From Passion to Purpose: Reflections on the 2024 WSBC Conference
Written by WSBC Member Kelly Isabelle DeMarco
I participated in my first WSBC conference in the fall of 2019 as a newly appointed ‘green team’ leader for Horizon Home Care and Hospice.
I was invited to lead our team, not because I knew what I was doing, but because of my passion for the cause.
When it became increasingly clear to me that I was flying by the seat of my pants, I consulted the internet to see what kind of local support I might find.
To my surprise, I discovered the WI Sustainable Business Council (WSBC) and the Green Masters Program. I promptly scheduled a meeting with Jessy and soon found myself in the company of a kindred spirit dedicated to solving our environmental crisis one business at a time.
Participating in the Green Master’s Program was a game changer for our grass-roots initiative. Our scores revealed our strengths and opportunities for growth and proved to be a powerful tool for charting a path forward.
As a ‘green’ sustainability leader without much skillset, WSBC helped me see that my passion for the cause combined with knowing my industry from the inside out, was the perfect place to start. This gave me the confidence to put one foot in front of the other. Our participation also allowed us to convey to our stakeholders that we understand healthy people and planet go hand in hand.
WSBC connected me with other emerging and seasoned leaders and organizations within the healthcare industry and gave me the training, tools, and connections necessary to help me lead more effectively.
As I arrived at the WSBC 2024 Conference, I found myself not only in the company of 350 business leaders (52% WSBC members, 48% non-members) representing 185 Wisconsin-based organizations trying to measure and meet sustainability metrics and targets but also among passionate peers and friends deeply committed to making our planet a home in which ALL humans can thrive for generations to come.
From the opening comments to the closing remarks and woven into many of the talks throughout the day was the importance of knowing our WHY when it comes to sustainability.
Knowing WHY we do what we do and being able to communicate that effectively to our stakeholders is crucial to our success.
The fact that 25% of all inclement weather events occurring in the last 40 years occurred in the last 5, drives home the urgency of powerfully communicating our WHY.
And taking vital steps that position our organizations to be a solution in the wake of an increasing frequency of these types of events, positions us to lead those needing someone to follow.
Knowing our sustainability mission and vision and communicating it clearly matters too. These give us a north star to reach for and allow our key stakeholders to support us in getting there while hopefully inspiring them to do the same.
And in the example of Kohler, taking a bold step to anchor these within a powerful mission statement like ‘Helping people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives’, tells our stakeholders that sustainability and care for our planet is a core corporate value and is central to the way we do business.
Beyond knowing WHY we do what we do and communicating that within and without our organizations, a final key message from our keynote speaker Laura Kohler was to ‘flip the script on sustainability’ so that we make it not only the right choice but the most economical choice too.
As sustainability leaders, we know that sustainability saves resources and eventually adds more to our bottom line. Passing this benefit along to our consumers in the form of savings for sustainable choices makes it not only a feel good choice but an easy choice and a win-win for all.
Uncertain times provide us with an opportunity to be grateful for things we might have previously taken for granted. As our nation’s leadership prepares to change hands, uncertainty is likely at the forefront of all of our minds when it comes to support for sustainability. The WSBC 2024 conference offered us a powerful pause and a day to be grateful for the hardworking, dedicated, individuals and people powered organizations who are taking great strides to make our world a better place.
Of all the key takeaways, this one might be the most poignant. In this season of gratitude and thanksgiving, it is hard to imagine anything to feel more thankful for.
For all who contributed to making this day an unforgettable one, thank you!
