Executives must rise above narrow sectoral and short-term interests, and work with governments to create a new framework of incentives and sanctions, rewarding investment in people and planet.
There is yet to be a strategic framework for effectively managing a balanced profit-impact synergy. The benefit corporation legally requires organizations to pursue and manage towards their mission. For the first time, we have ventures that are legally accountable to pursuing the creation of public benefit.
According to Bob Willard, "There are too many indicators in play. We need to get our act together and identify a critical subset of indicators that are material to important stakeholders, including the environment, society, and shareholders."
Corporate transparency comes in many shapes and forms. I would be the last one to deny the relevance and essential nature of annual sustainability reporting, but I like the Novo Nordisk approach to here-and-now updates, which encourage today's conversation about the future, not about historical events.
Brands that take the lead, engage the consumers and drive the growth will be those that understand sustainability as a design challenge, rather than a communications problem.