By Eliane Leite (Vice-president of Affero) & Maria Isabel Barreto (Professor at PUC-Rio)

In time of Rio + 20, ecology and sustainability themes instigate more strongly our inquiries. Inevitably, questions arise: what are the expected changes? What we would like to see happen from the event? What should change in relation to the different actors of society? Which duties will be assumed by business segment? During the Rio 92, the participation of the companies was quite shy. Ecology and sustainability were basically governmental issues. At that time, the environmental dimension was the main concern.

The French sociologist and philosopher Félix Guattari called, already in the 1970, that ecology should begin with the individual, passing by personal and social relationships, to get to the environment. That is, a movement from the inside out, requiring a change of mentality. Therefore, he proposed the concept of “Ecosophy”, which goes beyond the rational concept of ecology. The Ecosophy is philosophical question, of wisdom.

Companies genuinely geared to sustainability related issues look for, through educational processes, human enhancement, in order to make the subject of the action more prepared for new mentality. Business committed leaders include on the agenda issues related to human development. In this context, the corporate education and the communication are the means for the improvement of the individual and of society as a whole.

In general, there is strong convergence on the need for individual and social improvement. But improvement of what? What are the human skills needed for issues related to sustainability? What should be the profile of the people guided by principles, timeless values and long-term vision? How to form citizens genuinely engaged with what is understood as sustainability? The term sustainability was founded in 1987 and established that sustainable development is that “satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. We must, therefore, consider it as a new vision that includes environmental, socio-political and economic sustainability, through dynamic exchanges between Government, business and civil society.

For that the society put these definitions in place, it is necessary to create wealth, forming solid capital. However, sustainability requires more than the development of the material, social and intellectual capital. We need to evolve to the formation of moral and spiritual capital of a society. Inspired by Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall, we understand spiritual capital as the wealth we extract from our values and principles. It is what is necessary in organizations, communities, and cultures of global society. It is our moral intelligence, that knows the difference between right and wrong and with which we exercise kindness, truth and compassion.

In this way, we can consider that the 12 principles of transformation proposed by Zohar would be the basis for the formulation of fundamental human skills for sustainability. They are: self-perception; spontaneity; be driven by vision and values; ability to view inside templates; compassion; celebration of diversity; independence; tendency to do fundamental questions about why; ability to restructure; positive use of adversity; humility; and sense of vocation.

We hope that the Rio+20 is real opportunity for business leaders can take a deep commitment with the construction of other capitals that not only the material. May we overcome the social and intellectual capital and new organizational practices, guided by the formation of moral and spiritual capital, may support the areas of corporate education of companies, expanding the development of human skills to new dimensions that focus on fundamental values and deep sense of purpose, which seeks to act for the common good.