The Ultra Runner Bringing Attention to the Global Water Crisis

Posted on by Real Leaders

A swimming pool prank gone wrong would prove to be an accident that changed Mina Guli’s life. she hurt her back so badly that doctors told me she’d never run again. challenged to create a stunt that would capture the world’s attention around the global water crisis, her global, ultra-running campaign for water was born.

“I knew that this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life. That I was going to dedicate my life to solving our water crisis. At that point I knew that I would do whatever it takes to make that happen. I don’t want this future for the next generation,“ says Mina Guli.

Guli is a global leader, entrepreneur, water advocate, and ultra runner, dedicated to raising awareness around the global water crisis. Though she wasn’t a runner to begin with, after a life-changing accident dictated she might never run again, Mina decided to prove her doctors wrong. She created an opportunity to push herself beyond what she thought possible to highlight a bigger cause — water scarcity. In 2016, to bring attention to the global water crisis, Mina ran 40 marathons across 7 deserts on 7 continents in 7 weeks. Along the way, she interviewed locals and water experts. Her goal was to tell the stories of people affected by the crisis and those working to solve it. Another running awareness project was the #RunningDry movement — 100 marathons in 100 days. And another recently completed run was the 6 River Run, along the banks of 6 of the world’s greatest rivers, across 6 continents, in 6 weeks — inspired by the UN’s 6th Sustainable Development Goal — Clean Water & Sanitation.

“It’s so weird for me to be in this situation where running has become what I do,” she says. “I did it because we needed to have a way to create a hook for people to pay attention to water. I wanted to show that we should go beyond our comfort zones to do things that are meaningful. I wanted to show that every one of us is capable of things that we have never dreamt of. I want to show that you don’t have to be anyone to be someone.” Mina stresses that water is one of the biggest risks facing society today, and that the ramifications of the global water crisis should be a great cause for concern. By 2030 there’s forecast to be a 40% gap between the amount of water we need and the amount of water available. Motivated by the perceived inaction she sees around her, Mina has dedicated her life to this problem. Her non-profit, Thirst, raises awareness of the water crisis among the next generation. 

“I don’t want the next generation to grow up and have their future limited by their ability to access water, they should only be limited by their ability to dream the dreams that they want to dream.”

The Ultra Runner Bringing Attention to the Global Water Crisis

Posted on by Real Leaders

A swimming pool prank gone wrong would prove to be an accident that changed Mina Guli’s life. she hurt her back so badly that doctors told me she’d never run again. challenged to create a stunt that would capture the world’s attention around the global water crisis, her global, ultra-running campaign for water was born.

“I knew that this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life. That I was going to dedicate my life to solving our water crisis. At that point I knew that I would do whatever it takes to make that happen. I don’t want this future for the next generation,“ says Mina Guli.

Guli is a global leader, entrepreneur, water advocate, and ultra runner, dedicated to raising awareness around the global water crisis. Though she wasn’t a runner to begin with, after a life-changing accident dictated she might never run again, Mina decided to prove her doctors wrong. She created an opportunity to push herself beyond what she thought possible to highlight a bigger cause — water scarcity. In 2016, to bring attention to the global water crisis, Mina ran 40 marathons across 7 deserts on 7 continents in 7 weeks. Along the way, she interviewed locals and water experts. Her goal was to tell the stories of people affected by the crisis and those working to solve it. Another running awareness project was the #RunningDry movement — 100 marathons in 100 days. And another recently completed run was the 6 River Run, along the banks of 6 of the world’s greatest rivers, across 6 continents, in 6 weeks — inspired by the UN’s 6th Sustainable Development Goal — Clean Water & Sanitation.

“It’s so weird for me to be in this situation where running has become what I do,” she says. “I did it because we needed to have a way to create a hook for people to pay attention to water. I wanted to show that we should go beyond our comfort zones to do things that are meaningful. I wanted to show that every one of us is capable of things that we have never dreamt of. I want to show that you don’t have to be anyone to be someone.” Mina stresses that water is one of the biggest risks facing society today, and that the ramifications of the global water crisis should be a great cause for concern. By 2030 there’s forecast to be a 40% gap between the amount of water we need and the amount of water available. Motivated by the perceived inaction she sees around her, Mina has dedicated her life to this problem. Her non-profit, Thirst, raises awareness of the water crisis among the next generation. 

