Empowering Young Canadians to Create a More Sustainable World
Hosted by: Unilever Canada and Ashoka Canada with Enactus Canada
August 18, 2017 — Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, ON
This blog is Allyson Hewitt’s notes on this event and a link to her deck on 150 Ways Canada Can Be Better at Doing Good which reinforces the messages from the key speakers.
Introduction:
The event was kicked off by Gary Wade. Acting General Manager, Unilever Canada and Barb Steele. Executive Director, Ashoka Canada — our co-hosts for the event.
After Gary welcomed everyone to the event, Barb asked the room to “envision a world where solutions outrun problems” and reminded us that we all have the potential to be change makers.
Given that the room was full of students connected to Enactus Canada — it was a strong message that resonated with the younger people in the audience.
But one way for all of us to get involved, the easiest way, is to financially support an organization like Ashoka. You can do that here.
Paul Polman. Chief Executive Officer of Unilever
Paul Polman is one of those leaders that those of us in the world of social innovation, sustainability and CSR rave about. He is famous for rejecting the tyranny of the quarterly reports in favour of a focus on the longer term. I’ve read about him but I had not heard him speak in person. On Friday April 18, 2017 at the Metro Toronto Reference Library, in Toronto, I was able to hear him speak and it was impressive.
He urged the audience — 400 strong — to become an active part of the solution, reinforcing Barb’s message. He asked us to realize that our differences are irrelevant and that we must celebrate our commonality.
He was bold and humble — my favourite combination. He outlined how he understands leadership: putting yourself in service to others.
To offer a counterweight to all the negative news of the day he reminded us that now is one of the best time to be alive. We have made great strides in reducing poverty and saving lives with new approaches to health but we still have lots to do so we don’t lose ground or as Brenda Zimmerman would call it, avoid the snapback.
In direct reference to the news of the day, he emphasized that we have to bring people along with us — to lift as we climb — if for no other reason than people will rebel if they feel they are being left behind, in any system.
Here is one area where we are doing just that: we currently we have 1.4 billion people (of the 7.5 billion world-wide) consuming 70% of the world’s resources — and others, the emerging “middle-class”, want to be just like them. An approach that is not sustainable.
He also gave us this sobering call to action: the cost of not acting is higher than the cost of acting especially when it comes to climate change. It seems our 3.5 billion-year-old planet has taken quite a beating from humans, especially over the past 50 years.
What can we do about this? One answer: The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that encourage us consider people, planet, peace, prosperity and partnership — at the same time.
These 17 goals (and 169 targets) are guideposts for what we should all be striving towards. Canada has joined 192 other countries by signing on to the SDGs. While being a signatory is important, it shows support at the highest level, our problems cannot be solved by government alone.
Business has a critical role to play.
Implementation of the SDGs is estimated at $2.4 trillion but the cost of climate change is estimated at $5.3 trillion — as noted, the cost of doing nothing is higher than the cost of taking action. We spend untold fortunes on conflict prevention and wars — which Polman says could be seen as the cost of our failures — than we ever think of spending on solutions.
Polman wants his business, Unilever, to be a positive contributor — to be part of the solution by understanding and engaging all the drivers: financial, environmental and social. From his point of view, “this is not the time to simply stand by” and there is “no business case for enduring poverty”.
For him, “brands must state their purpose beyond profit” — like Dove does with a focus on women’s self-esteem.
Polman issued a call to action indicating that youth must:
· Be driven by a deeper sense of purpose. He stated that many get this and he sees the need for talent as a change driver
· Have a longer-term view, even thinking across generations
· Embrace systemic thinking and how to deal with complexity
· Be aware of what is happening around them, including “keeping your oxygen” by focusing on interests outside work
· Be engaged; and
· Act with humanity and humility
He finished with an inspiring video — No Point in Going Halfway — on how important it is for us to continue our work to support the SDGs. Follow the hashtags #globalcitizen and #globalgoals if you are interested in this work.
Paul then introduced, Roger Martin.
Roger Martin. Thinker. Author. Advisor. Speaker
Roger asked the audience to consider the following: What is the cause of a common effect? That is one way to address our challenges. He also asked us to think about becoming the cause of a new effect — something done by leaders like Martin Luther King.
How do we do this? Modern thinking is that we take an evidence-based approach. But that tool is not fit for purpose for change.
