I've been thinking a lot about how to still do good work in these "unprecedented times." It seems increasingly unlikely that the regulatory or management objectives align with public benefits. So how can we still do good within a structure that doesn't incentivize it?

I'd been mulling over the idea of malicious compliance. But what is the opposite of that? What if we could do some good in this world while complying with management directives?

For now, I'm calling it benevolent compliance.

Example: Management wants to cut costs and improve profitability. We can demonstrate that lighter-weight, more sustainable web pages load faster and accelerate customer conversions. Or that reducing the length and/or frequency of our podcast improves listenership numbers and leads to better customer retention and increased word-of-mouth sales.

Are these things good for the business? Yes. Are they good for the planet, too? Yes. But perhaps most importantly, they're good for us and our psychological need to do beneficial things. And the best part? We don't even have to tell management that these actions have broader benefits. And sometimes that's necessary to get things done.

Look, I've long admitted that I'm deeply cynical about business practices, but I'm also practical. When the incentives align for business and sustainability, I don't care what the underlying reasons are. I care about outcomes. If a Western U.S.-based company installs a solar microgrid to avoid rolling blackouts during fire season, it's not altruism; there is a business and financial advantage. But the end result is still the same: less reliance on power from emissions-generating fossil fuels.

So go forth and find ways to be benevolent within the constraints of your existing work structure.

Morgan Stanley reports that almost eight in 10 asset managers (78%) and asset owners (80%) expect growth in sustainable investing. And this makes sense from an investment perspective, given that sustainable businesses tend to be more resilient, and generally better investments.

​Extreme weather events are extremely costly. "The total cost of the nine most significant weather events in the US through December, including Hurricane Helene, equaled nearly 2% of [the U.S.] gross domestic product."

​Execs are starting to see a connection between the use of AI and greenhouse gas emissions. "42% have had to re-examine their climate goals — because too many still have a one-eyed view of ‘costs.’"

​Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a solar-powered reactor that converts carbon dioxide into sustainable fuel.

🗒️

Consulting

​Reduce your Scope 3 emissions​

Alisa Bonsignore

Founder, Strategist, and Author