What if businesses can accelerate their growth and profits by building a better world?


Miika Into

What if businesses can accelerate their growth and profits by building a better world?

The Industry Leader 3.0 approach – in a nutshell

 people say that a company’s primary purpose should be 

, are nudging companies to act differently. Not following these shifts can result in irrelevance. In 2027, 

 of the companies quoted on the S&P 500 in 2019 will likely have disappeared.

But every issue is a business opportunity in disguise. Companies aligning with global trends are 

 more likely to rise to the economic profit performance top. And, by going sustainable, companies can gain from 

 of annual revenue opportunities. Sustainable companies are generating annual shareholder returns of 

To successfully seize these new markets and higher margins, leaders are helped to shift their thinking through the AHA model.

The model covers 21st century ways of thinking about

 (value proposition, strategy, and business model), and 

 (technology, metrics, and scaled co-creation). What it boils down to is going beyond business-as-usual (

) to deliver net-positive value at scale (

Leaving everyone and everything better off.

The higher shareholder returns are the effect of the net-positive value provided. To do this, expand the scope. Look far beyond existing systems and solutions.

To expand the scope of only reducing risks, costs, and negative impacts, also increase opportunities by providing solutions for net-positive impact. Do that by leveraging the ACT process, which in the first two steps looks at the company capacity, solution potential, and value propositions; all the way from business-as-usual to fundamentally rethinking solutions to core customer needs aligned with the 

In the final step, assess these value propositions, set an ambition, and agree on the strategy for implementation and simple next day actions.

What are you doing to grow 2 times in 5 years?

From 2017 to 2020, Industry Leaders 2.5 generated annual shareholder returns of 

. Industry Leaders 3.0 achieved returns of 

All CEOs agree sustainability is a top priority for business success, but 

 have yet to integrate their tech and sustainability strategies.

 in annual revenue opportunities by aligning with the Global Goals for sustainability.

From a technology aspect, just Artificial Intelligence (AI) is likely to contribute with 

 to the global economy by 2030. The metaverse; 

Venture capital investment in climate tech is growing 

 faster than the average rate of investment across all industries.

Companies aligning with global trends are 

 more likely to speed up their cash flow the most; a top market performer.

These opportunities demonstrate that sustainability coupled with technology is a major opportunity to integrate into a long-term strategy. And, as digitalization forced every company to become digital, now every company is forced to become a sustainability company. To turn these opportunities into tangible business results it is helpful for leaders to better understand where the world is headed.

. Here we will access the things we need locally; energy (rooftop solar), food (3D printers), and mobility (Robotaxis). The American dream is estimated to cost less than 

 a month by 2030, even less by 2035, and will include transport, nutrition, energy, water, education, and living space.

This connects electric vehicles with autonomous technology so we can access cars when needed and pay per mile or subscribe; causing 

 cheaper than buying a new car and avoided emissions of 

The decrease in cost opens the way to free transportation — and trillions of dollars in business opportunities — where the low cost of transport (1–2 cents per mile) is covered by other revenue sources, such as: entertainment, demand management, data monetization.

This combines food-as-software with precision biology, where we will use molecular cookbooks, and where food designers create more nutritious, tastier, and cheaper foods; causing 

The disruption of food is inevitable and constant iterations will rapidly improve products and price, where this speed and scale of disruption in the modern food system will create opportunities in areas such as food distribution, biological technology, and software.

This creates energy systems of solar, wind, and battery (SWB), which by 2030 will offer the cheapest electricity; causing 

.

In 2030, SWB electricity will cost less than 

 per kilowatt-hour, avoiding all greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector.

As the Internet created trillions of dollars of new value by reducing the marginal cost of information to near zero, SWB will similarly reduce the marginal cost of energy to near zero, creating big business opportunities: road electrification, cryptocurrency mining, cloud computing, and more.

You never change things by fighting the old ways of thinking. To change something, create new and more desirable ways of thinking that make the old ways of thinking irrelevant.

AHA — A Handy Aid to accelerate new ways of thinking

The model shows how a company evolves from left to right through its PEAs (Platforms, Enablers, and Accelerators):

: Purpose and Values; Leadership and Culture; and Talent and Organization.

