S1.E6. Caring: The Promise of the Elephant

What if, in business, Lion was no longer king? What if Elephant was king (or queen) once more? For, according to the theme of this podcast, in the corporate bushveld of the future where social equity and environmental sustainability are the watchwords of society, Elephant has all the right characteristics to be the leader. Elephants are the epitome of sustainability. They have shown themselves to be supreme survivors and masters at adapting to different regions, climates and habitats. As with companies that wish to endure, adaptation is the key. As a rule, the elephant’s relationship to other species and Nature is highly cooperative and symbiotic. In the complex world of wider accountability to stakeholders, sustainable companies will need to learn to survive not by their ability to hunt and kill, but by their capacity to identify, nurture and sustain cooperative relationships. Elephants’ awesome size and strength inspires respect and admiration. The key for sustainable companies is not only to learn to find this grace and flexibility despite their size, it is also to be creatures of inspiration.