DECODING SUSTAINABILITY
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Business in the Community’s “Seeing is Believing” is an example of a program that brings home to leaders how businesses can effectively address deep social issues. Senior managers visit community projects and meet people whose lives have been transformed for the better. One experience reported in the organization’s 2007 annual review relates to the testimony of a man called Eddie, who had been a shepherd until the UK’s foot-and-mouth epidemic robbed him of his flock. He then spent four years sleeping rough, latterly in a graveyard, before eventually finding a job as a temp at a law firm through BITC. He is now working full-time and has integrated back into normal life. “If everybody takes and If everybody takes and nobody gives nobody gives back, there’ll be nothing left,” he told back, there’ll be nothing left chief executives at the event. Some were moved to tears. Prince Charles believes that “Seeing is Believing” is one of the most powerful experiences many people have had in their business careers. Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, recommends that business leaders go on Seeing is Believing visits. “It’s by doing that you see the real power of it,” he says. “It’s not just about one individual. It’s about bringing groups together to do community initiatives that will work and have staying power.” John Studzinski, senior managing director at private equity group Blackstone who is also involved with Seeing is Believing, adds that the visits involve a lot of readjustment. “I advise executives that these people are homeless,” he told the Daily Telegraph.21 “They are very suspicious of business people. They will wonder why you are there but they will also regard you with great promise and great hope. A lot of people will tell you about yourself and ask why you are there. What happens then is something magical,” according to Studzinski. “Homeless people tell you their stories and they are so compelling. Where Seeing Is Believing is very precious is in the oneon-one interaction that you get. Something clicks. People have terrible stereotypes. The only way to break the stereotypes is putting humans together. It’s transforming. Executives come away feeling that it is sad and there must be a solution. People start the day