Written by Karen Seymour, Chief Purpose Officer human at work
As a purpose practitioner for eight years and a purpose ambassador for decades, I was thrilled to hear, back in December 2017, that Shared Value Initiative Hong Kong would create a platform to build this compelling global movement right here in Asia, where leaders and their teams are creating Shared Value and influencing the business world to be a force for good.
Everyone can contribute to solving our world’s grand challenges, and this could be one of the biggest opportunities of our time – for individuals, for business, and for the benefit of all people around the globe.
How might we tap the power of people to fuel shared value for high octane impact?
Unleash the magic
Let’s start with your own people. Unlocking potential, creativity, passion and purpose is powerful. Enable your people to be problem solvers and innovators in their own roles, then empower them to look beyond to find solutions and opportunities that create Shared Value. If the collective knowledge, expertise, experience and ideas of people across an organisation is tapped, there’s a special magic that can be unleashed.
In my previous role at a global multinational, I saw how monumental launching purpose was. It stoked engagement and interest inside and outside of our company, as people enthusiastically shared creative ideas for making life better. Giving everyone a voice on our open innovation platform brought out that magic, mobilised action and enabled collaboration.
Empower everyone, honour diverse ideas, and see the magic unfold. Individuals win as they build essential future skills and connect to purpose, business wins through fostering innovation and creating shared value, and society benefits from sustainable solutions.
Fulfillment is fuel
There are even more compelling reasons for linking people’s roles to a higher purpose and bringing everyone along this journey. Neuroscience proves that humans are hard-wired for altruism, plus the 2019 Workforce Purpose Index by Imperative showed that 99% of people who are not fulfilled at work are not fulfilled in life.
Contributing to more than the bottom line brings so many positive returns and, statistics show, can lead to higher performance, profitability, and a spill-over effect that benefits everyone. It’s clear that fulfilment adds fuel to drive shared value forward.
Collaboration counts
Stakeholders outside of your organisation can be the rocket fuel to boost your collaborations and help propel everyone to even bigger wins. Why not consider engaging all possible stakeholders to help maximise results?
- Want to build stickiness with your customers? Invite them to join you to ideate and test ideas together for all-around wins.
- Want to showcase your organisation’s leadership and create a powerful network? Create an industry platform for action.
- Want to build sustainable solutions using the strengths of diverse organisations and thought leaders? Convene leaders and partnerships across various sectors.
- Want radical and possibly exponential impact? Think differently and find uncommon partners.
Supercharge your shared value impact
Leveraging business strengths to answer the needs of society in a profitable way is a powerful proposition.
Your people are your sparks, and collaboration inside and outside of your organisation fuels your initiatives. Supercharge your impact by leading with purpose to light the way. Empower your people and unleash magic. Encourage radical ideas, uncommon partners, experimentation and innovation. Propel your shared value initiatives to the moon through the power of people – everyone, everywhere, inside and outside of your organisation.
About Karen Seymour
Karen Seymour has joined SVIHK as an advisor in March 2020. She is the Chief Purpose Officer at human at work, helping leaders and their teams activate purpose to create high performance organisations, humans who thrive and a better world. She formerly led the Li & Fung Foundation and community engagement at the Fung Group of companies, spearheading the launch of purpose, leading global campaigns and events, and mobilising stakeholders worldwide to be a force for good.