Referencing Aristotle, the founder of all things science, experimentation is the way to things that cannot be any other way than they — for example gravity. But Aristotle also said, things can also be other than they are — where WE are the cause of a new effect. And in that case, he said, don’t use the methodology above.
Business ignores part two. Roger asks us to imagine the possibilities and choose the one that makes the most compelling argument. He advises us to avoid the fetish of data and analysis if you are trying to consider the cause of a new effect. And Roger also referenced Charles Sanders Pierce who stated “no new theory has been proven in advance”.
So how can you be compelling? Leverage the future. That is, we currently have no data for the next 6 months; in 6 months, we will be have the data; prototype possible solutions; argue for what you find then show — retroactively — that your theory was right.
In my simple way of thinking — if you already have the evidence, it is not innovative.
Next we briefly heard from each of the panelists.
Corey Ellis. CEO The Gowcer Inc.
Cory offered the following observation:
“It’s never been easier to make change”.
And this advice: “surround yourself by people who support you”.
Craig Kielburger. Co-Founder of the WE Movement, which includes WE Charity, ME to WE Social Enterprise and WE Day. Humanitarian. Activist. Best-Selling Author.
Craig spoke about infusing a purpose into every brand and how to track your impact through every day purchases.
He is clear: “this generation is where profit meets purpose”.
Ilona Doherty. Managing Director, Youth & Innovation Research Project at University of Waterloo. Ashoka Fellow. WXN Top 100
Ilona’s current work is on supporting adults to support young leaders.
She offered the audience evidence that 15 to 25 year olds are at the height of their innovation potential; able to take risks and challenge the status quo while being more collaborative.
She challenges the notion that we should just learn when we are young and act later. She encourages us to work with young people, now, to focus on their impact. To be the most impactful we should create opportunities for youth with ideas to work in partnership with those that can implement and scale those ideas. She too noted the value of intergenerational movements.
Gavin Armstrong. President and CEO, Lucky Iron Fish.
Gavin told the story of women in Cambodia who will pass out while working in a factory. This is a safety issue and it has an impact on the woman and her family’s income.
His simple solution: The Lucky Iron Fish which is boiled in water 10 minutes to give these women, and their families, the iron they need.
Lucky Iron Fish is a B Corp and has a buy-one-give-one model. Over 500,000 people have been helped so far in ~66 countries.
Panel discussion
The first discussion focused on the blurring lines between those that are money first and those that are mission first. Our task: to inspire others to work at scale in the messy middle. (Craig)
We need to re-envision how we understand expertise and see hierarchy. For example, youth have expertise in technology that previous generations do not. There is a need for “porous hierarchy” within companies so that ideas, that come from everywhere, can be heard. (Ilona)
The audience was encouraged to re-think traditional approaches to CSR. With a shift in purchasing power happening due to the buying habits of Millenials, they are demanding social responsibility be embedded throughout the organization. (Gavin)
Everyone was encouraged to find their passion and supports through groups such as WE and Enactus. (Corey) We need to mainstream these programs instead of making them extra-curricular. (Roger)
We then heard we need to put people in a supportive environment to help them find their purpose and to learn through doing. (Ilona). Learning the core subjects are critical but we need to re-think the purpose of education. For example, we need to learn biology to learn how to protect the environment. There are also programs like The College Board that give credit for experiential service that help nonprofits or government. (Craig)
Reinforcing this message is brain research which states that if you learn something, then have a chance to apply it right away, in a way that matters to you it will stay with you longer. Service learning actually keeps neuroplasticity open longer. (Ilona)
At Unilever, they have adopted a sustainable living plan but they are clear they don’t have the all the answers and that they can’t do it alone. What is critical is the value of shared objectives. In Paul Polman’s view, goal #17 on partnerships for the goals is difficult but made easier if the partners have a common purpose; clear roles; common understanding of success; shared accountability and transparency. Many of these components are not unlike those of Collective Impact.
The discussion also focused on the role of kids as influencers of parents and the value of apprenticeship programs
Finally, Roger asked Paul what he would tell his 25-year-old self? Paul reinforced some of his earlier messages.
· There is more to life than working
· It’s not all about you
· Seeing is believing
· Find your purpose and passion
· Count your blessings; and
· Put yourself to the service of others
Many of these messages are also reinforced in the deck on 150 Ways Canada Can Be Better at Doing Good — I look forward to your feedback on it.
