The consumption driven world we live in has programmed us to think about ‘me & now’. Yet many environmentalists and corporate leaders including Paul Polman are saying we need to start thinking about ‘us & later’ as part of the climate change agenda. To do that, we will need to understand the metrics because they are central and provide the Why in re-building efforts.
Our question is – why are there no standards when measuring the impact of actions on the environment or society?
We started with Natural England in the search for an answer. They manage the UK’s nature reserves, parklands and public outdoor spaces. Their role is fundamental to both the preservation of nature and the Great British landscape but also the health of British citizens. Nature affects how we feel, what we eat, the spaces we share, and overall social wellbeing.
We have been working with Natural England to understand how we can apply a more robust set of metrics to environmental impact, and our work is about creating value for nature, communities, and investors by getting a brand to re-engage with purpose.
Are there more efficient ways to capture carbon besides tree-planting if you were a car manufacturer? Should we support regenerative farming, if you were a marketer of crisps and potatoes are essential in your supply chain? We are getting brand leaders to think about such questions. Our goal is to mobilise corporates and government to co-champion initiatives that will impact local communities.
This is an open challenge and Natural England is our perfect partner to build back better from ground up.