The Importance of Kenya Adopting Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Bloggers Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

Sustainable entrepreneurship involves participating in endeavors that contribute to the recovery or preservation of the environment and community, while still promoting economic progress. Shutterstock's file photo can be seen as an example.

In his renowned speech called "I Have a Dream", Dr Martin Luther King, Jr urged people to take action in the present, as the future is now. He emphasized the importance of acting urgently and not becoming indifferent or lazy. Even now, his call to action continues to hold relevance.

As we approach the year 2030, it's becoming increasingly clear that we're in a pivotal time when it comes to addressing the climate crisis and making progress towards sustainable development.

It's becoming more and more evident that we need to become aware of the urgent need of the present and quickly recover from our self-induced narrow-mindedness.

The recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) held in Egypt highlighted the importance of following through on climate commitments and ensuring that companies and organizations are held responsible for achieving their net zero goals.

This highlights the importance of embracing sustainable entrepreneurship. This approach promotes the pursuit of economic opportunities that do not harm the natural or social environments in which they exist.

Sustainable entrepreneurship refers to the involvement in actions that uphold or support the environment and community, while also maintaining economic progress without any compromise.

The focus is on incorporating eco-friendly methodologies into the fundamental structure and operations of the business, not simply as an accessory or choice.

In simpler terms, it's about assessing every aspect of your business with a focus on sustainability. This includes considering the value you offer, who your customers are, how you sell your products or services, how you interact with your customers, where your income comes from, what resources you need to run your company and who helps you do it, and the expenses you incur.

Creating a sustainable business also involves determining who benefits from the business, and ensuring at least one sustainable development goal is being worked towards.

Nevertheless, this change is challenging. The conventional mindset of entrepreneurship has always emphasized financial success and monetary gain.

This implies that often, transforming into a sustainable business may require changing fundamental principles of an operational business plan. This change can be a challenging task and may require a considerable amount of financial, human, and natural resources.

Making a business profitable while also considering its impact on people and the planet can be a challenging task, which means it comes with certain difficulties.

Even though it's difficult, we cannot let companies keep taking advantage of the environment and the community by claiming they are fulfilling their social responsibilities.

Several companies are providing significant monetary support for actions aimed at mitigating climate change. However, these companies still operate using business models that counter the net zero initiatives.

This behavior is not okay, and we cannot ignore it. Attempting to deceive people with claims of environmental responsibility only makes the issue worse.

Taking the sustainable path is the most advantageous direction to take in the future. You can see proof that companies can give back to the community and the planet while still being able to stay ahead of the game by luring and keeping customers, as well as building value for everyone involved, not just those who have shares in the business.

The author is an expert in communication strategies and a strong advocate for sustainability. You can reach them at [email protected]