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Whether at the bottom or the top of the corporate
ladder, professionals can now quickly and easily test and enhance
their understanding of sustainability issues, thanks to a unique
electronic tutorial on the business case for sustainable development
launched by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD) and the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry
(CPI).
Accessible on the Internet (www.sdchronos.org), Chronos® is
designed to make sustainable development relevant and meaningful
to the everyday practice of employees, equipping them with the
knowledge to deliver on corporate priorities. It is especially
timely following the World Summit in Johannesburg last September,
which reaffirmed the role of business as a key partner for achieving
sustainable development. Its name was taken from the Greek word “khronos,” which
means time, because long-term thinking is important to sustainable
development.
“Companies are now being called upon to demonstrate and apply
sustainable development practices across their operations,” said
WBCSD president Björn Stigson. “Chronos provides companies
with a unique opportunity to make sustainable development relevant
to individual employees and close the gap between policy and practice.”
Many Fortune 500 companies now recognize the value of sustainable
development, yet few have managed to make it part of their everyday
thinking and practice. A sound sustainable development strategy
can: create business value; improve the financial performance of
a company; reduce operating costs; enhance brand image and reputation;
increase productivity; and contribute to the welfare of society
and the environment.
“Over the past decade, sustainable development has become
a familiar term in the business community,” explained Jake
Reynolds, assistant director at Cambridge Programme for Industry. “But
many companies are still grappling with what it really means, and
how to make it part of their core business strategy. By placing
the users at the center of the learning experience, Chronos allows
them to understand the topic for themselves, as well as refine
their problem-solving skills.”
Chronos supports different learning styles and encourages reflection
on personal experiences and experimentation with different options. “E-learning
gives us the opportunity to deliver an outstanding learning experience
to thousands of people on one of the most important topics in business
today,” said Margaret Flaherty, the WBCSD’s director
of capacity building. “Chronos is a great way to get people
engaged and motivated to work toward sustainable development.”
In fact, the success of Chronos will be judged by the degree of
reflection it causes among employees; the number of conversations
it inspires; and the amount of enthusiasm it creates for exploration
and action on sustainable development. It is a short exercise providing
the foundation for further layers of learning about sustainable
development. It is also versatile, and can be blended with other
learning initiatives inside the company and used to reinforce the
company’s principles, policies and practices. Chronos is
presented in six sections; each of which is divided into smaller
topics:
• Welcome: This section contains a set of activities for people
new to the topic of sustainable development. A personal message
is included from Sir Philip Watts KCMG, chairman of the Royal Dutch/Shell
Group of companies and chairman of the WBCSD.
• You and Your World: This section concerns attitudes and behaviors
toward the environment and the people across the world who sustain
our lives. It includes two eye-opening accounts about the environmental
and social impacts of the products most probably sitting on everyone’s
desks. Users are encouraged to reflect upon their reactions to
the stories, and what lies behind them. The role of values and
thinking styles in guiding a person’s behavior is explored.
Users also have an opportunity to analyze their own sensitivity
toward environmental and social concerns; their answers to a series
of thought-provoking questions suggest what those values might
be.
• You’re in Charge: This section develops strategic thinking,
judgment and problem-solving skills by placing users into a series
of challenging situations—and asking them to decide what
to do. In a real-life situation, is it possible to satisfy the
interests of all stakeholder groups? Or must compromises be made?
Users are introduced to some general sustainable development principles
to assist with decision-making.
• Making the Case: Not everyone has seen the potential of sustainable
development. This section helps recognize the many ways in which
sustainability and profitability intertwine. Most would agree we
need to tackle issues like poverty and global warming, but to many
the role of business is unclear. This section looks at the many
arguments in favor of a positive approach by business.
• Making it Happen: Sustainable development concerns innovation,
change and profitability every bit as much as risk avoidance. In
this section users are encouraged to develop a new perspective
on how their company can make the most of the opportunity. They
can evaluate three critical aspects of their company—its
social, economic and environmental performance—and discover
how to help make it more sustainable by identifying priorities
areas for action. A user’s personal sources of influence
in the company are explored alongside a four-step planning tool.
• Moving On: This section contains some final pointers to support
a user’s next move. Additionally, it closes with a message
from Lise Kingo, executive vice president of Novo Nordisk, one
of the world’s leading sustainable business practitioners.
Although Chronos has been designed to meet the needs of a broad
business audience, many aspects of the product are open to customization.
For example, it can be translated into different languages or modified
to meet the needs of different sectors, job functions or themes.
It can also be customized to the needs of an individual company.
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