“I don’t want the next generation to grow up and have their future limited by their ability to access water, they should only be limited by their ability to dream the dreams that they want to dream.”

How the Pandemic Has Changed Corporate Leadership and How to Re-engage Your Employees

Posted on by Real Leaders

Individuals were forced to abruptly change their lifestyles, quite literally overnight, due to COVID-19. The uncertain future resulted in fear and trepidation, which extended far beyond the household level.

Corporations and organizations have struggled to survive amid pandemic conditions. Corporate leadership teams scrambled to pivot in meaningful ways to remain relevant in the marketplace, strategically source vital goods, and message unprecedented changes to their staff.

Change: The Only Constant

Organizational transformation generally occurs gradually over some time. Restructuring efforts often start with a pilot program, a detailed analysis from a reputable consultant, and a relatively significant amount of research. The sudden onset of a nearly unprecedented global pandemic, by contrast, blindsided everyone.

Corporate leaders faced with unique and ongoing challenges shifted their standard operating procedures. Fluidity and flexibility became the order of the day, and survival often hung in the balance. Strategic planning for long-term growth all but fell by the wayside as emergency procedures were implemented. Leaders were forced to make decisions on the fly.

Engaging Remote Employees

Perhaps the most critical task for business leaders during and beyond the pandemic has been employee engagement. A few short years ago, it would have been inconceivable to manage a predominately remote workforce effectively. However, due to the pandemic, leadership teams learned to implement makeshift accommodations until they could settle in and establish workable solutions for quarantined staff members. New software solutions replaced hardwired IT requirements with web-based applications. Coaching and development took place through virtual meetings and via email.

The general workforce has adapted to remote work, and today much of the recruiting process is carried out online. Leaders learned to recognize that the fears and drawbacks of managing a remote workforce were somewhat unfounded. Some companies were able to downsize or eliminate their physical office space altogether. Offsetting the cost of brick and mortar provided a budget for virtual team-building exercises and employee recognition gifts. Striking the best work-life balance is an ongoing challenge for some, but the flexibility associated with remote work has been a welcome benefit for workers.

Establishing and enforcing a corporate culture from a remote standpoint certainly presents unique challenges, but many business leaders have reported great success. Creative solutions have made virtual staff meetings productive and more enjoyable. The trauma of the pandemic brought employees closer together and more willing to take on new tasks. Managers adapted to new tools and expressed their gratitude to a remote workforce. Once employees found their most effective home workstation setup, individual productivity vastly increased across the board.

Profit and Loss Analysis

Even in the face of uncertainty and frequently changing mandates, leaders are still responsible for the business’s health. Chief Financial Officers reviewed balance sheets and anticipated budgets with a renewed zeal. Difficult decisions were made during uncomfortable, often tense, boardroom sessions. Virtually every industry implemented furloughs, layoffs, and temporary closures. Companies that took the hardest hits were forced to close their doors permanently. Even financially stable companies made drastic changes to secure reserves during the untold months of precarious cash flow.

Financial leaders were not alone in their new critical thinking and creative problem-solving endeavors. Operational Excellence managers radically changed their perspective in the face of the pandemic. Lean manufacturing techniques became both more and less critical during these challenging times. Efficient use of resources was vitally important for two reasons. First, the reduced revenue projects did not eliminate wasted inventory or sloppy production habits. Second, raw materials were becoming scarce. Increased demand and decreased availability resulted in several sharp price increases in a relatively short period.

Purchasing and Logistics

Raw material shortages and production facility closures caused lengthy delays. Customs and shipping regulation changes created significant backups, and finished goods often took months to reach port. Factories, retailers, and end-users were left waiting. Empty-handed and without the reassurance of a positive outlook, leaders employed their creative thinking skills. Some chose to pivot to a new product line completely, while others opted to improvise and fulfill partial orders while waiting for materials to become available. The various problem-solving approaches resulted in several new inventions and product lines inspired by the pandemic. Several companies repurposed their existing facilities and staff to produce, market, or sell personal protective equipment.

