The countryside code … for business
"Take only memories, leave only footprints"
~ Chief Seattle
Sue and I love going for a walk, and we regularly make time for that, so that we can get away from the noise and busyness of life. It's been a lifeline during the covid pandemic and the lockdown periods, and since Sue is medically vulnerable just at the moment then it's been particularly important to us to find space to exercise away from any other people wherever possible.
While we were out on a walk recently I was reflecting on the old saying: “Take only memories, leave only footprints”. The idea here is to encourage people to enjoy the countryside while taking positive steps to minimise any lasting impact on it.
That got me thinking about the way the world of business has changed in recent years as we seek to minimise any lasting negative impact on our environment in going about our business. It seems obvious really that we can't have never-ending growth on a finite planet with finite resources. We're bound to come across limiting factors sooner or later, and maybe we should be taking positive steps to minimise any lasting impact on it.
I was struck by the idea that pursuing sustainability in business could be described that way too, to take only memories away and leave only footprints behind.
Then I looked at the Countryside Code and here's what it says:
Respect everyone
Protect the environment
Enjoy the outdoors
Know the signs and symbols of the countryside
So, maybe we could define business sustainability as "The Countryside Code for business"!
1st: Respect everyone
That's all of our stakeholders: everyone who is affected in some way by what we're doing in pursuing our business. It includes our customers and staff as well as our boards and shareholders; that's everyone who's involved in any way, it's all of the people at every level. That's the People.
2nd: Protect the environment
My mum used to tell me and my siblings when we were on holiday that we should "leave the place as we found it". That included the rooms we were staying in along (leave your room tidy), the beach (take your litter home) and the countryside (leave gates as you found them) that we visited while we were on holiday, whether it was a day trip or a longer vacation.
For businesses, protecting the environment includes the pressing issue of global warming, the burning of fossil fuels, the production of non-recyclable plastics and other items and the consumption of many other non-renewable resources. That's the Planet.
3rd: Enjoy the outdoors
Sue and I love to enjoy the outdoors, whether it's going for a walk, or in my younger days playing sports, on relaxed cycling outings, or on training, practices and races with my cycling club.
For business, it's about pursuing your purpose in business and making sure that everyone involved has the chance to enjoy it. That's our Purpose.
4th: Know the signs and symbols of the countryside
They are there to help us stay away from problems, like getting lost and ending up in the middle of a farmer's field full of unfriendly livestock. For a business that's "Know the rules and regulations of doing business". Each business has its own version with its own particular rules and regulations to follow. That's about our Practices.
So What?
Maybe we need to look at our current business model and see where that doesn't align with a sustainable future, and perhaps the Countryside Code offers an interesting vehicle to help us do that.
Of course, we are unlikely to be able to change our entire business and its practices and processes overnight, but I suspect that the businesses that survive in the emerging post-COVID season will have good answers to these questions.
There are several initiatives that we can explore too, that will help us on the journey, and several high-level changes and I've listed some of these that I have found helpful at the end of this blog.
One in particular that I came across was the Good Business Charter. I came across it and I signed up immediately!
"The Good Business Charter is a simple accreditation that organisations in the UK can sign up for to recognise responsible business practices." These are shown in the image below.
Some useful links
Apparently the original quote "Take only memories, leave only footprints" has been traced back to a Native American Chief from the Duwamish Tribe called Chief Seattle. It seems that he was very highly regarded both as a leader and as an ecologist. It seems that he used this quote to promote the idea of mutual respect and cooperation between the indigenous Native American people and these newly arrived European settlers.
