“Spirituality -

At the Heart of Sustainability” Julian Crawford, Director, EcoSTEPS ISSP Conference, Chicago: 10 May 2013

Who is this fellow?

• Business & Science Background

• Zoology & Chartered Accountant

• EcoSTEPS consultants

– Strategy & Sustainability

– Corporate, Government, Civil Society

• Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia

We’re going on a Journey...

Communication

is the sharing of created meaning

Conversation

is the creation of shared meaning

Sharing Ideas & Experiences

• Name

• Where you’re from…

• Where you’re going…

• What’s your passion…

• Why you’re here…

Hello - Who’s Here?

6

SPIRIT

S Sustainability & Spirituality

P

Planet, People, Profit

I

Individual, Identity

R Relationships, Regeneration

I

Ideas, Innovation

T

Time

‘Sustainability’ Wikipedia 75m

• Sustainability is the capacity to endure.

• In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.

• Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems.

• For humans, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

‘Spirituality’ – Wikipedia 96m

• The term spirituality lacks a definitive definition

• Social scientists have defined spirituality as the search for "the sacred," where "the sacred" is broadly defined as that which is set apart from the ordinary and worthy of veneration.

• Use of the term "spirituality" has changed throughout the ages. In modern times spirituality is often separated from religion;

• A simple definition of 'spirituality' is knowing how to live with meaning and purpose

“Sustainable development isn’t just about triple bottom lines, or enlightened self-interest; primarily, it’s a heart and soul story.

I wonder how many people are comfortable with that assertion.

I’ve been struck over the years by the number of people in my ‘green’ world who have remained sceptical about, or even hostile to, the so-called spiritual dimension of the green movement.”

Jonathon Porritt, Forum for the Future

“Our inner environment, that is, our thoughts, feelings and attitude, has a distinct relationship with the outer environment.

Sustainability is a very deep issue requiring us to engage with ourselves spiritually.

I believe the answer lies in changing our self-awareness. When I have true spiritual self-respect, not based on the material, then I will respect others and the environment.

This is a state of giving, not taking or over-consuming” Charlie Hogg, Brahma Kumaris

“I’ve often been struck by how difficult it is to have a serious conversation in environmental circles about things like spirit, consciousness, and the evolution of human interiority.

Spirituality seems to be a kind of unspoken taboo. It seems extremely difficult to talk about, even among an audience that is concerned about the environment, because people are at different stages along the road of self-discovery and self-development.

To recognize that one can always go further and that there are things that one hasn’t yet understood takes a lot of maturity.”

Hardin Tibbs, Eco-Spiritual Futurist

SPIRIT

S Sustainability & Spirituality

P

Planet, People, Profit

I

Individual, Identity

R Relationships, Regeneration

I

Ideas, Innovation

T

Time

Where are we now? Questions: 1. Where is the Community? 2. Where is our sector? 3. Where is our organisation?

1 Not interested 2 Sustainability

being talked

about, but not

much action

4 Sustainability

impacting

core business

5 Sustainability

integrated into

the business

3 Sustainability

actions are

underway, but

not core to the

business

Living Planet Index

20

The amount of productive land required to meet your current needs

Ecological Footprint

21

What is sustainability?

Sustainable development is…

‘meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to

meet their own needs’

Brundtland Commission All needs –

economic, social,

community,

ecological, etc

SPIRIT

S Sustainability & Spirituality

P

Planet, People, Profit

I

Individual, Identity

R Relationships, Regeneration

I

Ideas, Innovation

T

Time

Sustainability: Scale & Context - Time & Space

SPIRIT

S Sustainability & Spirituality

P

Planet, People, Profit

I

Individual, Identity

R Relationships, Regeneration

I

Ideas, Innovation

T

Time

Relationships

Systems Thinking

26

SPIRIT

S Sustainability & Spirituality

P

Planet, People, Profit

I

Individual, Identity

R Relationships, Regeneration

I

Ideas, Innovation

T

Time

www.breakthroughcapitalism.com

Current models of capitalism are failing economically, socially and environmentally.

As global governance structures weaken, can business be an effective force for change in ensuring a healthy, fair and affordable world for 9 billion people?

The Breakthrough Capitalism program explores how business leaders can change the rules, and aims to catalyze the conversations that will make it happen.

Breakthrough Thinking

SPIRIT

S Sustainability & Spirituality

P

Planet, People, Profit

I

Individual, Identity

R Relationships, Regeneration

I

Ideas, Innovation

T

Time, Timing

ISSP – Professional Certification Project 2. Determine major job expectations –draft list

Seven core expectations: 1.Demonstrate a familiarity with fundamental concepts of sustainability 2.Produce comprehensive sustainability plans 3.Establish and implement meaningful measures & accounting processes 4.Create and maintain sustainability management systems 5.Manage and engage stakeholders 6.Manage the implementation of sustainability strategies and initiatives 7.Prepare and distribute sustainability reports

Job

expectations

1. Dalai Lama

2. Thich Nhat Hanh

3. Eckhart Tolle

4. Deepak Chopra

5. Rhonda Byrne

6. Dr Wayne W Dyer

7. Paulo Coelho

8. Oprah Winfrey

9. Nelson Mandela

10. Byron Katie

Some complementary reading

An eclectic personal selection...

1. Jonathon Porritt - Spirituality is the exact opposite of dropping out

2. Satish Kumar - Two sides of the same coin

3. Robert May - Just how much does society owe religion?

4. Thich Nhat Hanh - Only love can save us from climate change

5. Hardin Tibbs - Dreams of an Eco-Spiritual Futurist

6. Jayanti Kirplani - Spirituality and Ecology

7. John Naish - Enough

juliancrawford@ecosteps.com.au

Thich Nhat Hanh:

"I recommend that they make the inscription outside on the front: “I am not in here”

• And then if people do not understand, you add a second sentence: “I am not out there either...”

• and if still they don't understand on the third and the last;

• “I may be found maybe in your way of breathing or walking.”

Pause and Reflect