Leaders worldwide and across every industry were caught in the complex space of finding ways to keep the doors open when there was seemingly no reason to remain operational at historically low capacity levels. The difficult circumstances created a paradigm shift for the most successful leaders and companies and sparked a renewed passion and pure ingenuity among executive teams. Workers improvised with alternative resources and production techniques. Several new product lines, inventions, and process improvements were developed out of necessity.

Maintaining Customer Confidence

Marketing executives and managers focused on the customer experience also faced new challenges when the pandemic changed the traditional business model. Target audiences no longer had the means, the need, or the motivation to purchase according to their established patterns. Corporate leadership quickly realized the need to reach customers in a brand new way.

Marketers were tasked with upholding consumer confidence and brand recognition during the storm. This required a team to be acutely aware of the marketplace and have a keen sense of how consumers would likely behave or respond to various stimuli. A large majority of the pandemic campaigns focused on community, companionship, and general wellbeing. Consumers appreciated the transparency and level of support they felt coming from corporate entities.

In short, we have entered an entirely different corporate world, one that has required extreme agility on the part of business leaders, as they have been forced to adapt to realities that were largely inconceivable at the beginning of 2020. The pivot is ongoing, and in many cases, not the worst thing. Moreover, there is no turning back now. The business world is forever changed, and leaders must not only continue to adapt but be forward-thinking in anticipation of any disruption that might lie ahead.

How the Pandemic Has Changed Corporate Leadership and How to Re-engage Your Employees

Posted on by Real Leaders

Individuals were forced to abruptly change their lifestyles, quite literally overnight, due to COVID-19. The uncertain future resulted in fear and trepidation, which extended far beyond the household level.

Corporations and organizations have struggled to survive amid pandemic conditions. Corporate leadership teams scrambled to pivot in meaningful ways to remain relevant in the marketplace, strategically source vital goods, and message unprecedented changes to their staff.

Change: The Only Constant

Organizational transformation generally occurs gradually over some time. Restructuring efforts often start with a pilot program, a detailed analysis from a reputable consultant, and a relatively significant amount of research. The sudden onset of a nearly unprecedented global pandemic, by contrast, blindsided everyone.

Corporate leaders faced with unique and ongoing challenges shifted their standard operating procedures. Fluidity and flexibility became the order of the day, and survival often hung in the balance. Strategic planning for long-term growth all but fell by the wayside as emergency procedures were implemented. Leaders were forced to make decisions on the fly.

Engaging Remote Employees

Perhaps the most critical task for business leaders during and beyond the pandemic has been employee engagement. A few short years ago, it would have been inconceivable to manage a predominately remote workforce effectively. However, due to the pandemic, leadership teams learned to implement makeshift accommodations until they could settle in and establish workable solutions for quarantined staff members. New software solutions replaced hardwired IT requirements with web-based applications. Coaching and development took place through virtual meetings and via email.

The general workforce has adapted to remote work, and today much of the recruiting process is carried out online. Leaders learned to recognize that the fears and drawbacks of managing a remote workforce were somewhat unfounded. Some companies were able to downsize or eliminate their physical office space altogether. Offsetting the cost of brick and mortar provided a budget for virtual team-building exercises and employee recognition gifts. Striking the best work-life balance is an ongoing challenge for some, but the flexibility associated with remote work has been a welcome benefit for workers.

Establishing and enforcing a corporate culture from a remote standpoint certainly presents unique challenges, but many business leaders have reported great success. Creative solutions have made virtual staff meetings productive and more enjoyable. The trauma of the pandemic brought employees closer together and more willing to take on new tasks. Managers adapted to new tools and expressed their gratitude to a remote workforce. Once employees found their most effective home workstation setup, individual productivity vastly increased across the board.

