What Needs to Change for Sustainability to Work - Lee Stewart is Throwing Down The Gauntlet

Today's guest is a legend of Sydney's sustainability landscape - Lee Stewart. He's here today to chat about the release of his upcoming book titled How to Build Sustainability Into Your Business Strategy, but that becomes a proxy for him and I to chat about and discuss the progression and evolution of sustainability as a notion for organisation's of all shapes and sizes to grapple with for over 20 years. Where it came from, how it's changed and where it may be going.Lee is someone who has been a literal pioneer here in Australia and in New Zealand who's worked across large multinationals, dominant domestic corporations, in consulting and also as a sole practitioner - and now he can author to that impressive resume. Lee's book is an absolute must if you're curious about better understanding how to see the trees through the forest and step back from the constant demands of the daily doing and the hamster wheel of constant requests and requirements to report any and all versions of ESG and sustainability information.One thing I appreciated and valued speaking about with Lee was exploring how working in sustainability is deeply personal work. I know myself that ever since beginning to learn about the impacts humans were having on the environment as a kid, then my studies and later all the professional ups and downs that has entailed, this work I attempt is intensely personal. For many of us - once we have seen the world we are living in and heading towards, it's impossible to unsee that. I like to refer to people who are looking to change organisations as sustainability professionals as having some mutated gene that means they can both suffer the challenges of everyday bureaucracy and the disappointments of setbacks, but also hold the remarkable ability to don a proverbial cape and return over and over again, working tirelessly to make a difference, progressively altering the trajectory of wherever it is they work and continue to march along. Lee is someone who is absolutely of that make-up, and it was a pleasure to chat about this and much more with him.Thank you for listening today, I appreciate it and don't take your precious time for granted. If you enjoyed this episode or any other, please offer a rating as the algorithms appreciate that type of interaction, share the show with friends or colleagues and let them know why you think they'd appreciate listening, and subscribe.The event schedule for the rest of this year is available - head to the Finding Nature LinkedIn page for more details on this, follow there and also on Humanitix. One last place you can sign up is at  findingnature.substack.com where each month I publish a series of contributions from other professionals working in the sustainability and impact fields on what motivates them, their philosophies and how that informs their daily lives.The theme for the next newsletter in August is mavericks, and I consider Lee to be just that. This quote from Alan Rickman appropriately captures the spirit of Lee's book and the ask he has of all of us as we seek to bring about a more beautiful, just and sustainable future - Maverick is a word which appeals to me more than misfit. Maverick is active, misfit is passive.Today's show is delivered with Altiorem. Use the code FindingNature10 to get your first month free on their gold and platinum plans. Today's show is delivered with Gilay Estate. Add Finding Nature to your booking reservation for a Send me a messageThanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram