Will You Be Courageous or Cautious this Year?

What’s in a name? Plenty, turns out, especially right now in the world of corporate social and environmental impact as we navigate the transformational spasms of changing not only the way our economy works, but the way we talk about it.

I’ve got to hand it to the agents of status quo; they are pros at weaponizing words. Just look at what happened to ESG over the past couple of years, painted with the pejorative “woke” and a rallying cry for some state governments to ban these funds from their investment portfolios. The same tactic is now being applied to DEI, as the backlash in academia is washing across oceans to the shores of the corporate world. The alphabet of acronyms is being turned against the forces of change, and there is heightened tension in the corporate world because of it.

It’s tough to foresee which words and phrases will be turned against a cause – perhaps they all can – so we need to embrace the action of applying the practices for which these “brands” stand, while pivoting to different ways of presenting them.

Here’s an example: When the Inflation Reduction Act was initially drafted, it included funding for creation of the Civilian Climate Corps, an initiative to put young people to work in the fight against climate change. Funding for the program, inspired by the original Civilian Conservation Corps of the Great Depression era, was eliminated when the bill finally passed Congress.

The idea wasn’t dead, though. It re-emerged in a 2023 Executive Order as a rebranded program now called the “American Climate Corps.” Ah, the power of branding and wordplay – smart minds substitute the word “American” for civilian, and you tap into a well of patriotism that broadens appeal across the political spectrum.

(Of course, if you want another example of a master class in branding, just look at what is really climate change legislative bill get passed as the "Inflation Reduction Act." 😉)

As for ESG and DEI, perhaps market forces – which clearly appreciate their worth – will continue using these as the primary shorthand to describe the inherent value of social and environmental impact measures to the economic health of companies and society. After all, these practices aren't necessarily driven by companies, but by demand from investors, communities, and customers who favor them. For many leaders this year, the question is whether to be courageous or cautious as purpose and polarization collide in the marketplace.

Which will you be in 2024?  Courageous or cautious?

Godspeed, friends.

Russ

💬 Quote of the Week

"We cannot do the work of transforming the world unless we are in interdependent relationships – the work is too vast and complex for any one of us. Let's reach toward each other." Akaya Windwood (Thanks to Godspeed subscriber Jay Frank for submitting this.)

Resolutions

Last issue we invited people to share their New Year's resolutions and we received three:

"My New Year’s resolution is to have better structure in my life and to learn how to say no." Stuart Williams

"I’m gonna finally get out of my own way and BE the change we need to see. Digging deeper into conviction and commitments to help forge a united movement against the status quo because it sucks so much." Jay Frank

"A big theme I've been musing since crossing the 4-0 mark a couple years ago is what (if anything) can we take into the next life... I mean this obviously gets into the uber-personal realm of spiritual and religious beliefs, but if you can just boil it to "consciousness"... if that, and Present Moment Awareness, is really all we potentially carry on, then why the hell am I wasting precious time on material gain, unless it can profit more net time to bolster positive connections, action, wisdom, memories, passing these down and up to those around..." A former colleague of mine who wished to share their thoughts, but not a name for attribution.

💥 Quick Hits

• Sustainability and social impact trends for 2024 - Susan McPherson says it will be collaboration over competition, the "S" in ESG, and more.

• Why last year saw a boom in B Corps - Investors prioritizing ESG and pressure from customers are two of the reasons, says Modern Retail.

• America can still make a damn good sweatshirt - We've written about sustainable apparel manufacturing in past issues (North Carolina's TS Designs) and here's another engaging take on Made in America apparel.

🤔 Trivia Time

In what year did the word "wokeness" first appear in print?

• 1919
• 1969
• 2011
• 2020

Today's trivia answer can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.‌‌‌‌‌

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Trivia Answer

Wokeness first awoke in print in 2011. Source: Merriam-Webster

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