December 04, 2024
We’re hearing more and more about climate leadership and environmental leadership these days. But what does this concept mean exactly? What does it look like in the corporate world? And how can managers step up to be drivers of change as we deal with climate imperatives? Dominique Anglade, Adjunct Professor and Co-Leader of HEC Montréal’s Sustainable Transition Office, and Yves Plourde, Associate Professor with the Department of Management, weigh in on these and other questions.
Today’s organizations are well aware that they need to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they also have to adapt to climate change and work to mitigate the resulting impacts on their operations, explains Yves Plourde. “The real challenge lies in rethinking everything we do, from top to bottom. And individuals and business leaders alike are wondering where to start.”
In addition to efforts over the long term, there are actions that are smaller in scope that businesses can take immediately to shrink their carbon footprint. Plourde’s lectures at Executive Education HEC Montréal delve into some of these in more detail. “This is where strong leadership skills are especially important,” he says. To get things rolling takes the ability to engage others and win them to your way of thinking. You don’t have to be in upper management: anybody in any role at any level of an organization can be an agent of change. “We tend to associate leadership with people in a position of authority, but there’s more than one way to be a leader.”
Dominique Anglade’s preferred term is sustainability leadership. As she emphasizes, climate change is only one of the challenges that need to be addressed, alongside such issues as the growing acidity of our oceans and the dwindling biodiversity of our ecosystems. “Sustainability leadership includes all this, as well as the human element. It’s an approach that’s intended to be inclusive,” she says. In other words, sustainability leadership allows for environmental stewardship and social equity to be put front and centre of an organization’s strategies.
The tools to influence and persuade
A good leader is one who can effectively convey their vision to others. But beyond that, they are capable of empowering their team members to achieve the goals that have been set out for them and keep everyone motivated, explains Anglade. “Ultimately, the idea is to turn thoughts into actions and to get your board or executive committee to move forward with your plans to have a positive environmental and social impact.” This takes credibility and consistent effort.
Knowing the stakes involved is just as essential, adds Plourde. “Climate change is complex. Everybody’s heard of it, of course, but very few really know what causes it and what the actual repercussions are,” he says. “If you want to do something that has a tangible outcome, you have to have a comprehensive understanding of the situation. Otherwise, you may not come up with the right solutions. Strong leadership is contingent on knowing what you’re talking about and being aware of the standards you have to meet, the potential pitfalls and the key issues at play.” He also says that leadership takes a good understanding of who you are as a person, as well as what your boundaries, your beliefs and your core values are.
These are big questions. So big, in fact, that some organizations aren’t sure where to begin. Many leaders feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of what they have to do. Fortunately, there are a number of tools they can use to make it all more manageable. Double materiality assessment is one of these tools that can help provide clarity, says Anglade. It analyzes the risks facing an organization and the environmental and social impacts, along with the influence of corporate actions on communities and the planet as a whole. Once this assessment is complete, it can be very useful in determining where the real priorities lie.
It is just as important to identify the obstacles that are holding you back, such as the lack of leadership buy-in or an undertrained staff. These can be overcome through the programs taught at Executive Education HEC Montréal or even through the proper coaching, says Anglade.
Leading the way
Change of this nature almost never takes place in a vacuum. Getting the various stakeholders on board is a must, agree Plourde and Anglade. “For example, for a company working in construction, you have to think about everything from the standpoint of environmental and social impacts: the materials you use, the suppliers you do business with, the way services are provided, what your business model is, how your employees are managed and the work they do,” says Anglade. “And that’s the case for every process you undertake.”
But rethinking your business practices requires good interpersonal, change management and political skills,” note both professors. “Especially in this polarized world of ours, where we all have to interact with people whose values and ideas can be very different from our own, and are sometimes all but unshakeable,” asserts Anglade. “So how can sustainability leadership be developed against this kind of a backdrop? That’s precisely what this program addresses.”
A first step often involves creating brave spaces (as opposed to safe spaces) to get these conversations started. “The purpose is to let employees express themselves without holding back so topics that are difficult, even uncomfortable, can be talked through. This is essential to moving forward as a team,” she adds. This approach ensures that nothing goes unsaid or is swept under the rug.
In the end, organizations that are successful in their bid to become more sustainability-minded will have a leg up over the competition. “It’s never too late to get things underway. It’s better to start small now rather than having to go all out just to catch up later on,” concludes Plourde.
Learn more
Want to take your leadership skills to the next level and be a force for change? Executive Education HEC Montréal has several programs designed with you in mind. Have a closer look and see how you can sharpen your skills and build your knowledge base.