INTEGRITY

Integrity: A key component for a successful sustainable organisation

As part of a series of blogs being published over the next few weeks, Dorothy Mackenzie explores how Integrity, the first hallmark of Business is Beautiful, is a key attribute for creating a successful sustainable organization.
Integrity is perhaps the core characteristic of a beautiful business and will lie at the heart of long-term success in a sustainable future. In Business is Beautiful, we define the components of integrity as Purpose, Authenticity, Sacrifice and Committing Openly. Each component has an important role to play in helping an organization develop confidently and with clear direction.
A sense of Purpose
A reason for being (beyond short-term commercial success) is an essential for organizations thinking about the future. It encourages a focus on the benefits that can be offered rather than on the current products, services or production methods. Purpose should clearly set out the difference an organization is trying to make in the world.
Traditional reference points for innovation, such as market trends, competitor analysis or even customer studies are imperfect guides for future opportunities given the unpredictability and interconnectedness of markets and behaviors. Purpose can be an anchor point and a signpost but should also act as an energizer – inspiring people with the desire to achieve something meaningful and worthwhile. Purpose can drive action and urgency: if you have a motivating purpose you want to do what you can to deliver it – now and in the future. Innocent's purpose of making it easy for people to do themselves some good or IBM's aim to build a smarter planet are very different examples of purpose that both guide and excite.