Profit and Loss Analysis

Even in the face of uncertainty and frequently changing mandates, leaders are still responsible for the business’s health. Chief Financial Officers reviewed balance sheets and anticipated budgets with a renewed zeal. Difficult decisions were made during uncomfortable, often tense, boardroom sessions. Virtually every industry implemented furloughs, layoffs, and temporary closures. Companies that took the hardest hits were forced to close their doors permanently. Even financially stable companies made drastic changes to secure reserves during the untold months of precarious cash flow.

Financial leaders were not alone in their new critical thinking and creative problem-solving endeavors. Operational Excellence managers radically changed their perspective in the face of the pandemic. Lean manufacturing techniques became both more and less critical during these challenging times. Efficient use of resources was vitally important for two reasons. First, the reduced revenue projects did not eliminate wasted inventory or sloppy production habits. Second, raw materials were becoming scarce. Increased demand and decreased availability resulted in several sharp price increases in a relatively short period.

Purchasing and Logistics

Raw material shortages and production facility closures caused lengthy delays. Customs and shipping regulation changes created significant backups, and finished goods often took months to reach port. Factories, retailers, and end-users were left waiting. Empty-handed and without the reassurance of a positive outlook, leaders employed their creative thinking skills. Some chose to pivot to a new product line completely, while others opted to improvise and fulfill partial orders while waiting for materials to become available. The various problem-solving approaches resulted in several new inventions and product lines inspired by the pandemic. Several companies repurposed their existing facilities and staff to produce, market, or sell personal protective equipment.

Leaders worldwide and across every industry were caught in the complex space of finding ways to keep the doors open when there was seemingly no reason to remain operational at historically low capacity levels. The difficult circumstances created a paradigm shift for the most successful leaders and companies and sparked a renewed passion and pure ingenuity among executive teams. Workers improvised with alternative resources and production techniques. Several new product lines, inventions, and process improvements were developed out of necessity.

Maintaining Customer Confidence

Marketing executives and managers focused on the customer experience also faced new challenges when the pandemic changed the traditional business model. Target audiences no longer had the means, the need, or the motivation to purchase according to their established patterns. Corporate leadership quickly realized the need to reach customers in a brand new way.

Marketers were tasked with upholding consumer confidence and brand recognition during the storm. This required a team to be acutely aware of the marketplace and have a keen sense of how consumers would likely behave or respond to various stimuli. A large majority of the pandemic campaigns focused on community, companionship, and general wellbeing. Consumers appreciated the transparency and level of support they felt coming from corporate entities.

In short, we have entered an entirely different corporate world, one that has required extreme agility on the part of business leaders, as they have been forced to adapt to realities that were largely inconceivable at the beginning of 2020. The pivot is ongoing, and in many cases, not the worst thing. Moreover, there is no turning back now. The business world is forever changed, and leaders must not only continue to adapt but be forward-thinking in anticipation of any disruption that might lie ahead.

What School Leaders Can Teach Business Leaders

Posted on by Real Leaders

While this pandemic has not always brought out the best in many, we have been astounded by the steadfast leadership shown by educational leaders across our state and country.

Whether traditional public, public charter, or private, school leaders have adapted quickly and reinvented instruction with an entrepreneurial and service-minded spirit. While we all have had to pivot professionally, some of us have had the luxury of being able to work from home with ready access to technology, without having to ensure the mental health, nourishment, safety, security and transportation of hundreds of children… in a global pandemic. 

We are business leaders who serve on the board of directors and community advisory council for BES, an organization committed to helping school leaders build, excel and sustain success and student achievement. Our work with them has given us a unique perspective on what it takes to be an effective school leader, and there are so many parallels to the qualities that we value in the world of business.

Commitment to care

A quality teaching mechanism is the driving force that keeps students learning and growing, but kids don’t care how much a teacher knows until kids know how much they care. Similarly, school leaders know that the key to retaining gifted teachers is to ensure they know they are valued and supported. Great leaders ask, “How do I take care of my people and give them the tools to be their best?” At the end of the day, our customers can get a product from another vendor, but what we can offer are employees who care because they know they are cared for.

Equity

The pandemic has impacted all of us differently, based on characteristics like geography, identity, and access to resources. Great school leaders are always thinking about equity, ensuring students, families, and teachers are supported in the way that they need. For example, while a leader may be encouraged by 90% staff retention numbers, they look for trends among the missing 10% and build solutions that are not just equal, but equitable. 

