Green Consultants’ Manifesto

Intro:

We are all humans, and nobody is perfect. We see the following manifesto as a guiding principle, as a lighthouse that provides orientation for our possible contributing to the sustainability transformation of mankind. We perceive it not as a dogma one must follow 100% from now on or you have failed. The world is not black and white – the world is complex. 
Principles are the best tool we have to reduce complexity and that is why the manifesto is about sharing principles for action.
Sometimes there are conflicting goals, and we cannot comply with each of them in the same way -this is just normal!
Every long journey starts with the first step in a direction of your choice… We hope that the Green Consultants’ Manifesto provides you with a solid compass to navigate.

Who are we and what do we
stand for?

The word “consultants” encompasses all professionals which are paid or otherwise valued by their clients for their professional communication, knowledge, and the role model they impersonate.
“Green” stands for the impact we want to make in our professional work: to help our clients to reach their sustainability goals either in the way we deliver our own services – see our manifesto – or through our services in the context of the sustainability transformation of our customers.  

Our Manifesto:

  • Keep your mind flying high not your body!
    • If you can reach your target destination within one day using environmentally friendly transport means avoid flying 
    • Use the time while travelling for preparing, learning, connecting with people and mindfulness
    • If you cannot avoid flying compensate your CO2 footprint according to given standards
  • Create global or national networks to provide local solutions!
    • Enable your local colleagues to support your costumer on site without travelling from a distance
    • Use your local colleagues’ places as local stops in order to increase your travel experience and mutual knowledge sharing  
  • Create closeness from a distance!
    • Use technology professionally in order to create virtual closeness to your customer
  • Meet & sleep tight – don’t let the waste bugs bite!
    • Whenever you have the choice, use environmentally places to stay during meetings and overnight and behave according their suggestions to keep the environment clean
  • There is no paper like no paper!
    • Avoid usage of paper in all of your services
    • If you cannot avoid paper use recycled paper or let the customer decide on how to deal with this question
  • Have green food for your thoughts!
    • Enjoy food & drinks in forms that do not produce waste and are produced environmentally friendly
  • Be a role model!
    • Share your good practice with colleagues and customers
    • Invite your customers to support the green consultants’ manifesto
    • Actively support and connect environmental protection, sustainability and degrowth initiatives and networks
    • Be mindful with your own personal resources in a way that you can perform your work in a healthy and sustained way

We believe…

  • …that it is a competitive advantage to perform in a sustainable way.
  • … in facts and science: the man-made negative impacts on climate and natural resources are real and the biggest long-term threats to human life on earth today. 
  • … that there are no simple answers or solutions to deal with the current environmental challenges: we have to cooperate globally, use our diversity and have to act now and on different fields and levels at the same time in a coordinated manner.
  • … the generations following us have the same right that we have to live a life in freedom, peace and healthy nature. 
  • …in the ability of mankind and their technology to achieve the greatest things and even excel our biggest hopes: this believe, trust and spirit are what we need to make this sustained transformation. 
  • … that giving and growing is more fulfilling for us as humans than to take and consume.

5 thoughts on “Green Consultants’ Manifesto”

  1. Dear Marcus, Heike, Tim, Claudia,
    Thank you for this valuable impulse. We from intercultures will discuss how we can include the manifesto into our company practice!
    Best,
    Stefan

  2. Wonderful idea and right way to go!!! I have been avoiding flights ever since starting to be a consultant. I just try to use the time on the train as my home alias train-office. I wish one day I can tell my customers that if they want to work with me and a hotel/conference center is needed we have to use a “green place” otherwise there is no getting together. Well, maybe “one day” can also be in the nearest future 🙂 Additionally I would like to add that we opened up a new bank account in June and are using a “green bank”: https://www.gls.de – maybe something else to consider in your business.

  3. Great approach and start of making this planet surviving. We talked about your (deeper) mind shift on our Barcelona trip, Marcus… and that also moved me into a “greener direction” and definitely more actions… slowly I must admit but steadily.
    What do you guys think about adding interesting articles on this Manifesto website? (I am collecting a bunch of them worthwile reading…) So people can discover, make up their minds, feel invited and more responsible.

  4. HI Marcus, Was für ein wundervolles Manifesto. Es macht Spaß zu lesen und ich konnte tatsächlich viele Anwendungspunkte für mich finden. Vor Allem es klingt alles sehr naheliegend und absolut umsetzbar.
    Ich würde gerne mein Committment zu diesem Manifesto auf meinem Website durch ein Logo kundtun. Nach dem Motto, tu Gutes und sprich drüber. Zum zweiten, möchte ich gerne zur Verbreitung deiner Ideen beisteuern. Gibt es ein Logo fürs “Ich bin dabei”?
    Liebe Grüße aus der umweltfreundlichen deutschen Bahn!
    Nora

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *