From Microsoft’s vision for a computer in every home to SpaceX’s mission to colonize space, organizations often rally their teams around bold ambitions. But creating an industry or doing the impossible aren’t the only ways to define success. As companies consider their role in society, many are adopting more nuanced but no less ambitious goals.
Management expert Andrew Winston encourages companies to become a "net positive" for the world, which, in simple terms, means giving more to society than they take. Sound ambitious? It should. But it isn't impossible. And the rewards are worth the effort, from a more motivated workforce to invaluable goodwill among customers and communities.
Aligning your company around diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEI+J) goals is a critical part of becoming net positive. It’s also a long-term journey that’s unlike other projects or programs. Think of your DEI+J efforts as a portfolio. Like any investment, you need to contribute resources for the long term, adjusting your strategy as needed to yield returns. But unlike a traditional portfolio, successful DEI+J programs and workflows can’t be managed from a single office. Instead, they need to be embedded across all departments and functions.
Our Perspective
We like to think of progress toward any ESG goal on a maturity model continuum. At the beginning of the journey, most companies are either beginning to gain awareness or simply complying with new or existing rules.
With maturity, they move into implementing strategies, standards and KPIs to improve performance. The more complex and multi-dimensional the challenges become, the more ESG programs begin delivering value to the enterprise through innovation and growth. That positive feedback loop ultimately enables the company to become net positive, all without sacrificing business goals.
Getting everyone to align around an end goal and build a plan for how to get there will likely be your biggest challenge as well as the biggest opportunity to create change.
Point B's ESG Maturity Model
Wherever your company is on this continuum, it’s important to take stock of your current state. How mature are your organization’s current DEI+J efforts?
Each DEI+J initiative is likely to be at a different point on the continuum. For example, a healthcare company may have implemented standards and goals for increasing access and affordability, but may still be at the compliance level when it comes to improving health outcomes. Additionally, a financial services organization may seek to deliver more equitable fintech services but lack the right strategies within its operating model to turn goals into reality.
Internal stakeholders may not agree on the company’s current maturity level or even what the goals should be.
Changing Systems – Inside And Out
Focusing on your workforce and internal strategies is table stakes, but it won’t capture all the potential value of this work. You must also communicate the value across the entire business and into the community.
Net positive companies don’t win a game – they change it. For example, they work to remediate the root causes of climate change that correlate to social determinants of health. Or go above and beyond responsible sourcing practices to create systems that provide diverse suppliers the ability to compete through access to capital, thereby gaining the capacity needed to grow their business.
This is where the rubber meets the road, and where you can truly move the needle on issues like social and economic equity.
This is an ongoing process that involves providing services, soliciting feedback and adjusting your approach as needed. To understand your impact, look beyond dollars invested or hours contributed to identify outcomes through social impact measurements.
As your efforts mature, you'll need to think outside of the box to find metrics that reflect your progress. That may include performing brand sentiment surveys or tracking the impact of contributions to community causes.
Getting everyone to align around an end goal and build a plan for how to get there will likely be your biggest challenge as well as the biggest opportunity to create change.
Bridge Connections, Embed Progress, Change The Culture
Embracing a net positive mindset means balancing inside out and outside in impacts. If you don't invest in both, it's like saving money in a no-interest checking account. Start by fostering well-being, culture and work-life integration. That gives you the foundation to go out into the world and realize the full value of your actions.
RELATED SOLUTIONS
