Linking sustainability and inclusion in the midst of transformative change

7 July 2020 | Rebekah Steele and Alison Maitland

Originally published on LinkedIN

To build back better from this crisis, #sustainability and #inclusion must be side-by-side at the heart of planning, design and restructuring.

In finding solutions and taking action on the climate emergency, the fallout from Covid-19, and systemic injustices highlighted by #blacklivesmatter, it’s important that all voices are heard and able to participate fully.

That means creating trust and psychological safety to enable the full mix of people to contribute their ideas freely, to engage and to share accountability for implementing responses.

In #indivisiblebook, Alison Maitland and I examine how using inclusive processes to bring different people together can generate innovative solutions and buy-in faster – in grassroots communities, across corporate silos, and via cross-industry action to address inequities in business and society.

Our case studies show how some organizations are taking the lead in combining the goals of inclusiveness and sustainability for bigger results and impact – whether addressing the refugee crisis, gender inequality, or mental wellbeing – in their workforce and across society.

Is your inclusion strategy ambitious enough? What do you need to do differently for greater impact?