Leaders for the Planet: Sustainability & Ethics

In the corporate world, companies that don’t deliver value to stakeholders become obsolete. But what if the company’s key stakeholder is the planet?
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Imagine how the rules of the game would change, and what it would take to facilitate that change, one leader at a time.

Patagonia: A Case Study

​In 1965, the outdoor clothing company Patagonia was founded. Initially selling a small line of climbing gear, the company later expanded to manufacture clothing for hiking, climbing, and camping. By the 1980s, Patagonia began to donate some of its profits to support nonprofit organizations. As the company grew, Patagonia’s focus and mission evolved. Over the years, Patagonia became a model for an ethical, sustainable, accountable organization that is profitable selling gear and clothing—and does good for the planet.

The book The Future of the Responsible Company, by Vincent Stanley with Yvon Chouinard, tells the company’s unique story. I presented this book at our recent CliffsNotes Book Club (check out the portal for my notes).
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I was really moved by this real-world, contemporary example of a company that is operating sustainably while maintaining profitability. It got me thinking about how leaders at all levels, in all organizations, can learn and benefit from the Patagonia story—and how as coaches we typically do not “stretch” our questions beyond the individual leader and organization…to consider the planet as a stakeholder.

Coaching Questions for Leaders

To summarize some of the lessons from the book, the five key skills required to drive a sustainability agenda are (1) rethinking business success, (2) understanding business impact, (3) ethical leadership, (4) embracing regenerative practices, and (5) resilience through responsibility.

Stanley and Chouinard touch on each of these elements in the book, along with examples from Patagonia’s history. For each of these, I have provided coaching questions intended for reflection and discussion. Whether you are a business founder or a leader of a team or division, I invite you to consider the questions…
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1. Rethinking Business Success
   If business success were not measured by profits, what would success look like? Who benefits from your success?
2. Understanding Business Impact
   To what extent are your suppliers and partners aligned in your values? How do you maintain alignment internally and with external partners?
3. Ethical Leadership
   What priority do you and other leaders place on ethics, and how is this reflected in decision-making and information-sharing?
4. Embracing Regenerative Practices
   If your goal is to not only minimize harm, but true sustainability, what changes for the organization, society, and the planet?
5. Resilience Through Responsibility
   How are you living your core values? What messages are you sending to your employees and clients/customers?

 
What are you inspired to do differently? What small influence can you make in your world of work that could make a significant difference for our planet?