Adaptability

Charles is the board chairman of Vista College Preparatory, a public charter school founded by extraordinary school leaders supported by BES. The school was already doing critically important work with an under-resourced community before COVID happened. We saw what they were able to accomplish in one of the toughest learning environments in history. They turned on a dime, creating a fully virtual program in just eight days to keep the students learning, and creating a virtual summer school program for Vista students and youth throughout their community that may not otherwise have had access. They remained in daily contact with families to address their needs with incredible professionalism. While adaptability and changing quickly to meet demand is a normal part of running a business, that is not how our country’s schools are typically designed. Because Vista College Prep was built to be responsive to its community, their students have persevered in the wake of COVID.

Empowerment

Whether it’s experienced teachers or ones who are new to the field, but extraordinarily passionate, great school leaders hire gifted people and delegate responsibility to them. Not only does this build leadership capacity, but it also sustains that capacity by deepening an organization’s leadership bench. It also keeps the school leader’s head “out of the weeds” and looking ahead to embrace strategy and set direction. Good leaders know when to take charge and when to cheer from the sidelines.

Accountability

When you hire the right people, care for them, and give them what they need to be successful, how do you handle it well if they fall short? Business leaders can really learn from the world of education here. Gifted school leaders are clear about their expectations, set high bars for achievement and hold their team accountable. Teachers know from data gathering and assessment results how their students are performing and where they need support. If we as business leaders can be specific about what constitutes quality work and evaluate our employees before big issues arise, we can give them the chance to change course before a big mistake happens. 

We built businesses because we loved the work and earned the respect of leaders who recognized and nurtured our potential. Volunteering to serve education organizations like BES and schools like Vista College Prep has given us the opportunity to see what top notch leadership looks like in the education world, and we are amazed. 

To school leaders everywhere: we see you, we respect you, we thank you. May you be blessed with the strength you need to make this unprecedented school year meaningful and fulfilling.

What School Leaders Can Teach Business Leaders

Posted on by Real Leaders

While this pandemic has not always brought out the best in many, we have been astounded by the steadfast leadership shown by educational leaders across our state and country.

Whether traditional public, public charter, or private, school leaders have adapted quickly and reinvented instruction with an entrepreneurial and service-minded spirit. While we all have had to pivot professionally, some of us have had the luxury of being able to work from home with ready access to technology, without having to ensure the mental health, nourishment, safety, security and transportation of hundreds of children… in a global pandemic. 

We are business leaders who serve on the board of directors and community advisory council for BES, an organization committed to helping school leaders build, excel and sustain success and student achievement. Our work with them has given us a unique perspective on what it takes to be an effective school leader, and there are so many parallels to the qualities that we value in the world of business.

Commitment to care

A quality teaching mechanism is the driving force that keeps students learning and growing, but kids don’t care how much a teacher knows until kids know how much they care. Similarly, school leaders know that the key to retaining gifted teachers is to ensure they know they are valued and supported. Great leaders ask, “How do I take care of my people and give them the tools to be their best?” At the end of the day, our customers can get a product from another vendor, but what we can offer are employees who care because they know they are cared for.

Equity

The pandemic has impacted all of us differently, based on characteristics like geography, identity, and access to resources. Great school leaders are always thinking about equity, ensuring students, families, and teachers are supported in the way that they need. For example, while a leader may be encouraged by 90% staff retention numbers, they look for trends among the missing 10% and build solutions that are not just equal, but equitable. 

Adaptability

Charles is the board chairman of Vista College Preparatory, a public charter school founded by extraordinary school leaders supported by BES. The school was already doing critically important work with an under-resourced community before COVID happened. We saw what they were able to accomplish in one of the toughest learning environments in history. They turned on a dime, creating a fully virtual program in just eight days to keep the students learning, and creating a virtual summer school program for Vista students and youth throughout their community that may not otherwise have had access. They remained in daily contact with families to address their needs with incredible professionalism. While adaptability and changing quickly to meet demand is a normal part of running a business, that is not how our country’s schools are typically designed. Because Vista College Prep was built to be responsive to its community, their students have persevered in the wake of COVID.

