Creating real change demands collaborations

Why is partnership important?
“The UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are often the base of companies’ sustainability work, show clearly that all the global challenges are interconnected. How is climate change effecting biodiversity and what have consumption, education and poverty to do with it? One understands very quickly that a single company is a part of a complex ecosystem – you simply can’t do everything alone. What we do together as a whole is more powerful than the actions we take individually. A broad spectrum of competences is therefore required in order to create significant change.”

What kind of partnerships are crucial?
“The ones that open doors to smaller players with excellence, unexpected competences and competitors. That’s when the magic will happen with new innovations that will benefit the whole society. One recent example is Volkswagen, that together with the Greek Government started a pilot which aims to electrify the small island of Astypalea. The pilot is investigating climate-neutral mobility on a smaller scale, but the idea itself can also be a blueprint for future cities. Another example of great partnership is H&M Group and WWF, a golden opportunity for the fashion giant to get expertise on relevant goals for biodiversity and water.”

What will be the next step?
“Companies need to have young generations in mind more when partnering up. A recent report from the Swedish survey Ungdomsbarometern (Generation Z 2021) shows that 34 per cent of 15–24-year-olds in Sweden worry about their future. The pandemic is not the reason, it has only amplified the feeling of hopelessness. Giving hope for a better future is important, and that requires bold actions, but also the humbleness to share information from areas that are traditionally considered as confidential. And that’s where storytelling can be used as a great tool.”

Want more insights on the subject? Here’s the secret behind sustainability storytelling.