I discussed in an earlier post the idea of “global imperatives.” The values and beliefs that became Seventh Generation’s roadmap to helping to create the world at its best, and most sustainable. A world that creates opportunities for the wellness of people, planet and all living things.
The discussion and rumination of these “global imperatives” was the reason most of us came into work every day. The exploration of what they meant was a critical aspect of bringing them into being.
“As a Business we are committed to being educators and to encourage those we educate to create with us a world of equity and justice, health and wellbeing.”
What does this mean?
We need to teach ourselves, our employees, our business partners, the communities in which we do business, and our consumers, how to work together to create a world marked by well-being for all, one where we understand that our shared common fate is driven by cooperation and mutual objectives, and is judged by the well-being of those who have the least, rather than those that have the most.
“To achieve that we must create a world of more conscious workers, citizens, and consumers.”
Consciousness requires intention. It demands that we observe ourselves, and in that observation bring intention and purpose into our thoughts and actions. It means that we must no longer play like a gang of hamsters, each spinning rapidly on his or her own individual wheel, rushing around, following the same pattern over and over again. Instead we must become purposeful individuals who manage our thoughts, words, and actions in ways that create more intentional, selfless, and meaningful effects.
We often get so caught up in what we are “doing” that we lose sight of the effect we seek to have. We get so into cooking that we forget the point of having company over is to celebrate just being together. We create brilliant advertising that everyone notices, though no one can remember the name of the company who created it. We get so focused on pointing out what was wrong with the job someone did, we don’t realize that we’ve left our co-worker so dispirited that they are unlikely to try harder the next time around.
“We believe that our business and all businesses should engage in the personal development of everyone who works for them.”
To fulfill our own possibilities and become all we can be, we must grow ourselves. This is an eternal process, a journey with no destination. It must be nurtured by the business community within which we spend the vast majority of our lives. This development will enable us to bring ever more capabilities to all that we endeavor to do.