25 April 2024 – Dr Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi considers key lessons business leaders can draw from social change programmes.

Broadening Perspectives: Insights into Social Justice

We constantly hear of concepts that are central to sustainability agendas:  the triple bottom line, double materiality, environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. Considering the polycrisis we find ourselves in, we must concede that not enough has been done to follow through and turn ideas into results. According to a recent survey by Bain & Company, more than 60% of companies are falling short on their sustainability commitments.[i]

Many of us are demanding change and are impatient to get there. But rather than jumping into action, should we press pause, observe, and reflect?

This blog looks at expanding horizons of social change. We’ll discover what business leaders can learn from social programmes in Africa’s Great Lakes Region. We’ll delve into the realities of social exclusion, systems change, and community empowerment, drawing from my personal experience and the work of others at Chance for Childhood (CfC), an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) that focuses on marginalised children and communities.

We look at the barriers that some children face in accessing basic rights and ask whether the private sector is doing enough to embed social concerns into their business operations.

Putting children with disabilities at the centre

While the United Nations Convention on the “Rights of the Child” is widely ratified[ii] many children are not benefitting fully from their rights. A particular concern is the exclusion experienced by children with disabilities.[iii]

According to a 2021 UNICEF report, the global number of children with disabilities is estimated at 240 million. The disadvantages and discrimination they face are staggering: They are 49% more likely to have never attended school, 51% more likely to feel unhappy and 32% more likely to experience severe corporal punishment.[iv]

Another UNICEF report titled “The Climate-Changed Child” highlights that children are the most forgotten individuals in the climate discussion yet are the most vulnerable to its risks and consequences.[v]

Making social concerns our business

The climate emergency provides ample evidence of the interconnectedness of social and environmental issues on a global scale and has proven how feedback loops can accentuate negative impacts and dramatic consequences for those individuals that are least responsible for climate change.[vi]

Climate change has also become “a matter of justice”[vii] with communities, activists, and vulnerable countries demanding that governments and companies own up to their current and historic responsibilities. 

When it comes to integrating social concerns into the business agenda, companies have been slow to make the incisive changes to deliver results.

According to the Forum for the Future, business can benefit in resiliency, productivity, and growth by integrating economic, social, and environmental agendas.[viii] Perspectives at the top of leading companies are finally changing according to Bain & Company: more than 85% of business leaders recognise the urgency of social issues and 39% see the primary role of their business as “needing to balance needs of all stakeholders”.

Social justice is interpreted differently depending on values, worldviews, and cultural context, as highlighted by Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in the report “Business, Justice and the New Global Economy”. A focus on the key dimensions of justice, as proposed by CISL, can help companies frame the issue and direct their work to reduce social inequity. [ix]

This post highlights justice across generations and equal recognition. Throughout the series we’ll explore all dimensions of justice. They are interconnected and influenced by historic, social, economic and environmental problems. Achieving justice requires collaboration from all stakeholders and without doubt, companies can help advance many aspects by leveraging their expertise, reach and workforce. Understanding this intersectionality can help companies realise the role they can play in addressing these issues.   

Chance for Childhood: changing the experience of children with disabilities

In Eastern and Southern Africa nearly 1 in 10 children (29 million) experience some form of disability, (genetic, from injury, poor nutrition, environmental and psychological stress), but until recently there was a lack of reliable data. [x]

“When it comes to children with disabilities, diagnostics and access to the right data is critical. Children with disabilities aged 5 and below were not included in the 2012 Rwanda government census. CfC was the first organisation to work on a screening tool, validated by government, to make these children visible in our statistics“, says Felicien Turatsinze, Regional Leader East Africa at Chance for Childhood.

Since the 1970s-1980s, the concept of disability has evolved from the purely medical condition to include the social dimension[xi], highlighting society’s mental attitudes and physical barriers as the true impairment.

This shift in mindset broadens the circle of influence and action on disability to include all stakeholders and each and every one of us.

“We have helped shift the understanding about disabilities in many organizations in Rwanda. – Disability is an experience and should not be addressed at the individual level only. It is something we can do something about”, says Felicien Turatsinze.

CfC has been supporting children experiencing disabilities and living in vulnerable situations in Rwanda since 2009, benefitting more than 20,000 children. A holistic approach is delivered through a dedicated local CfC team acting as a bridge between families, communities and government, and fostering insights to overcome stigma and create a wave of change.

From unlearning to relearning

As a sustainability professional, I am eager to contribute to a better future by challenging old thinking and embracing transformative solutions. Transitioning from corporate / sustainability roles to the board of an INGO requires a mental shift—unlearning to relearn. My learning journey made me think of “Theory U” by Prof. Otto Scharmer. It revealed my blind spots and rewarded me with the opportunity to observe the emergence of transformative change within marginalised communities.

We’ll focus more on this in upcoming blogs, where we delve into social inclusion work in rural communities in Rwanda, discuss how to shift decision making and examine local examples of system change.

Conclusions

Despite established sustainability agendas, corporations are falling short of integrating social impacts and social concerns at the heart of business.  It is crucial for businesses to understand their role in driving social justice and deploy their capabilities to deliver better outcomes. Chance for Childhood's work in Rwanda offers valuable learnings for companies and leaders on how to shift perspectives and address social exclusion in a holistic manner within a complex environment.

Things I wish I’d known as a young professional

Don’t settle for superficial success; delve deeper to uncover the hidden consequences of business as they might impact the lives of those most vulnerable. Confront yourself with their realities and take time to pause and reflect. With a fresh understanding, strengthen stewardship that safeguards nature, human and children’s rights, fostering a more diverse and resilient workforce and “a better future for all”.

Learn what businesses can do to place social justice at the heart of business operations in CISL’s 8-week online course Business and Social Justice: A Force for Social Change.