Why I Became an Ambassador for the Jena Declaration

Today marks my first day as an Ambassador of the Jena Declaration — a global call for a new approach to sustainability. At its core is a simple but urgent truth: "If we wait for change from the top-down, it will be too late."

The declaration recognises that meaningful, sustainable change can only happen when each of us, individually and collectively, chooses to live differently. Not someday — but now. Not just in politics or policy — but in our everyday routines, values, and decisions. This shift must occur across all areas of life: in business, government, education, and at home.

That’s why, as the Founder of the Enlightened Enterprise Academy, I was proud to sign the Jena Declaration, to make our academy a partner organisation, and to serve as an Ambassador.

I invite every individual who supports our mission — and every organisation aligned with our purpose — to also sign the declaration. This is more than a symbolic act. It is a commitment to a mindset, a practice, and a shared journey toward deep sustainability.

Let me share the abstract from an upcoming Jena Declaration event.

The line that especially resonates with me is this:

“Sustainability is not an obligation but an opportunity.”

Too often, sustainability is framed as a burden — a matter of cost, compliance, or regulation. But what if we saw it instead as the greatest opportunity of our time?

Every truly enterprising individual and organisation should see sustainability this way: as a chance to create real, lasting value. To enable people to live fulfilling lives in ways that are sustainable — this is the essence of enlightened enterprise.

This approach would make sustainability a joyful and exciting endeavour. it is a source of real and motivating “purpose” that makes enterprise meaningful. And as Viktor Frankl said in Man’s Search for Meaning, ““Man's search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life.” Meaning is what we value most.

At the heart of enlightened enterprise is the belief that our own sense of meaning and related sense value, is enhanced by recognising and respecting the inherent value — the dignity — of others. This is the foundation of what we call the dignity theory of value. When we enhance the dignity of others, we also strengthen our own.

Think about the last time you gave a gift or extended kindness. What impact did it have on your sense of self, your feeling of dignity? That feeling is not just emotional — it's foundational to a thriving, sustainable society.

To summarise: enabling every person to flourish sustainably is both our greatest challenge and our greatest opportunity. The Sustainable Development Goals are not just targets to meet — they are milestones on the longer journey toward human flourishing.

It will be the pioneering leaders of enlightened enterprises — those we aim to serve through the Enlightened Enterprise Academy — who make this vision a reality.

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