Empowerment

Whether it’s experienced teachers or ones who are new to the field, but extraordinarily passionate, great school leaders hire gifted people and delegate responsibility to them. Not only does this build leadership capacity, but it also sustains that capacity by deepening an organization’s leadership bench. It also keeps the school leader’s head “out of the weeds” and looking ahead to embrace strategy and set direction. Good leaders know when to take charge and when to cheer from the sidelines.

Accountability

When you hire the right people, care for them, and give them what they need to be successful, how do you handle it well if they fall short? Business leaders can really learn from the world of education here. Gifted school leaders are clear about their expectations, set high bars for achievement and hold their team accountable. Teachers know from data gathering and assessment results how their students are performing and where they need support. If we as business leaders can be specific about what constitutes quality work and evaluate our employees before big issues arise, we can give them the chance to change course before a big mistake happens. 

We built businesses because we loved the work and earned the respect of leaders who recognized and nurtured our potential. Volunteering to serve education organizations like BES and schools like Vista College Prep has given us the opportunity to see what top notch leadership looks like in the education world, and we are amazed. 

To school leaders everywhere: we see you, we respect you, we thank you. May you be blessed with the strength you need to make this unprecedented school year meaningful and fulfilling.

How Plants Could Feed 350 Million Additional Hungry People

Posted on by Real Leaders

I’m proud to lead a company that has joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact as a signatory member, dedicated to improving communities by aligning with the targets outlined and categorized by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

One of the ways we can all work towards a more sustainable future is to make a conscious choice to replace some of our meat-based consumption with more products made with plant-based ingredients. This is because meat and dairy products are a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water use, deforestation, and pollution.

Unfortunately, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, global demand for meat is projected to double by 2050. And with the worldwide population expected to cross 9 billion by 2050, demand for daily protein servings is expected to increase by 74%. Think of the impact we can have if just a fraction of those servings came from plant-based sources like soy, quinoa, or pea protein.

Take soy, for example. It contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own, making it one of the only complete plant-based proteins available. Soy is also comparatively efficient to grow, using less water, emitting less carbon, and producing more protein per acre than beef, eggs, or milk. Therefore, replacing even a tiny portion of animal proteins with plant-based proteins grown efficiently can have a long-term positive impact on our environment.

Positive Impacts of Plant Fuel

In addition to the positive environmental impacts, incorporating plant-based ingredients in one’s diet positively impacts the world’s food supply because it makes better use of our land resources. According to a research study published by the National Academy of Sciences, replacing all animal-based items with plant-based diets could add enough food to our supply chain to feed 350 million additional people, which would go a long way in supporting the UN’s Sustainable Goal of zero hunger.

While changing diets and forming new habits is not always easy due to inequities of access. There’s certainly more to uncover around the impacts of plant protein on exercise performance — we do know eating less meat can reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and some cancers. Eating more vegetables also provides a good amount of carbohydrates that the body can burn during exercise — all great reasons to make the change.

Fueling Sustainable Businesses

Having a positive impact on society is more than just making the world a better place; it also makes good business sense. People are increasingly affected by critical societal issues, and investors and other stakeholders are watching closely as consumers demand that companies take a stand. From improving the environment to diversity and inclusion, investors are increasingly considering how companies support communities, society, and the planet, as part of their investment thesis.

In fact, between 2018 and 2020, total U.S.-domiciled sustainably invested assets under management, both institutional and retail, grew 42%, to $17.1 trillion, up from $12 trillion. This growth is driven by multiple factors, including the global spotlight on sustainability and waste reduction and corporate responsibility to lead that change.We must prioritize creating a better world – both now and for future generations.

The United Nations Secretary-General put it best in his 2020 State of the Planet speech. He said, “Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top, top priority for everyone, everywhere.” To read his entire speech, click here. But be warned – it’s not for the faint of heart, but it may just convince all of us to take one small step toward improving our world and creating a more sustainable future.

