An Intrapraneur’s Role in Sustainability
Let me get one thing straight: I don’t consider myself an activist. I tend to be soft-spoken, I dislike crowds, and I’m a classic conflict-avoider. Yet, I’m passionate about the state of the Earth and the future of the human species on this planet.
Happily, I’ve been working for EILEEN FISHER (EF), one of the most pioneering clothing designers in the world and one where disruption is second nature. It’s at EF where I have become an accidental activist.
Some people assume EILEEN FISHER has had environmental sustainability and human rights in its DNA since the start. I describe it more as a journey, with many fits and starts along the way. Committed to natural fibers? Yes. Known for timeless design? Yes. A champion of women’s and girls’ leadership? Hell, yeah. But those attributes alone were not enough to earn our place as a leader in sustainable fashion. I know, because I’ve been involved all along, supporting my colleagues while nudging the boulder up the vertical face of the mountain.
As an intrapraneur, I don’t set business strategy, but I can - and do - have deep and lasting impact on our sustainability agenda. I don’t design the clothes, source the fabrics or place orders with the factories. Rather, my role is one of influencer, guide and adviser to a thousand aspiring activist colleagues. (Who would deny the chance to leave this world a better place than when they arrived?) I don’t tell them what to do, but rather invite them into the work so that they wholly own it from their own vantage points within the company. Here’s how:
1. Act out of humility. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s what I refer to as, “The Sustainability Snob.” You know the type. She knows more about climate change than Bill McKibben and scoffs at people who carry plastic shopping bags. I try really hard not to be that person by exposing my vulnerabilities, my imperfections, my willingness to be corrected. People welcome me to their conversations because they don’t view me as a threat. And I try to meet people where they are, rather than where I think they should be. Baby steps in the right direction are better than no steps at all.
2. Find allies. Real change is all about shifting perceptions, one by one. The more people you have on your side, the faster you’ll get to the finish line. When I first started building our human rights program, I needed to make a case for investment in a supplier training program. Luckily, a senior leader agreed, and together we won over other leaders so that the real work could begin. The most effective allies exist across disciplines: Manufacturing with SC, Design with Circular, and so on. And this leads me to point 3.
3. Think in terms of systems. For years, our Social Consciousness (SC) work (environmental sustainability, human rights, women & girls) was largely contained within the SC team. We owned the intellectual property and strong-armed our way into meetings with a “holier than thou” attitude. That approach only got us so far. The real game-changer was when we assembled thought leaders from across the full life cycle of our product (design, merchandising, product development, and manufacturing teams - together with SC and Eileen) to co-create a vision and steps to get there. Thinking with the system allows each person see their unique role in solving a shared problem.
I may not be an activist in the true sense of the word. But I have had widespread influence across the company and within the industry. My colleagues and brand partners have made the change happen. I’ve just played a supporting role along the way.