In the Caribbean and worldwide, organisations striving to be sustainable must restructure their approach to production and profit. The call for sustainable development in the face of escalating challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and economic volatility, grows more strident.
Within this context, the role of business in determining and driving sustainable growth is pivotal. Well-being, environmental health and ethical methods are at the heart of the introduction of a new standard for organisations aiming to align their operations with the goals of sustainability and societal well-being. PAS 808:2022 has the potential to help organisations rethink their purpose and core mission; and thereby re-focus and transform their operations.
Understanding PAS 808:2022
Published by the British Standards Institution (BSI), PAS 808:2022 Purpose-driven organisations – Worldviews, principles and behaviours for delivering sustainability – Guidere presents a significant advancement in the conceptualisation and operationalisation of purpose within organisations.
This Publicly Available Specification (PAS) provides a comprehensive framework for organisations aiming to align their operations with the broader objectives of sustainability and societal well-being. Since July 12, 2022, PAS 808:2022 is freely available, marking a pivotal step towards democratising access to best practices in organizational purpose and sustainability.
Genesis and development
The development of PAS 808:2022 was spearheaded by a group of experts convened by BSI. This group included representatives from diverse sectors such as the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership, Business in the Community, the Chartered Management Institute, and major corporations like Anglian Water and the John Lewis Partnership. The collaborative nature of this development process ensured that the standard reflects a wide range of perspectives and expertise, making it relevant across different industries and organisation sizes.
Core components
PAS 808:2022 is structured around three groups of principles: Wellbeing Ends, Healthy Means, and Wise and Ethical Methods. These groups of principles encapsulate the essential elements that purpose-driven organisations (PDOs) should focus on to align their operations with long-term sustainability goals.
Wellbeing Ends: This principle emphasises the importance of organisations aiming to make a significant and positive impact on the well-being of people and the planet. It challenges organisations to rethink their core purposes and innovate towards outcomes that enhance societal and environmental health. For example, a company might develop renewable energy solutions that contribute to reducing carbon emissions, a critical aspect of environmental wellbeing. Another example could be a company creating educational programmes that enhance the knowledge and skills of communities, thereby contributing to social wellbeing.
These ends are achieved through activities that are intentionally designed to have a pos
