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Why caring for nature is good for business

By Marjolein Oyen


Picture credits: https://lnkd.in/dt4A-_ux


⛵Recently, I had the pleasure of attending an event organized by the Dutch business circle in Barcelona, where we visited the team base of Team DutchSail for the America's Cup. A conversation with one of the team members got her thinking. He explained how sailors, deeply connected to the ocean, naturally become loyal guardians of it. Their dependency on nature fosters respect and an inherent duty to safeguard it. This connection between the sailors and the ocean, and their commitment to sustainability, inspired me to think about how we can apply similar principles in the business world.


🧑‍🎓In parallel, I learned about Beautiful Places AI, a start-up that crafts an app to help explore the beauty around you, tailored to one’s aesthetic preferences. Based on the research done by Chanuki Illushka Seresinhe and Stephen Law, who aim to ensure everyone can access and appreciate beauty, regardless of location. This is crucial because people report better health when living in areas of greater beauty. Read: when they immerse in nature. 


And when you know in 2020, the stuff we as humans made (anthropogenic mass) surpassed the amount of biomass on earth, you will understand that new generations are growing up with the reality of being surrounded by 🏢 concrete, 🚆asphalt, and 🍶plastics rather than 🌸 flowers, 🌳trees, and 🐦birds. (Check out the beautiful timeline explaining this on anthropomass.org). 


That is why, as a previous business leader, I am convinced caring for nature is good for business. There is a win-win.


So what if we apply the same principles in the business world? I can imagine that spending more time immersed in nature could enhance our understanding of sustainability and influence our business practices. This could lead to cost savings through energy efficiency and waste reduction, and also enhance our brand reputation as a socially responsible company. That would be the obvious one. However, I believe it could also work if we make the positive effects throughout our supply chain visible to our stakeholders (employees, clients, and their customers, etc.). For example, how we improve the lives of the local communities by paying them a fair income, or the lives of farmers by giving them a fair earning for taking care of the biodiversity of their fields? How do you not want to do more of that?


Fun fact: The America’s Cup is not just about speed and competition; it’s also a leader in #sustainableinnovation. Teams like Team DutchSail are at the forefront of developing eco-friendly technologies, such as hydrofoils that improve efficiency and reduce water resistance and sails made from recycled plastics.


Did I convince you? Let’s team up to show the world the hashtag#value of sustainability and make #positivechange visible! 




Picture credits: https://lnkd.in/dt4A-_ux

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