Prepare for Massive Change!
The world is changing at an ever increasing pace, yet many companies keep doing what they have always done.
It is critical to the survival of organisations that they anticipate market shifts and prepare alternative scenarios.
"Innovation is the only way we will grow our business' and save the planet at the same time!" - Steven Parsons
Sustainable Business
We must protect the resources that allow a sustainable business.
"Sustainable" is the the new buzz-word . "Innovation" is also getting a fair bit of use by public speakers and business leaders.These words have become part of modern business language, but unlike buzzwords of the past these words are relevant and essential parts of all our vocabularies.
The planet is stuffed, or soon will be if we don't stop using resources as if they can easily be replaced. But it is not just natural resources we are abusing. To have true sustainability we must protect our ecology, our society and our economies.
Sustianability for business means building systems that allow long term benefits to all stakeholders. Many business have contributed to the system failure we are currently living through with both the climate and economies. What we are seeing now are the consequences of short term planning with no regard to future proofing our industries.
We can not seperate business and the natural environment. Without natural resources we have no business, without business we have unhealthy societies.
When society fails we all need to look out!
You Don't Have A Choice
If we don't act now it is all over.
As business leaders have failed to create sustainability into their models, governments are stepping in. Legisltaion is emerging that makes complience to social, environmental and even ecomomical responsability compulsory.OK so its alway been illegal to commit fraud, but we now see governments stepping in to make frankly stupid banking practices illegal.
The EU is developing legislation to ensure all products sold in it's 27 states comply to strict sustainable guidlines. This will mean not using nasty pesticides to grow cotton, Not consuming masive amounts of electricity to produce (insert your product here). Not using seven year olds in India to sew beads on your clothes. Not hiding profits in foreign bank accounts.
Business isn't getting harder, it's just getting fair.
People, those things we refer to as consumers, are also getting fussy. People will not buy a product that shows no trace of where it has been. Pressure is coming from leglislation and from people to provide goods and services with integrity.
If anyone can tell me how it is still legal to sell guns and cigarettes please leave comments below. We will see the end of this stupidity soon enough. I'm not sure how many celebrities need to die of cancer, or how many school kids need to be executed, but it will end. People will not let evil exist in the form of gun lobbyists and tobacco companies much longer. But I am getting off topic...
It makes good business sense to lead.
If you are smart, which you must be to have read this far, then you know the path to business success is in getting ahead of your competitors. Stop worrying about sustainability and start innovating solutions.
When you have a sustainable story that is bullet-proof you will have an edge on the many companies that won't. You will have lower costs as you have found efficient value chains, you will have happy customers who trust your brand. You will have happy employess who are proud and who are confident that their jobs will be safe.
As a special bonus you might have a planet that your grandchildren can enjoy.
What to do?
It's not too late, but we are at the tipping point.
If we are going to save the planet, and our business' in the process we do have to actually begin now. Talking about it has got us this far, but now is the time for action.There are countless things we can all do that don't have to cost the earth. Here is how to begin...
1. - Acknowledge that we all have to change
2. - Make a statement about sustainabilty - make it public, put your reputaion on the line.
3. - Change the culture of your company. Put incentives in place to drive innovations that will deliver sustainable outcomes
4. - Set Milestones. No Child labour by 2010, Only renewable energy by 2011, remember wifes birthday...etc..
5. - Start with the little things - reduce travel, or use trains. Swtich off lights, recycle. Only procure from like minded businesses.
6. - Brag about your progress, tell people what you are doing, help your competitors do the same.
On that note. The spriit of competition is to strive for a better result. Being competitive does not mean banging your oponent on the head. It means creating opportunities for your industry to thrive.
Price wars and mis-information campaigns are not Sustainable. These strategies are dumb, short-sighted and doomed.
Is it too late to change our ways?
Vote here to see if we can make business sustainable
The Purple Sheep Selection
A selection of the finest works by Steven Parsons
For you to enjoy.. Send these to someone you love.-
Purple Sheep Project - Design Thinking
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The ongoing success of organisations lies in the embracement of Design Thinking not just in the product development department but throughout the organisation. Great design extends beyond making things look good. Great design means creating things t...
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Purple Sheep Project - The Ten Commandments of Innovation
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Products don't have to fail but many companies think that me-too or second-to-market products will work. This safe and boring approach to business simply won't be good enough anymore. If your product doesn't excite the early adoptors, then the masses...
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Purple Sheep Project - Being Market Led
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Innovation in product development, design and marketing has never been more crucial. A fundamental part of design is to create products and services with an end use / human being in mind. Innovation only happens by design when we focus on an end use...
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Sustainable Brands
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Increasingly people (customers) are looking for stories. The story of how your product got to market. The story they can tell their friends about the discovery they made. Right now people are more critical than ever before about spending on things w...
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Purple Sheep Project - The Seven Deadly Sins of Marketing
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New Marketing is not rocket science, never was. It isn't getting harder or more difficult, but it is changing, always will. The world has changed, attention spans are shorter, digital media has shifted power from advertising executives to consumers....
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Steven Parsons & The Purple Sheep Project
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After several years as a designer in the wool carpet industry I decided it was time to share some of what I have learnt to date. The problem is the more you get into the world and start really listening the more you realise there is just so much to l...
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How to be Fantastic & Purple
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This is me. Steven is my name. So What?! Why should you listen to me? I have something to tell you, something you may already know, but I'm telling it differently and with the most noble intentions. I want to help you to be Fantastic. You will fin...
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Purple Sheep Project - The Big Picture
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Often we focus on a small part of business to ensure we do "our job" really well. If we are too focussed on key objectves do we risk loosing sight of the main target? It is worth taking a step back and looking at the big picture every once in a whil...
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Purple Sheep Project - Guide To Commercial Suicide
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Many organisations promise a lot but then deliver less. It is tempting when income streams dry up to cut a few corners, downgrade on the specification, buy cheaper parts, and hope the end user does not notice. They notice and they leave! If your...
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Ministry of Sheep
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Wisdom gathered over centuries has been consolidated, refined and then sprinkled with the most modern and remarkable new thinking to bring you... THE MINISTRY OF SHEEP Enter the realm of all things sheep and rediscover what man has forgotten. Be f...
Innovation to take home
There are enough trees, buy a book
The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEO's Strategies for Defeating the Devil's Advocate and Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 01/01/2010) 
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Amazon Price: $13.62 (as of 01/01/2010)
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
Amazon Price: $18.15 (as of 01/01/2010)
Leave your comments and suggestions
Dear Steven, You are soooo clever....
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Reply
- TheGreenerMe TheGreenerMe Mar 29, 2009 @ 11:41 am
- I hope a lot of businesses wake up and realize the "green thing" isn't just a flash in the pan idea, and that "sustainability" isn't just a buzz word. Interesting lens!
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- Purple Sheep Project - Design Thinking
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