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in the transition towards a low-carbon
and resource-efficient economy that
will reshape the labour market and
open new opportunities for job growth.
Malaysia’s outlook towards 2020 for
renewable energy is expected to create
RM70 billion and support in upwards
of 50,000 jobs while reducing carbon
emissions by 40%.
The commitment to achieving
these targets looms large as globally,
the relationship between sustainable
development, green growth and good
labor market performance, while not
automatic, are mutually reinforcing.
Investing in renewable energy, waste
management, sustainable forestry,
green technology and sustainable business
practices can serve as economic
drivers, stimulate job creation and
national development while mitigating
environmental and social challenges.
The second, and what I believe is
the most critical of the two, exists on
a fundamental level and must become
part of the cultural landscape for business
nationally: sustainable business
practices.
In order for Malaysia to become a
fully developed and high-income nation,
national corporations must invest in
their greatest asset, their workforce.
They must also look across its borders
at sustainability leaders among counterparts
from other nations, set goals
and be determined to raise the bar
locally. The number of organizations
that practice sustainability reporting
through the Global Reporting Initiative
(GRI) needs to increase, as well as the
participation in the UN Global Compact
by Malaysian CEOs. This establishes ties
to global entities that drive sustainable
development directly and naturally
elevate Malaysia’s status among developed
nations.
The additional benefits of having
a national increase in sustainability
reporting will be realized in greater
agility in planning, monitoring, and
evaluating the effectiveness of national
policies, as well as establishing a firm
trajectory up the global value chain. For
the corporations, through compareand-contrast
activities, they will
establish market differentiation and
investor and shareholder confidence
while increasing organizational
maturation.
There is a quote that has been popping
up on social media that depicts a
CEO and CFO holding a conversation
where the CEO asks, “What happens
if we train our employees and they
leave?” The CFO responds, “What happens
if we don’t and they stay?” This is
a great message about investing in your
best assets: your workforce.
To develop OCC, organizations must first have
the organizational structure in place that
encourages a systems approach to thinking by
breaking the rigid silo approach and therefore
has the entire organization in mind and the
buy-in from all levels when making critical
decisions.
Further establishing organizational
capacity for change requires continuous
improvement and repeatedly asking these
questions:
Where are we? – Do we have a benchmark
that outlines how our organizational systems
approach change initiatives, and are they
sustainable?
What is working and what is not working?
– This is self-explanatory, but oftentimes,
organizations that operate in silo capacities
do not have the objectivity to look inward and
change what is holding them back.
Where do we want to be? – Set a clear target
for productivity and sustainability. The two go
hand in hand.
What do we need to change, and what are
the key priorities? - Establish a roadmap that
includes short- and long-term goals, as well as
An even more powerful message
could read, “What happens if we invest
in our employees, and we are not change
ready and therefore can’t benefit?” or,
“Why are we investing in training our
employees in areas that are not relevant
or a priority for our organization right
now?”
In a 2013 a survey of 1000 CEOs was
conducted by Accenture and the United
Nations Global Compact that spanned
27 industries in 103 countries, 93%
regarded sustainability as a new key for
business success.
These outcomes indicate that there
is little argument that organizations
are realizing that they must become
more sustainable and “get in shape,”
the question that is most commonly
asked is “how?” The key lies in aligning
organizational priorities to strategy and
expectations. Growing towards a sustainable
model requires organizational
capacity for change (OCC).
quick wins.
How will we get there? – Work with a third
party to assist in performing an assessment
with health checks.
How will we know we are there? - Establish
key performance indicators (KPI) and a level to
achieve against an international rating system.
Periodic health checks using external
evaluation systems such as the GPM® PSM3
Sustainability Assessment Model supports
organizations in building the capacity to
make the right decisions. In order to achieve
the benefits that drive an organization
upward, it can leverage what works well across
the enterprise and establish key metrics that
the organization can measure, manage, and
ultimately achieve.
The developed nations of the world are fast
realizing the gains by investing in sustainability
and with Asean Free Trade Agreement (Afta)
coming into full effect in 2015, Malaysia can
capitalize by increasing its collective capacity
for change by investing in the assets that are
already in place, emphasizing a culture of
innovation. This will transform potential into
momentum and reality.
green+.2014, november-december 27