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Human Capital and Sustainability

We can leverage human capital towards business success without spending more money - all it takes is imagination, time and dedication. Robyn Ferrar highlights sustainability as a platform that provides a powerful vision and a solid value system that speak to people’s hearts and logic. In this article, she shares 10 steps that lead towards collaborative sustainability.

by Robyn Ferrar

Robyn Ferrar, Transformation Specialist, Living wealth.  Living Wealth specialises in providing a systematic, comprehensive risk management service within the ambit of environmental sustainability. Contact details: http://www.livingwealth.co.za/contact-us.html

When it comes to Human Capital, the big question in boardrooms throughout the world is: “Can we leverage our human capital towards business success without throwing more money at it?” The answer is YES.  In fact, throwing more money at it – pay rises; promotions; bonuses etc. – is one of the least effective ways to leverage this potential, because money is only a short-term motivator. So, how can this be done?

A wealth of human capacity untapped
The term Human Capital refers to the wealth of human capacity this planet possesses and hints at the potential for harnessing this wealth towards a common goal.  Further than that, it possesses the power to change the course of our collective future, but whatever the context, its potential goes largely untapped. 

Albert Einstein once said: "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."  This is not to say knowledge is not important.  It is, but the secret to tapping into the collective power of human capital is by fostering imagination and inspiration. To do this, all you need is a platform on which to build a vision that speaks to people’s hearts, as well as their minds.  It needs to inspire and challenge us to wedge a crowbar into our status quo and give it a good yank.

Sustainability is the way forward
The word ‘sustainability’ represents one of the biggest challenges we face today, as a family, a community, a nation, indeed as a species. Everything from climate change and the global economic crisis, right down to job satisfaction and the money in our bank accounts can be reduced to this word, or in most cases, the absence of it. Within every one of us there lies the inherent certainty that sustainability is the way forward if we are to survive as a species. However, this hook on which we could hang our values and principles has in most cases been so deeply buried under the clutter of modern-day life that we are no longer conscious of its existence, let alone importance.  We have become restless as a result.

This can be said for business as well.  The entire economy revolves around growth, but business has been so preoccupied with the growth of profit, product and brand that it has lost sight of two of the three cornerstones (triple bottom line) of business – people and planet.

From consumption to contribution
But, change is afoot. This change is happening naturally and entirely of its own accord, indeed, it is already being called a ‘movement’ – the largest movement of all time, no less.  Due to a lack of knowledge and the all-important imagination, it is still comparatively small, but it is growing.

Ubuntu speaks of the generosity of spirit that we all possess and how we can use our interconnectedness to heal our species and the place in which we live.  It encompasses a spirit of resolution that has the power to slowly rectify the imbalance that threatens to destroy us. To put it succinctly, it nudges us from a mindset of consumption towards one of contribution. 

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