How Plants Could Feed 350 Million Additional Hungry People

Posted on by Real Leaders

I’m proud to lead a company that has joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact as a signatory member, dedicated to improving communities by aligning with the targets outlined and categorized by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

One of the ways we can all work towards a more sustainable future is to make a conscious choice to replace some of our meat-based consumption with more products made with plant-based ingredients. This is because meat and dairy products are a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water use, deforestation, and pollution.

Unfortunately, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, global demand for meat is projected to double by 2050. And with the worldwide population expected to cross 9 billion by 2050, demand for daily protein servings is expected to increase by 74%. Think of the impact we can have if just a fraction of those servings came from plant-based sources like soy, quinoa, or pea protein.

Take soy, for example. It contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own, making it one of the only complete plant-based proteins available. Soy is also comparatively efficient to grow, using less water, emitting less carbon, and producing more protein per acre than beef, eggs, or milk. Therefore, replacing even a tiny portion of animal proteins with plant-based proteins grown efficiently can have a long-term positive impact on our environment.

Positive Impacts of Plant Fuel

In addition to the positive environmental impacts, incorporating plant-based ingredients in one’s diet positively impacts the world’s food supply because it makes better use of our land resources. According to a research study published by the National Academy of Sciences, replacing all animal-based items with plant-based diets could add enough food to our supply chain to feed 350 million additional people, which would go a long way in supporting the UN’s Sustainable Goal of zero hunger.

While changing diets and forming new habits is not always easy due to inequities of access. There’s certainly more to uncover around the impacts of plant protein on exercise performance — we do know eating less meat can reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and some cancers. Eating more vegetables also provides a good amount of carbohydrates that the body can burn during exercise — all great reasons to make the change.

Fueling Sustainable Businesses

Having a positive impact on society is more than just making the world a better place; it also makes good business sense. People are increasingly affected by critical societal issues, and investors and other stakeholders are watching closely as consumers demand that companies take a stand. From improving the environment to diversity and inclusion, investors are increasingly considering how companies support communities, society, and the planet, as part of their investment thesis.

In fact, between 2018 and 2020, total U.S.-domiciled sustainably invested assets under management, both institutional and retail, grew 42%, to $17.1 trillion, up from $12 trillion. This growth is driven by multiple factors, including the global spotlight on sustainability and waste reduction and corporate responsibility to lead that change.We must prioritize creating a better world – both now and for future generations.

The United Nations Secretary-General put it best in his 2020 State of the Planet speech. He said, “Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top, top priority for everyone, everywhere.” To read his entire speech, click here. But be warned – it’s not for the faint of heart, but it may just convince all of us to take one small step toward improving our world and creating a more sustainable future.

Want to Attract and Retain Better Talent? Follow This Framework

Posted on by Real Leaders

Everybody wants to be “the best,” but few can actually define what that looks like in practice. Instead, companies should dig deeper to tell an employer brand story that people can’t wait to be a part of.

The world of employer branding is still relatively new, but it’s already inundated with superlatives like “best” and “leading.” Companies use these descriptors to grab people’s attention and establish quick connections. The only problem? They rarely hold up.

Over the years, I’ve helped numerous organizations untangle fuzzy, ineffective employer brand stories. More often than not, I find during this process that employers have given little to no thought to what they’re trying to achieve by setting out to be “the best.” What constitutes “the best” anyway? The quickest recruiting? The highest-caliber talent? How do you measure that? Even simple questions such as these show how little weight the messaging holds.

When companies take an undefined, unintentional approach to their strategic recruitment process, they suffer. They can’t attract, recruit, and engage prospective employees even half as well as they should (or could with a strong employer brand). Those that hope to attract the right employees and keep them around need to dig deeper to find a better, truer North Star.

The Makings of a Strong Employer Brand

A strong employer brand that truly resonates with people is backed by a point of view, a purpose, and a clear direction. When you’re thinking about how you can inject your own employer brand story with the specificity that attracts the right employees, use a multipronged approach comprised of three key elements: reputation, employee value proposition (EVP), and experience. These make up the anatomy of a strong employer brand, and much like the human body, they work best in unison.

