A critical juncture
There is an increased focus on ethical behaviour in business and a realisation that regulations and compliance to regulation (as vital as it may be) simply are not enough to ensure a sustained ethical behaviour in an organisation. As ethical leaders, every decision that is made by you have an impact and an influence over others.
October is ethics month, and as the custodian of ethics in the profession, SAICA’s purpose is the enhancement of the relevance, values, competence and influence of members and to contribute to economic and social development. Read the special feature in this month’s issue and register for a complimentary webinar series from 6 – 21 October. Each one of us has a role to play towards doing ethical behaviour and towards making creating value.
As you will read in the #SustainableSA feature, Covid-19 has caused seismic shifts across our planet and her people. It fundamentally changed the way we live, dream and work, but it has also placed a magnifying glass on one of our country’s (and the world’s) most significant challenges: inequality.
The lives and the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable have been hit the hardest.
As leaders in business, it is imperative that organisations make sustainability key to their business model. Value creation for all stakeholders is key to this and for organisations to evaluate not only financial impact but also environmental and social impact.
There is a growing need to create shared value by generating economic value through the identification of social issues that intersect with their business.
By making sustainability, the starting point of the business strategy makes a lot of sense. Sustainable business models can create more bottom-line benefits like driving disruptive innovations, exploring new opportunities, reducing risk and uncertainties, and ingraining a sense of purpose throughout the organisation. By incorporating environmental and social values into the foundation of the business strategy might just be the answer for enduring profit and growth and the key to a future-proof business. The most sustainable organisations are the ones that make the sustainable way to normal course of business.
We’ve reached a critical juncture. Over the next decade, the success and failure of our organisations and country will be determined by how we respond to the social and environmental challenges that impact us.
Gerinda Engelbrecht, Editor
