If you are reading this, the chances are that you are a carbon-reducing and social justice-redressing hero. You want your employers or customers to do much more. You might be the CEO, or a recent graduate. In either case, it’s likely you will need to engage and motivate others, who may not share your sense of mission. That’s not to say direct action should be ruled out. You could demand change, as a manager through a target, or an employee through a refusal to work on something. Many organisations have been brought forward in those ways. But, failing that, how to influence others who don’t ‘get it’ (yet)? Here’s a few of the approaches that we at URGE have seen work:

Schooling

Given enough information most people will do the right thing. It only took some nature documentaries to transform public acceptance of single use plastic. If people don’t share your concerns, it may be they just need more information?
Schooling also avoids reinventing the wheel. There is a lot of good information about carbon, pollution, energy, circular economy, materials, public health. Nobody sets out to design a bad product or service. Few intend to greenwash.

Scenarios

‘What if?’ is a powerful frame to work in. All sustainability thinking is ultimately about desires and standards applied to our common future. Looking at future scenarios means leaving behind what is ‘realistic’ best practice and gazing ten years down the track. What will your market and industry look like then? How will you thrive? What will workers, customers and regulators demand?
The longer the time frame, the more scenarios call for radical innovation. And the natural next question is ‘what could we do today to set out in that direction?’

Spearhead

A part of any industry is leading on sustainability. How could your company or customers get a piece of that action? Whether it is shifting diets and lifestyles, or B2B procurement, or green finance there is often new business in this direction.
To be credible in these spaces, the organisation would then need to get its house in order. It’s often easier to create change by repositioning than reforming.

Skunkwork

Some get it, some don’t. So why not form a skunkwork with those who do get it. Come up with a Plan B to take to your leadership. A radical commercial proposal to change the organisation, its products, even its business model. From people in the organisation who are passionate about pursuing these opportunities.

Suckitandsee

People and organisations resist permanent change. But they are often surprisingly flexible and good-natured when it comes to trying stuff out. Especially if it is framed in a way that is positive, attractive and engaging.
First Direct wanted their employees to try lift sharing, public transport and other ways to get to work. Just to see if it worked for them. So they put on a funfair in the office car park during half term. And then helped people work around it.

Sojourn

Someone out there is living in your future. Why not visit them? They could be in very similar industries, but much further along the path you want to travel. They are often very happy to receive visitors and to share what they have learned.
Doing this has two valuable impacts. Firstly it shows what is possible, realistic and frankly not that hard. Secondly, they can tell you all the little pitfalls (and leg-ups) along the way, the new questions and opportunities that came up.

The red thread running through all these approaches is can-do spirit and creativity. (You don’t herd cats, you invite them to play). With that comes a sense of freedom, togetherness and possibility. Leading to a realisation that Civic (a social venture working to harness community creativity in tough situations like Ukraine, Turkiye, the Sahel region...) summarised beautifully in their tagline:

“Turns out we can!”

URGE facilitates bespoke creative workshops and sessions with teams, groups and organisations to help them develop regenerative approaches in their business practice. Please get in touch if you want to know more.

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