We are living in a time when it seems difficult to maintain optimism. All of a sudden, the world we knew turned upside down leading to constant fear and insecurity. Will it go away? For sure! When? We don’t know. In many countries around the world, people have gone back to their own routine, and slowly, their life is returning to normal. In other places (like Brazil), this is still a distant reality. Despite that, there is already a great expectation about the future. After all, even though the virus is no longer such a threat, other matters raised from this crisis will remain for a long time, especially when it comes to social and economic topics. Having said that, the discussion of an important topic begins: will the world return to ‘business as usual’? Or is it really time to restart the system?
On the one hand, there is hope that we will learn valuable lessons such as, the unbridled way natural resources have been explored and the value of compassion and collaboration when facing adversity, on the other hand we cannot deny the escalation of tensions, the rise of borders (and flags) and also the threat of growing social inequality, especially in underdeveloped countries. These are undoubtedly, sources of fear and concern.
Moving forward
Now, more than ever, we believe there is a need to press the button and restart the system. Ever since the idea of the 4D Sustainability Canvas came up, our goal has been to contribute to the transformation of society through business. We believe that the creation of this blog to share ideas, cases, educational content and other resources drives us in that direction.
What will you find here?
The idea is to use this blog to share information that not only facilitates the understanding of what sustainability really is with by defining concepts and showcasing practical experiences, but also encourage transformation through successful cases of individuals and companies that have generated positive impact and contributed to a new economy with their work. You will be able to see this in the “Building Collective Futures” section in which we will highlight the individuals and companies that are part of the brand new Collective Futures community, discussed below.
Collective Futures
The Collective Futures community, recently aired, is born with the purpose of uniting professionals and companies that work in favour of the Sustainable Development Goals with organizations that understand that is time to rethink the model of their business in the sense of (re) building a more equal and sustainable society in the long run.
At the same time that we facilitate the search for specialists and companies based on the area of specialization, sector and contribution to the SDGs, we give visibility to these same professionals and organizations, working both ways.
It has begun (again)
All the recent news somehow correlates with a new phase in my life. Having worked for years as a partner in a communication consultancy company, I then decided to leave this role and focus on the development of 4D Sustainability Canvas. It was not an easy decision as it comes with a series of uncertainties at a time when we are already full of them.
Transforming an idea into an established business with a real impact on society, is a big challenge. Doing so in the middle of a pandemic, quarantined (with all its burdens and bonuses), adds an extra dose of complexity. No complains, after all I am privileged to be able to make such a choice. Something far from the reality of many people who, before suffering the impacts of the pandemic, already suffered from an unfair and unequal system. The same system we aim to transform so that success is measured by the positive impact and the value created for society and planet.
During this journey (still at early stage), I am delighted and proud to see how many people are moving in the same direction, willing to collaborate, through a simple chat, along with feedbacks and updates or even partnerships currently being developed. This proves that the future is indeed collective.
Well, the text ends here, but this conversation is just beginning. Now it’s up to you. I really want us to be able to continue together in this (re)start. Any feedback, suggestion or comment, just leave it down there. See you soon!