Looking through the World Economic Forum’s 2011 report on global risks has helped us focus on the future of the work we do from an engagement and innovation perspective. We have been thinking for sometime about why we do what we do and what it means to us and those we work with. Since looking through a number of reports on megatrends, sustainability and the future of the global economy we are becoming very clear about which type organisations we want to work with and why, going forward into 2012 and beyond.
What seems clear about the current, global situation is that the Western world is not in a position to handle many more new shocks. The current financial crisis has taken it's toll as many people are pushing towards the edge of personal, economic disaster and some have already gone over the top. From a national and global perspective the disparity between rich and poor and potential social unrest seriously threaten our future wellbeing.
Recent research suggests this is due to four interconnected categories of risk.
Energy, food and water shortages and climate change.
Disease pandemics and geopolitical unrest.
Currency instability, fiscal crises and asset price collapse.
Growing criminality, corruption, terrorism and illegal trade.
Due to the interdependent, economic relationships between nations around the world we will need solid global governance and collaboration between businesses in the private and public sectors in all nations to tackle these issues.
Experts suggest that the key to facing the up and coming challenges in the four areas is in identifying risks quickly and implementing effective interventions as soon as possible.
The World Food Programme, The Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Risk Response Network are examples of organisations at the leading edge of helping to tackle the issue of risk assessment and intervention.
Global socio-economic reports suggest we need to strengthen global coordination in order to create stronger financial systems of control, and develop (and put in place) innovative fiscal models that tackle long term, and under or unfunded issues like pensions and health care for our aging populations.
Also a coordinated move is required globally to increase communication and transparency to prevent flows of illegal capital from fragile nations trading in arms, drugs, prostitution and corrupt business practices. Haromising global laws and increasing information exchange through businesses and social networks would help to identify the emerging hot spots.
Continued awareness raising around the human impact of illegal capital is also vital to try and discourage people from buying goods that may have an illicit trail.
Successful businesses rely on the wellbeing of the ordinary working people and nations they trade with for their own stability so it is becoming increasingly vital for companies to take some responsibility for economic disparity they may be helping to create within the societies they operate in.
In the next decade the global population is predicted to grow to 7.7 billion people all looking to live a meaningful and healthy life. Cooperation and investment between nations and businesses around the impact of their policies on populations, environments and creation, use and distribution of resource like food, water and energy is another vital step that needs to be taken. This could include market led pricing to reflect the value, fragility and scarcity of resources used.
Finally, and probably most importantly, investment in encouraging creativity and new ideas. Developing technological innovations and finding breakthrough, socio-economic solutions to enhance and protect the health of people and environments and prolong the availability and supply of key resources is absolutely necessary for human wellbeing.
We've been thinking long and hard about this state of affairs and asking ourselves what we can do.
How are we uniquely placed to help in some way?
Our work is about increasing organisational engagement through helping people understand their unique value stacks, from a Spiral Dynamics Integral perspective, as a resource for energy and motivation. We also help people to develop their communication skills, expand their capacity for creativity and thereby encourage and increase networks of communication and innovation in companies through idea sharing.
As we understand it, a considerable part of the solution lays in increasing an individual's, a team's and an organisation's capacity for effective communication, collaboration and creativity.
With this in mind, we at 4DHuman being have made a pledge to try and only work with organisations that we feel understand the global issues outlined above and are willing to develop (or are currently developing) a policy and corporate strategy that includes addressing these global challenges in some way. However large or small the contribution.
Tom and Philippa
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