: Value Proposition; Company Strategy; and Business Model.

: Technology; Metrics and Disclosure; and Scaled Co-creation.

Impact builds on innovation, which builds on improvement. No industry leader is completely in one maturity stage. The primary intention of each stage is to offer an indication of each company’s PEAs to better understand their complete picture.

Eating peas strengthens most immune systems. In this case, that of the company and planet. Great cash flow is the result of investing in high-quality PEAs. Let’s dive deeper by looking at them and we will start with the three platforms.

Purpose and values 3.0: What legacy will you leave?

NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT PURPOSE: As an Industry Leader 3.0 we provide better value for all, recognizing that our positive impacts lead to better cash flow — acknowledged as ‘profit through purpose’.

 companies have embedded purpose into their strategy for sustainability. EQT Partners, for example, describes themselves as a 

purpose-driven global investment organization

 that will align all investment decisions in achieving the Global Goals.

Leadership and culture 3.0: What stories are your actions telling?

: As an Industry Leader 3.0 — instead of adapting to changes around us or even getting stuck in business as usual — we lead the change towards a better world.

 Impacting the world has moved swiftly up the executive agenda in recent years. 

 of CEOs agree that sustainability is vital to the future success of their company.

Talent and organization 3.0: What about your company makes employees proud?

NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT TALENT: As an Industry Leader 3.0 we enable an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workforce that exponentially benefits others and helps the world flourish.

 higher levels of workforce retention than their peers. Keep the employees happy and fully engaged.

With a solid platform in place, let’s have a look at the three enablers.

Enablers: How net-positive is your impact?

Value proposition 3.0: What about your offered value makes the world better?

NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT VALUE PROPOSITION:As an Industry Leader 3.0 we provide the world with products and services that simply are better — simpler, cheaper, and more attractive — while net-positive.

 of customers are changing their purchase preferences due to sustainability reasons. For this reason, what about leveraging sustainability as a driver for profit – and profit as a tool for sustainability?

Sustainability has traditionally been about, at most, reaching net-zero by reducing all the negative impacts of everyday operations. The holistic 

. However, this is today too narrow of a vision. Go one step further by increasing the positive impacts. The holistic 

 you have a value proposition that gives back more to the world than it takes out from it – and still is the more profitable one.

This is the big shift. Here is where the Industry Leader 3.0 excels.

, for example, are working to minimize their 

negative footprint, move beyond zero, and leave an entirely positive impact on the world.

The focus shifts from company-first (inside-out) to world-first (outside-in).

PUT A DENT IN THE UNIVERSE BY A NET-POSITIVE VALUE PROPOSITION

 of customers want companies to help them live sustainably and adopt a net-positive identity.

But Industry Leaders 3.0 are not engaging customers on net-positive explicitly but instead play up the benefits of a better product. They nudge customers to make net-positive choices; because they want it and as it is better for them – and the world.

Strategy 3.0: What if you give more to get more?

NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT STRATEGY: As an Industry Leader 3.0 we let the Global Goals and net-positive impact guide our global, long-term, and solution-driven strategy.

Strategy 3.0 imprints the Global Goals and net-positive impact at its heart. Here they are integrated in everything the company does and viewed as a strategic advantage rather than a cost. This 

 will shift the strategy in three major ways.

If you haven’t already, go beyond your local backyard. Make the world your garden. National economies are more tightly connected than ever due to globalization. You're part of the global economy. Admit it in your strategy.

Many investors will look for liquidity and short-term gains until companies start proving financial results from their net-positive efforts. But that does not stop you from reimagining what business you are in long-term.

Breakthrough Energy Ventures, for example, has a 

. It is backed by notable partners such as 

Bill Gates, Abigail Johnson, Jack Ma, and Jeff Bezos

 of their portfolio consists of ventures geared toward the Global Goals. So far, they have raised more than 

With longer investment horizons your business opportunities will be put in a broader perspective and make room for the third shift.

SHIFT THREE: HOLISTIC NET-POSITIVE STRATEGY

Rethink Sustainable Business

Miika Into is an Enablement Manager at Accenture and a Trusted CxO Advisor. He enables people to think about sustainability in a better light and helps clients accelerate their profits by building a better world.

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Miika Into

Miika Into

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