What happens when employee activists consider how to craft an effective narrative calling for a change in their company’s business model? In the second part of this fictional case study, set at HarvestFusion, a global consumer packaged goods (CPG) company, the four main characters — Olivia, Ron, Shira, and Marcus — explore and grapple with this challenge while drawing upon lessons from political communication.

Climate activism is needed now more than ever from all stakeholders, including employees. Yet, this is easier said than done — while the majority of employees want to take action on climate in their jobs, most of them do not do so. This three-part fictional case study aims to address this challenge, focusing on exploring the considerations of embracing activism in the first place (Part 1), utilizing political communication to craft effective narratives for change (Part 2), and designing strategies around these narratives (Part 3). In the first part, titled “Should we embrace employee activism?”, we are introduced to the main characters of our story — Olivia, Ron, Shira, and Marcus, who work for HarvestFusion, a global consumer packaged goods (CPG) company. We delve their initial debate on whether to participate in activism at all.

The failure of the supply-side strategy to achieve substantial progress towards the 1.5C target emphasizes the inescapable truth: We must transform our lifestyles to align with the 1.5C target. While we are already aware of what needs to be done, the challenge lies in determining how to effectively implement these changes. It is now time to embrace the ultimate endeavor: Designing for 1.5C lifestyles.

How to respond to the anti-ESG wave? Embrace it! By embracing the politicization of corporate sustainability and the culture war surrounding it, corporate sustainability can see multiple benefits: Shifting the focus to dark matter elements shaping the corporate sustainability discourse, articulating a narrative war between the past and the future, and creating a broader political alignment that can win over the contest on our future.

Sustainability is at a crossroads — while it become more common, it is also less effective when it comes to addressing key challenges. Changing this course would require a shift to a new type of sustainability: Populist sustainability, which is based on three tenets: Narratives, affordability, and chutzpah. In…

This is the time of regenerative business models, at least according to the interest a growing number of companies show in advancing regenerative visions and initiatives. But what does it mean in practice? Are companies truly adopting regenerative mindset and practices or is it just a myth they help promote? — In 2020 Joel Makower wrote on GreenBiz a piece about regeneration, pointing out that it is “everywhere these days, vying to nudge “sustainability” aside in favor of the next trendy term.” …

The new wave of climate activists protesting in museums around the world brings up questions about the narratives promoted by these actions and their effectiveness. To win the fight against climate change we need narratives that can win over people, but how do we do it exactly? — Was the protest of Just Stop Oil activists throwing soup on Van Gogh’s painting at the National Gallery in London (or later, the activists throwing mashed potatoes at Monet's painting) successful or effective?

The success of Shein, the ultra-fast fashion company, brings up important questions about the ability of sustainable innovation to compete and win the hearts and minds of young consumers. Shein may be the new unsustainable kid on the block, but the lessons it offers are invaluable to anyone involved in sustainability in general and sustainable innovation in particular. — I don’t know how you feel about Shein, the ultra-fast fashion company that has become ultra-successful with Gen Z, but I think this brand could be the best thing that happened to the sustainability movement.

What does it mean to redesign Amazon as a degrowth business? Can a fashion brand use degrowth principles to be more successful? While these questions may sound very far from the reality of sustainability-as-usual they represent the next critical challenge for the sustainability movement: Creating thriving degrowth business models. Are we ready for D-Corps? — What would a degrowth business model for Amazon could look like? What would it mean for the company to adopt a business model grounded in “a planned reduction of energy and resource use designed to bring the economy back into balance with the living world in a way that…