Sustainable Business: Toward a Nature-Centered Process

Abstract

Abstract

Do human beings have a moral obligation to preserve the planet for future generations? Humankind is forward thinking; we create dowries, legacies, endowments, and pass down heirlooms and traditions for future generations. We belabor our regrets of the past but remain hopeful and anxious for the future. Patek Philippe watches capture this sentiment in the “you never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely take care of it for the next generation” advertisements. If humans tend to look toward the future to right wrongs, then why do we not have the same sentiment when it comes to the planet? Why do institutions struggle to find a balance between profitability and sustainability?

This article will provide an overview of the influences that motivate corporations to uphold sustainability in business. The use of leadership styles that complement a greener platform will be emphasized. However, it will be argued that any leader in the role of transforming a company from profit-motivated to sustainability-focused will require a nature-centered leadership process. Such a process has been proposed by Spenser S. Stober as a mechanism for motivating companies to be green.¹ Undergirding this process is a map for shifting the focus. This will be examined using Scott's Institutional Theory, which proposes there are elements or “pillars” that can shift an organization's behavior from a profit focus to a nature-centered paradigm.² Finally, this article will outline action steps for a sustainable practice.