S1.E9. Sustainable Commerce - Part 1: Values

In this podcast, we start going beyond the ‘why’ to the ‘how’ of sustainable business. We explore seven critical dimensions in which shapeshifting needs to occur in order to create sustainable companies. These are: values, vision, work, governance, relationships, communication and services. We begin with values. Values are exactly what they say they are – a reflection of the things we value. They are not motherhood and apple pie statements in annual reports, or candyfloss principles framed on the boardroom wall. In other words, companies’ values are betrayed by their actions, not their words or their spin doctor’s marketing material. We illustrate the prioritisation of values with two examples: America’s popular ice-cream chain, Ben & Jerry’s, and Brazil’s largest marine and food-processing machinery manufacturer, Semco. Of course, corporate values seldom exist in isolation from broader cultural values. For example, the culture of the West/North is highly focused on individual performance and rewards hierarchical authority and rational decision-making, while the East/South’s emphasis is more about social harmony and cohesion, participative decision-making, creative expression and motivation.