Date: 2025-07-02 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00019232
Event dialog>br> Sustainability Leaders Dialogue organized by John Grosskopf
Chat text from meeting 200722
Peter Burgess
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From Me to Everyone: 05:21 PM Bill ... two questions (1) Is the Borges family related to the Burgess familty ??????????????? (2) I love your presentation ... my immediate reaction is that doing this analysis for a PLACE rather than a CORPORATE FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION would be a game changer What think you?
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From Ozzie Paez to Everyone: 05:21 PM Query for immediately after Bill Borge’s presentation: • How have organizations you are familiar defined their most-pressing sustainability needs? • Of those organization, what pressing needs did they define? And were they really their most-pressing needs or were they knee-jerk reactions to current affairs, amounting to “flavors of the month?” • Were the most-pressing needs ones that could: o Systematically manage sustainability initiatives o Reduce risks o Reduce operating and/or administrative expenses o Increase revenues and/or o Gain intangible advantages? • Given this presentation, what could the organizations have done better to achieve more concrete business, social and environmental results?
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From Me to Everyone: 05:25 PM At a national (macro level) there has been impressive progress, but underneath this the profits have been impressive, and owners have done well, but ordinary folk have flat-lined fo 40 years. How should this be addressed?
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From Ozzie Paez to Everyone: 05:29 PM Hi Peter - What we have seen is in part a phenomena of technology, where everything is made of 'bits' instead of anything substantial. The wealthiest CEOs gained their wealth through increases in stock values. My sense is that these trends will change over time. I shudder at putting the power to control income in the hands of politicians. That may be a fix that is worse than the problem itself.
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From Kirsten to Everyone: 05:33 PM HI, I'm back :-)
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From Ozzie Paez to Me: (Privately) 05:42 PM Did I make sense? You got animated as I spoke!
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From Me to Ozzie Paez: (Privately) 05:46 PM YES
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From Me to Everyone: 05:58 PM All of these sustainability initiatives are incredibly important ... but there are some other dangerous influences in play ... quick financial results ... enabled by legally enabled corruption and worse. I thought this was only overseas ... but it also is in play in my own back-yard !!!!!!
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From Neotopia APS to Everyone: 05:59 PM I am back, web blackout. apologies
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From Me to Everyone: 06:01 PM What is PURPOSE ... surely it is decent profit without doing much damage to society and the environment
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From Neotopia APS to Everyone: 06:02 PM Peter, purpose of a business should be to satisfy some needs of its stakeholders while damaging NONE. Environment is to me included among the SH
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From Me to Everyone: 06:05 PM AGREED
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My thinking that your metrics address this matter quite effectively ?????????
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From Me to Everyone: 06:14 PM Bill Borges ... any thoughts on the recent announcement that SASB and GRI are going to cooperate instead of competing?
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From Bill Borges to Everyone: 06:17 PM Ozzie's point that we are drowning in data -- with little actionable information -- is endemic to all industries. The challenge in creating any management system is organizing those data to meet the specific needs of the enterprise. The resource commitment to do so is not always popular with leaders, as John pointed out. Compounding the problem is the fact that decisions are rarely made with facts and data. Rather, they are made when the decision maker(s) are emotionally confident enough that they are correct.
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From Me to Everyone: 06:17 PM More and more communication ... more and more data .... but rather little improvement in understanding
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From Neotopia APS to Everyone: 06:19 PM Good point Bill and Peter. I would add poor leadership, that should determine which data is relevant to get to the objectives of the company
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From Me to Everyone: 06:20 PM I am looking into the issues being addressed at Runymede with the Magna Carta to control the power of the Monarch ... deja vue!!!!!!!!
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From Ozzie Paez to Everyone: 06:21 PM Good Point Peter - Drowning in data and thirsty for understanding.
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From Michael Porch to Everyone: 06:28 PM I have another commitment and need to run. Thanks for everyone's time and thoughts. I look forward too future dialogs.
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From Me to Everyone: 06:32 PM ULTIMATE BOLONEY !!!!!!!! The big challenge is to engage the INVESTORS who own companies. Some investors are responsibe but maybe the majority are not. We need to convert irresponsible owners to being responsible owners ............ !!!!!!!!
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From Neotopia APS to Everyone: 06:34 PM Alas Peter, greed is widespread. Many “owners” are millions of private citizens investing in funds or insurances that give a better performance, financial of course… The paradigm shift is hard. But to be done nonetheless
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From Ozzie Paez to Everyone: 06:37 PM POST DIALOG SURVEY: 1. Would you recommend this Dialogue to other business leaders, Sustainability Professionals, and colleagues? 1-10 (10 highest) 2. How would you rate this event? Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair 3. What did you like about it? 4. What did you dislike? 5. Was today’s topic meaningful and of value to you? 7. Were the materials presented by our expert helpful to you? Extremely, Very, Fairly, Not helpful 8. How would you rate the length of the event? Too long, Too short, About right 9. Comments or Suggested Improvements to our Dialogues: From Bill Borges to Everyone: 06:38 PM 1. 10 From Me to Everyone: 06:40 PM THANKS