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2014 Calendar – Recent & Upcoming Events

January 2014

14-15 January: Bordeaux, FRANCE – Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (MBA course lectures, Kedge Business School)

February 2014

18 February: Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Sustainable Design & Technology: “Eco-innovation” (Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

20 February – 1 March: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Sustainable Business (MBA course lectures, Gordon Institute of Business Science)

March 2014

6 March: Guadalajara, MEXICO – Sustainability Innovation & Change Management (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara)

7 March: Guadalajara, MEXICO – Strategies for making  your business  Future Fit (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara)

7 March: Guadalajara, MEXICO – The Art and Practice of Sustainability Leadership (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Guadalajara)

11 March: Ghent, BELGIUM – CSR is Failing: How Can We Make it Succeed? (Keynote speech, Flemish CSR Association)

12 March: Amersvoort, NETHERLANDS – Beyond CSR 2.0: From Responsibility to Resilience (Keynote speech, Beyond CSR)

20 March: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Sustainability Codes and Standards: Influential or Impotent?  (MSt lecture, University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

April 2014

23 April: London, UNITED KINGDOM – CSR Survives: But Can it Thrive? (Keynote speech, Net Impact).

May 2014

5 May: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Visions of a future-fit world: safe, shared, smart, sustainable & satisfying (Lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing)

7 May: Vienna, AUSTRIA – Moving ahead with technology (Presentation, UNEP-UNIDO Eco-Innovation workshop)

13 May: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – Creating Shared Value: Revolution or Clever Con? (Speech, Deakin Business School Alumni Network)

13 May: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – The Art and Practice of Sustainability Leadership (Lecture, Deakin Business School Faculty Seminar)

22 May: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA – Strategies for Surviving and Thriving in the Future (Keynote speech, KOSRI)

28 May: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Your Future Fitness as a Leader & Transforming your Organisation (Dimension Data programme run by Gordon Institute for Business Science)

29-30 May: Harare, ZIMBABWE – CSR 2.0: Beyond CSV and CSR 1.0 (Keynote speech, Regional Centre for Social Responsibility, CSR Indaba)

June 2014

5-8 June: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Innovation for Future Fitness (MBA course lectures, Gordon Institute of Business Science)

July 2014

10 July: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Sustainability Codes and Standards (Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Value Chains, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

10 July: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Leadership for Change (Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Value Chains, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

August 2014

5 August: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Sustainable Design and Technology: Eco-Innovation (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

28 August: Ann Arbor, USA (delivered virtually) – The Future of Business: How to Survive and Thrive in a Climate Constrained World (Webinar, Omnex).

September 2014

16 September: Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA (delivered virtually) – Beyond CSR to CIV: Creating Integrated Value (keynote speech, AgendaRSE).

18 September: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – The Quest for Sustainable Business (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

19 September: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Strategies for Making your Business Future-Fit (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

October 2014

3 October 2014: Colombo, SRI LANKA – The Art and Practice of Sustainability Leadership (Keynote speech, CSR Conference, CSR Sri Lanka).

17 October: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA (delivered virtually) – Futures Thinking (Global Executive Development Programme lecture, Gordon Institute for Business Science)

23 October: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Being an Effective Change Agent (MSt course lecture, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership)

November 2014

21 November: Moscow, RUSSIAN FEDERATION – CSR 2.0 in the context of modern challenges (Keynote speech, Conference on Philosophy and Culture of Social Responsibility, Moscow State Institute of International Relations)

26-29 November: Stockholm, SWEDEN – Sustainable Development & CSR (MBA lectures, Stockholm School of Economics SSE Riga)

December 2014

3-5 December: Bordeaux, FRANCE – Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (MBA lectures, Kedge Business School)

8-12 December: Quito, ECUADOR – Creating Shared Value: Beyond CSR and CSV (Part of CSR Week, Hexagon / S2M).

Bookings

For more background information, see my speaking and lecturing profile.

To book a keynote speech, lecture or training event, please use the Contact form.

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Finding your inner sustainability superhero

Finding your inner sustainability superhero

Article by Wayne Visser

Part of the Unlocking Change series for The Guardian.

For change to be sustained and transformational we need to tap into the powers of different types of sustainability superheroes.

Have you ever wondered why do we do it? The sustainability hokey cokey, I mean. Most of us – whether we are sustainability professionals, academics, consultants, students, activists or wannabes – could have pursued different career paths. For my sins, having studied marketing, I could have become a spin-doctor or an ad-man. So what makes us choose sustainability instead? What makes us tattoo the S-word to our foreheads (metaphorically speaking, I hope)?

My research shows that there are deep psychological – even existential – reasons why we ‘do’ sustainability. And you may be surprised to know that it is not because we want to save the world, or because we care about people, or even because we want to ‘make a difference’. At least, not directly. The real reason is because it gives us personal satisfaction – not of the sugar-rush or warm-cuddly variety, but of the purpose-inspired, life satisfaction kind.

If we dig a bit deeper, we find that six motivational forces drive our work in sustainability. First, it allows us to feel that our work is aligned to our personal values, whether these are faith-based or humanistic. Second, we find the work stimulating. Sustainability a bit like Sudoku for hippies – it is complex, dynamic and challenging, like an ultimate earth-puzzle that needs solving. Most sustainability enthusiasts share these two drivers.

The other four drivers tend to be distributed across the sustainability tribe. Some find meaning in giving specialist input, while others prefer empowering people. Some are motivated to come up with effective strategies, while others feel most satisfied if they are making a contribution to society. These drivers translate into a set of sustainability leader archetypes – think of them as our very own Fantastic Four, namely: Experts, Facilitators, Catalysts and Activists. Each represents a different kind of sustainability change agent.

Sustainability Experts tend to be focused on the details of a particular issue, with a deep knowledge and understanding, often of a technical or scientific nature. They like working on projects, designing systems and being consulted for their expertise. Their satisfaction comes from continuous learning and self-development. They are most frustrated by the failure of others to be persuaded by the compelling evidence, or to implement systems as they were designed.

Sustainability Facilitators are most concerned with using their knowledge to empower others to act, using their strong people skills to make change happen. They like working with teams, delivering training and giving coaching. Their satisfaction is in seeing changes in people’s understanding, work or careers. They become frustrated when individuals let the team down, or when those in power do not allow enthusiastic groups to act.

Sustainability Catalysts enjoy the challenge of shifting an organisation in a new direction, using their political skills of persuasion to change strategies. They like working with leadership teams and articulating the business case for sustainability. They are often pragmatic visionaries and are frustrated when top management fails to see – and more importantly, to act on – the opportunities and risks facing the organisation.

Sustainability Activists are typically passionate about macro-level issues and their impacts on society or the planet as a whole, using their strong feelings about justice to motivate their actions. Their satisfaction comes from challenging the status quo, questioning those in power and articulating an idealistic vision of a better future. They tend to be great networkers and are mainly frustrated by the apathy of others in the face of urgent crises.

As you reflect on what type of sustainability superhero you may be, I expect all four will resonate to a greater or lesser extent. This is because we are composite beings when it comes to making sustainability change happen. But we do gravitate more strongly to one archetype, based on what gives us the deepest personal satisfaction. And there are three good reasons why you should know which cape and tights fits you best.

First, aligning with your inner superhero means embracing a mode of action in which you are most professionally effective and purpose-inspired. Second, it allows you to check that your formal role, or the direction of your career, is consistent with your archetype – the mask must fit the cape and tights. And third, it encourages you to consciously put together teams with a balance of Experts, Facilitators, Catalysts and Activists – the ideal earth-crime fighting force.

So it is not enough that all change begins with individuals. For change to be sustained and transformational – for sustainability to be a force for good in the world, and to save the earth from humans – we need the joint efforts of the Fantastic Four, each with their particular superpowers: knowledge for the Experts, collaboration for the Facilitators, imagination for the Catalysts, and compassion for the Activists. Will you join in the heroes’ crusade?

