Principle 11, derived from permaculture, to guide your mission of transformation
" Zero Waste ”
💡 A Simple Explanation of the Principles of Permaculture
Nature teaches us that “what some beings discard serves as food for others. (...) The earthworm is a symbol of this principle, because it feeds on plant debris (i.e., waste), which it converts into humus. This humus improves soil structure, and the earthworm, along with soil microorganisms and plants, benefits from this improvement.”
Marine Simon, *Everything Goes in Circles on This Earth; We're the Only Ones Who Don't Know It*, p. 182.
Permaculture, an agricultural method that seeks to integrate human activity into the natural environment in order to create highly efficient, self-sustaining ecosystems, embraces the principle of zero waste. The use of animal manure to fertilize the soil is one example of this.
But it goes beyond permaculture. In our society, we have also established the 5 Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle) to move toward the goal of zero waste.
🔍 Applying the Principle in a Transformation Initiative
This principle of permaculture is also highlighted by Antoine Lavoisier’s famous quote: “Nothing is lost, nothing is created; everything is transformed.” This mantra can be very useful for change agents. Applying it saves time while maximizing one’s positive impact.
Let me give you an example of how Antoine Lavoisier's wisdom can be applied.
When I took over as head of sustainable development at Veolia Asia—the leader in environmental services—in 2012, I discovered a very practical handbook put together by two remarkable women who had previously led that department.
This tool, designed for frontline staff, demystified the concept of sustainability by proposing very concrete actions to help the organization achieve well-rounded performance.
Among other things, he explained how to calculate a carbon footprint, how to protect native species, how to reuse wastewater, how to promote diversity within a team, and how to establish partnerships with schools. Essentially, he shared key strategies that enable operators to have a positive impact on their company, their customers, and the local community.
Over time, the teams adopted many principles, and some information became outdated. New needs arose, and operators and managers requested new formats.
Our team wanted to honor the expertise embodied in this valuable resource while adapting to new expectations.
Recognizing the need to find new ways to enhance our company’s positive impact on the environment, society, employees, and customers, we created a collective intelligence workshop bringing together representatives from operations, sales, marketing, human resources, procurement, and health and safety. We also explored their constraints and expectations regarding support, tone, bandwidth, and so on.
Based on these discussions, we launched three tools for our employees in Asia:
A podcast that highlights people in their roles, their ambitions, their challenges, their successes, and real-life examples, inspiring other employees to become agents of change.
A fun online course consisting of very short, practical videos and quizzes designed to familiarize all employees—especially those in the field—with new sustainability issues that may seem too abstract.
A toolkit that explains the company’s internal expertise and its benefits. The goal was to provide sales representatives with talking points, but also to guide employees so they could replicate and adapt these initiatives to their own context.
Here’s how one tool gave rise to three tools, and how the connection with the field was strengthened through a collaborative effort
🐝 Tips for Getting Active
Project managers working in the field of sustainable development put a lot of effort and hard work into their jobs.
Sometimes, their professionalism and the quality of their work do not seem to generate the response they expect and deserve.
If that sounds like you, here are a few ideas to breathe new life into your work:
You can review all the material you've created over the past 3 to 5 years: Are there any gems of wisdom to share? How could you quickly and easily give these initiatives a new lease on life?
Identify successful partnerships that have had an impact over the past 3 to 5 years: How can we measure positive impacts to develop case studies and sales references? How can we identify simple methods to inspire others?
Listen to your ecosystem: What are the challenges it faces in terms of sustainable development? What do they need? In what form? How can you repurpose and enhance certain existing resources to support them?
“ Producing no waste encourages us to become more aware of the responsibility for our actions and the traces (dirt?) they leave behind .”
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As a reminder, I’d like to highlight the parallels between the 12 operational principles of permaculture and sustainable transformations in organizational systems. If you’re a professional committed to promoting a better society, these principles and insights should help you maximize your impact and inner peace. Here is the first, the second , the 3rd and 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th article.
Hello to you, agents of change!
I'm Nina Cambadélis, an impact coach and expert in leadership and sustainable transformation.
For more than 10 years, I was in charge of transformation and multifaceted performance initiatives at a multicultural CAC 40 company. What I love to do is help organizations and professionals rethink their business and make them proud to contribute, in their own way, to a world that is more sustainable, more humane, and more respectful of nature.
If you'd like some guidance along the way, contact me!
