Dear Friends,
It’s no secret that launching any initiative, as a small business, is risky, let alone one designed to instigate climate action at scale. Creating Hurd was a big leap towards an even bigger systemic issue. But the more I speak to fellow business leaders about it, the more I see the overlap between what Hurd is doing, and what everyone else is talking about.
Take transparency, for example. Leaders have an almost constant transparency issue, which they cannot seem to resolve through their standard communications and marketing channels. They are facing tremendous loss of trust from consumers and stakeholders who do not believe their companies are currently capable of full disclosure of climate progress.
Meanwhile, leaders themselves are fearful of total transparency because of the likelihood of immediate backlash (‘Not doing enough,’ ‘not moving fast enough,’ ‘fixing damage with more damage’; ‘just more greenwashing,’ etc). It’s undeniably a punitive, hostile time to be transforming businesses and industries.
But Hurd is an obvious solution – and entry point – into that problem. By giving employees the option to voice their opinion about their company’s progress, and to educate themselves as climate actors within their roles and industries, leaders would be facilitating the degree of agency, upskilling and confidence that is necessary in any credible green transition.
By allowing employees to hold the reigns - to assess their own positions within the climate action landscape - companies would unlock new solutions, and momentum, at an unprecedented scale.
So it struck me that, rather than sending you all updates and summaries, I would send you regular notes on the synergies between Hurd solutions and broader private sector conversations, so you can really get a sense of the platform as a living, breathing ecosystem for green transformation.
There is so much wider systemic change that can happen through Hurd. So much potential and untapped value in unlocking employee voices. I’ve always believed it.
I hope you will take this message out into the world with you and spread the word to the leaders you know who are seeking game-changing solutions to their climate headaches!
We are also welcoming, with open arms, the development of co-branded learning content and collaboration. We want to expand Hurd’s horizon. So please do reach out with ideas!
In the meantime, look out for our next newsletter on how Hurd can help companies with ESG.
My best wishes,
Sophie
