The “sustainability challenge” is fundamentally one of change. It implies an acceptance of the idea that our current modes of living and doing business are not achieving the outcomes we desire and are, in fact, resulting in multiple, accelerating, negatives. Fundamental change is required. Dr Eli Goldratt, the father of the Theory of Constraints, famously […]
February is our financial year-end, and much of our time in the past weeks has been focused on wrapping up projects and planning for the new year. While we are in the business of sustainability, we are still in the business of being a business! And being a viable business almost unavoidably brings up questions […]
At Blue North, we make extensive use of the distinction between “Strong” and “Weak” sustainability in our consulting work, and we have embedded the former within our online tools, particularly the SHERPA cloud-based sustainability management system. Where does this distinction – “Strong” versus “Weak” – emanate from and why is it important? As far as […]
I’ve had the immense privilege of working with the University of Cambridge over the last ten or so years as a contributor to the sustainability programmes they run through their Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). For many years this was limited to their programmes in South Africa, but in 2022 I was asked to co-convene […]
David Farrell, founding partner of Blue North Sustainability and co-lead of CISL’s Sustainability Practitioner Programme in South Africa, discusses food, global sustainability and how we approach the challenges of feeding the world:
The South African exports of fruit, wine and other agricultural commodities to the EU are a significant contributor to the economy, both in relation to GDP produced and employment provided, and the trade relationships between South Africa and the European Union as a regional bloc are both longstanding and extensive. South Africa now faces uncertainty due to the recent exit […]
The biggest change in moving from conventional agriculture to regenerative agriculture is a shift in the understanding the farmer’s role in relation to nature. Regenerative agriculture seeks to work with nature, for example, in terms of supply of nutrients and suppression of pests and diseases. Regenerative agriculture involves the farmer taking their hands off the […]
A new investing attitude has started to pick up momentum in recent years. No longer are individuals seeking purely financial returns on their investments; environmental and social impacts are playing an increasing role in influencing where investors place their money. This type of investing – which takes into account non-financial factors – was coined “impact […]
Where does our fish come from? Why does it matter? How does this knowledge translate to action? The vast majority of consumers are out of touch with the origin of the fish they eat, how it was caught and whether it is endangered or not. There are many people who depend on a healthy fishing […]
We are proud to announce that we are launching our FruitLook Youtube channel where we will regularly post a series of short videos to help you use the program easier and more effectively. Make sure you like and subscribe to be notified when our videos get posted. Click below for the first video of the […]