 

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[button size=”small” color=”blue” style=”download” new_window=”false” link=”http://www.waynevisser.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/article_unlocking_change4_wvisser.pdf”]Pdf[/button] Finding your inner sustainability superhero (article)

Related websites

[button size=”small” color=”blue” style=”tick” new_window=”false” link=”http://www.waynevisser.com/books/the-quest-for-sustainable-business”]Link[/button] The Quest for Sustainable Business (book)

[button size=”small” color=”blue” style=”tick” new_window=”false” link=”http://www.csrinternational.org”]Link[/button] CSR International (website)

Cite this article

Visser, W. (2013) Finding your inner sustainability superhero. The Guardian, 21 October 2013.

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2013 Calendar – Recent & Upcoming Events

December 2013

11-12 December: Bangalore, INDIA – CSR 2.0: The Future of Corporate Social Responsibility (Keynote speech, International Symposium on Corporate Social Responsibility).

13 December: Mumbai, INDIA – Embedding CSR & Empowering CSR Champions (Masterclass, GIZ Center for Responsible Business).

November 2013

25 November: Stockholm, SWEDEN – CSR 2.0: The Future of Corporate Social Responsibility (Keynote speech, CSR Västsverige).

27-29 November: Stockholm, SWEDEN – Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (MBA course lectures, Stockholm School of Economics)

October 2013

16 October: Winchester, UNITED KINGDOM – CSR 2.0 in the Age of Responsibility (Public talk, Winchester Business School)

28 October: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Future-Fitness: Strategies for the next wave of mega-trends (Atos Expert Programme, Cambridge University: Institute for Manufacturing)

31 October: Barranca, COLOMBIA – CSR 2.0: The Future of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (Keynote speech, FUNDESMAG)

September 2013

2/3 September: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – Trends in Eco-Innovation (Lecture, University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

12 September: Online, AUSTRIA – Making ISO 26000 Transformative (Webinar, respACT: Austrian Business Council for Sustainable Development)

August 2013

1 August: Irkutsk, RUSSIA – CSR 2.0: The Future of Corporate Social Responsibility (Seminar, Coca-Cola Company)

7 August: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – The Quest for Sustainable Business (Lecture, University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

June 2013

18 June: Washington, DC, USA – Future-Fit: Trends Shaping Sustainable Business over the Next 15 Years. (Keynote speech, Sustainability Forum, International Finance Corporation IFC).

25-27 June: Quito, ECUADOR – International CSR certification to the S2M standard. (Validation & training, S2M, Hexagon Consultores, British-Ecuador Chamber of Commerce)

May 2013

16 May: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA – Beyond CSR: Are you Fit for the Future? (Keynote speech, ISO 26000 & CSR International Conference, Korea Social Responsibility Institute)

29 May: Paris, FRANCE – Moving Ahead with Technology for Eco-Innovation (Research validation workshop, United Nations Environment Programme)

April 2013

16 April: Copenhagen, DENMARK – CSR 2.0: A Transformative Strategy for Business (Keynote speech, Who Cares Wins 2013)

29 April – 3 May: Warwick, UNITED KINGDOM – Governance & Corporate Responsibility (MiM course lectures, Warwick Business School)

March 2013

 4-5, 8 March: Warwick, UNITED KINGDOM – Business in Society (MBA course lectures, Warwick Business School)

16 March: Zurich, SWITZERLAND – Five Strategies to Make your Business “Future-Fit” (Conference presentation, 6th Zurich Business Forum, Lorange Institute of Business Zurich)

19 March: Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM – The Quest for Sustainable Business (MSt lecture, Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

February 2013

19 February: Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – The Quest for Sustainable Business (Public presentation, Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership)

21-22, 25 February – 1 March: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Sustainable Business (MBA course lectures, Gordon Institute of Business Science)

27 February: Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – The Quest for Sustainable Business (Executive breakfast talk, Trialogue)

January 2013

22-23 January: Bordeaux, FRANCE – Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (MBA course lectures, BEM Bordeaux Management School)

Bookings

For more background information, see my speaking and lecturing profile.

To book a keynote speech, lecture or training event, please use the Contact form.

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