forms. In the words of Vaclav Havel, “Hope is not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” 

    Authors

    Susan Goldsworthy

    Affiliate Professor of Leadership, Communications and Organizational Change at IMD

    Susan Goldsworthy OLY is an Affiliate Professor of Leadership, Communications and Organizational Change at IMD. Co-author of three award-winning books, she is also an Olympic swimmer. She is a highly qualified executive coach and is trained in numerous psychometric assessments. She is Director of the IMD Executive Coaching Certificate and Program Director of the Leading Sustainable Change program.

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