Blog: Akordi joins Finnish Business & Society network FIBS
FIBS membership provides tools for regenerative business development and perspectives for systemic change.
Akordi joined Finnish Business & Society FIBS at the turn of the year. For me, membership represents continuity in the field of responsible business, where FIBS is an unrivalled network and source of quality information.
Thinking and acting locally
Akordi is Finland’s leading environmental conflict mediator and industry developer. The starting point for our work is a concrete place, whether it is the Gulf of Bothnia, Sodankylä or the Western Reindeer Herding District. By local community, we mean the residents, businesses, elected officials and authorities of the place in question, as well as local environmental and other organisations.
In FIBS’s strategy, regenerative business and systemic change is one of the four priorities. In Akordi’s approach, I recognise certain features of regenerative business. The importance of place is one such feature, and another is the regenerative use of the social resources of the local community.
The solution that emerges in each place is unique, because the model of cooperation that is created with the local community cannot be replicated anywhere else. Instead, the approach can be applied in very different places.
The loud and the silent ones in environmental conflicts
I am sometimes asked what our role is in green transition projects, for example, where there are public controversies. Environmental conflicts can appear like quick and high flames or over-generational slow-moving wildfires.
Our promise is not a better environment, happier residents or a smoother environmental permit process. Instead, we promise to provide a neutral forum, an impartial negotiating table where everyone can come, confident that they will be able to contribute their views to the collective process.
As professionals, we specialise in assisting the parties involved in public planning, policy and decision-making processes, often related to the environment, to reconcile different interests. These decisions often have far-reaching impacts, including on tacit or hard-to-represent groups such as nature and wildlife or future generations.
Reconciling interests in systemic change
For corporate sustainability, reconciling interests often means crossing the divide between environmental, social and economic responsibilities. At its best, it creates new interactions, new phenomena and new understandings.
The holistic approach challenges the conventional idea of responsible business management as a job that progresses linearly towards strictly prioritised targets, with simplified metrics telling management whether the job is successful or not.
You cannot lead systemic change without recognising the complexity of the system and the interdependencies within it. Instead of silver bullets, solutions must be sought at multiple levels and relationships must be actively built over the long term. In my experience, however, the work does not need to be abstract, as the anchor point is concrete places.
Focus on regenerative business
What I expect from FIBS membership is a deep dive into regenerative business and leadership, and to increase my understanding of how to lead systemic change. In our own particular way, certain principles of regenerative are being implemented in our work at Akordi, and we are happy to share this with others. We want to learn more about regenerative business, mirror it in our operations and continue to evolve.
Irina Niinivaara
The author is Chief Operating Officer at Akordi with a background in responsible business development.
Akordi oy is a member of FIBS.