Let’s break each one down.

1. Reputation

What do you want to be known for in the marketplace? When it comes to defining and fostering your employer reputation, think in terms of the three C’s:

Career catalyst: Employees of “career catalyst” organizations are growth-minded. They want an employer who will help them develop and accelerate their careers.

Culture: Employees of culture-oriented workplaces see the brand as an extension of themselves. They take pride in telling people they work for the company.

Citizenship: Employees of organizations that prioritize good citizenship are tuned in to the broader impact of their work. They strive to do well by doing good.

Identifying your desired reputation isn’t an aimless game of pin the tail on the donkey. Look at your business’s flow of talent. Who has left your company recently? Why did they choose to go? And where did they decide to work instead? Then, conduct a skills gap analysis to determine your team’s current strengths and weaknesses and develop employee personas to center your strategic recruitment process around.

Next, examine key employee engagement drivers. Audit employees’ motivations, priorities, and preferences and see where the chips fall. Then, it’s about actually personifying your identified reputation. For example, if you aim to be a career catalyst, provide ample learning and development opportunities and chart clear paths to career progression.

2. Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

Once you understand the kind of reputation you’re striving for, design an EVP that fulfills it. I like to think about the EVP as the “give and get” of working for your company: Employees give you their time and talents, and in exchange, you provide value in the form of salary, benefits, purpose, growth opportunities, etc.

Your EVP and reputation should always be aligned from a strategic business perspective. For instance, if you want to build a reputation for good citizenship, you might offer volunteer opportunities, provide chances for community engagement, and follow sustainable business practices. These kinds of citizenship-focused offerings are things that specific candidates, especially Millennials, can and will rally around.

It’s tempting to paint a rosy portrait of your EVP when you’re in the process of attracting and retaining talent. However, to ensure a fair exchange, you need to be realistic about the challenging aspects of the job, too. Of course, some people will self-select out when they realize the mountain is too high to climb, but that’s OK. Done right, the bar will be set suitably high to keep out those who haven’t got what it takes to thrive in the environment that you need to succeed as a business.

3. Experience

The final layer of this framework is talent experience. You’ll often see organizations concentrate on the candidate experience because they over-index on attracting the right employees. However, while reputation is built in talent attraction, it’s solidified in the employee experience and amplified with the alumni experience. After all, no amount of money can buy you better PR than a past employee extolling the virtues of your workplace.

The specific reputation you’ve defined and the EVP you’ve outlined should determine where you invest in your talent experience — and it’s not always in the candidate realm. For example, McKinsey & Co. has a reputation as a career catalyst. Many of its employees go on to work for companies like Google and Amazon. As a result, McKinsey attracts lots of young people who crave experience.

Knowing this, McKinsey wouldn’t be wise to throw all its resources into candidate experience because its reputation and EVP go way beyond the hiring process. In fact, an arduous candidate experience might even validate just how special it is to work for the company. However, if you’re like most companies, you have a finite budget, so make sure you’re investing in the right category of experience.

Everybody wants to be “the best,” but few among us can actually define what that looks like in practice. So instead of grasping onto vanilla superlatives, dig deeper to tell an employer brand story that people can’t wait to be a part of — and one that serves you well.

3D Printed Casts for Broken Limbs

Posted on by Real Leaders

Brazilian healthtech startup Fix has developed a new cast for fixing broken limbs that is 3D-printed and biodegradable.

Made from environmentally friendly bioplastic — beetroot, sugarcane, and corn pulp — the web-like design lets the skin breathe, meaning less sweating and itching from traditional plaster casts, and it can also get wet without damage.

Once you’re healed and ready to dispose of it, the cast will biodegrade in 9 months and can be used as compost or fertilizer. Plaster casts are made from petroleum products and are tough to dispose of without creating environmental harm. Fix makes 30 different styles for fingers, wrists, and shoulders and has eliminated the need for 2.5 tons of plaster serving more than 4,000 patients.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, hospitals produce 4.4% of global greenhouse emissions. With many seeking to improve their medical waste recycling, this sector is primed for innovation.

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