So Branson is back! Last week Richard Branson launched his B Team, a group of global business leaders
who have joined forces “to create a future where the purpose of business is to be a driving force for social, environmental and economic benefit”. In typical Branson style, the project was launched with a big media splash and, rather infuriatingly for people who work in this sector, he talks as though he invented sustainability. However, I digress…
For those of you in the UK, the irony of the name, considering M&S’s Plan A (“…because there is no plan B”), won’t be lost on you. The name has caused a stir in the US for different reasons given the recent moves by the Government, and associated media attention, to prevent teens from obtaining the morning after pill, Plan B, without a prescription.
What the B Team is actually going to do is still somewhat vague. The group is committed to tackling three initial challenges “to help focus business away from short-term gain and to balance the long-term benefits for people and planet”:
The details of how these challenges are tackled is still to be fully disclosed – and perhaps worked out – but, crucially, the B Team will play a convening role, bringing together influential figures and decision makers from Governments, non-profits and the corporate sector.
Although Branson’s style is a little difficult to swallow, it’s early days for the B Team so we should give it the benefit of the doubt. However, for me, there are two key questions:
Just in case, is there a Plan C?
who have joined forces “to create a future where the purpose of business is to be a driving force for social, environmental and economic benefit”. In typical Branson style, the project was launched with a big media splash and, rather infuriatingly for people who work in this sector, he talks as though he invented sustainability. However, I digress…
 |
| Superhero? |
What the B Team is actually going to do is still somewhat vague. The group is committed to tackling three initial challenges “to help focus business away from short-term gain and to balance the long-term benefits for people and planet”:
- The future bottom line: to include people and planet in business’ bottom line.
- The future of incentives: to catalyze incentives that benefit people and planet alongside profit.
- The future of leadership: to ignite a movement of leaders committed equally to people, planet and profit.
The details of how these challenges are tackled is still to be fully disclosed – and perhaps worked out – but, crucially, the B Team will play a convening role, bringing together influential figures and decision makers from Governments, non-profits and the corporate sector.
Although Branson’s style is a little difficult to swallow, it’s early days for the B Team so we should give it the benefit of the doubt. However, for me, there are two key questions:
- Are we just preaching to the converted? As Toby Webb pointed out in his recent blog, our sector is becoming more like a ‘cocktail party’; people circulating and telling each other what they want to hear. Richard Branson has bought together ‘believers’; it’s a great line-up of sustainability greats, such as former Chairman and CEO of PUMA, Jochen Zeitz and Unilever’s CEO, Paul Polman. The question is, are these people going to be able to influence the non-believers? Or will they just be the same voices, preaching the same messages? They've been ignored in the past so what are they going to do differently to engage the skeptics going forward?
- What is Team B’s special sauce; what is it that will enable them to succeed where others have struggled? It’s not so long since everyone was talking about the revolution of Shared Value, and now it’s gone rather quiet. That’s not to say that Porter and Co. are not making progress but it’s not changing the world over night. Is the same thing going to be true of the B Team?
Just in case, is there a Plan C?
Follow @harriethenry1
No comments:
Post a Comment