What advice would you give leaders trying to advance environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs?

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Using Intuit as an example, we've declared several big bets from a corporate standpoint for the next five years. We’ve put it out there in our statements that these are the things we're going to do, and some of the acquisitions we've done focus on that big bet. My challenge to most companies is the same one I've stated at Intuit: declare DEI and sustainability as a big bet. That underscores the reality that getting there is going to take some time. It's not something that you'll do overnight. It has to be done strategically because the level of change required to be more inclusive is substantial. It will require small iterative steps, but if we get lost in those steps without some strategic goal or vision, we'll never get there.

On a personal level, my dad marched with Joe Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge many years ago; the fact I'm having similar concerns today, which he marched to get rid of back then, concerns me. If more companies declare strategically that this is not something that we're going to accept from a DEI standpoint, and that we will be more sustainable and roadmap towards those things, then the small steps will matter. Otherwise we'll just get lots of motion, which means we're moving but not making progress; we need movement that takes us in the right direction.

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I look at ESG as a problem and an opportunity. The problem is that, like customer service, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an objective that's great to crow about over coffee, but living it is a very different activity. It's almost like a car that has bad alignment: you can straighten the steering wheel all you want, but the minute you let go of it, it starts turning in whichever direction the alignment tells it to.

Making a real effort takes real work. You can't just talk about it, or write it down, or do it for only three months. I was lucky enough to work for a gentleman at HP, back in '92, who would tell those of us that went to college campuses, “I need you to come back here with diverse and female candidates.” It was that straightforward and it wasn’t about numbers. He’d say, “I don't care if you see 10 to 1. I need you to do this.” Without that kind of effort, I don't see us ever making the necessary changes; that car is just going to end up turning according to the way the balance is set.

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Set achievable and relevant goals. Partner with suppliers and vendors who have common goals.

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Whilst it may seem difficult in the beginning to compliment ROI and Shareholder value with ESG requirements, we need to expand our view and sight to overall Stakeholder value.... and most importantly, where there is a Will, there will always be a Way.

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When I was at NatGeo, we implemented an ESG Program. It has to come from the very top (CEO/Board level) of the organization. It has to be implemented in the organizations long term strategy and embraced at every level of the organization, it must become part of the corporate culture and the entire organization has to be committed to achieve the goals set forth.

What advice would you give leaders trying to advance environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs?

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