In any operational context, actively involving people is essential for achieving lasting and meaningful results.
Even today, many companies limit themselves to simply conveying information from the top down or gathering opinions without genuinely integrating feedback into their strategy. However, the key to real and sustainable success lies in co-creation, where all organizational levels and external stakeholders actively participate in change that directly engages them.
Sustainability is a shared and collective goal, and to benefit from engagement that goes beyond passive listening—generating shared, enduring impact—it should be treated as such.
Two Approaches to Sustainability: Top-Down and Bottom-Up
There are two main engagement models in business processes:
Top-Down: Strategic decisions are defined by upper management and then communicated downward.
Bottom-Up: Decisions emerge from the ground up, through the experiences and active involvement of employees and direct stakeholders.
A strictly top-down approach may lead to low participation and limited buy-in, resulting in increased costs, risks, and reputational damage, as decisions may feel imposed and disconnected from the workforce’s needs. In contrast, the bottom-up model fosters a greater sense of ownership and responsibility among employees, strengthening motivation and commitment to the company’s sustainability goals.
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Integrating Models for a Strong Culture of Sustainability
While the top-down approach provides a clear and direct strategic vision, the bottom-up model enables more authentic and meaningful participation. This integration helps build a strong corporate culture where strategic decisions are enriched by the contributions of those who live and work in the organization’s daily environments. Such synergy not only makes sustainability initiatives more effective but also fosters greater acceptance and long-term commitment from all stakeholders, allowing the company to gain direct economic and reputational benefits.
The Benefits of the Bottom-Up Model
The bottom-up model provides crucial advantages for sustainability:
Flexibility and Adaptation: Organizations that encourage active participation can respond quickly to change. Continuous feedback allows for the optimization of strategies, ensuring they address people’s needs in real-time.
Empowerment and End-User Perspective: A bottom-up model strengthens employee responsibility, making them champions of change, while aligning business decisions with the real needs of customers and all directly or indirectly involved parties.
Engagement of Local Communities: Directly involving local communities helps create contextualized and relevant solutions, making business strategies more applicable and effective.
Engagement Strategies for Co-Creation
To move from simple listening to true co-creation, companies can adopt various practical strategies:
Co-Creation Pathways: Organize regular meetings to allow internal and external stakeholders to collaborate, identify challenges, and design innovative solutions rooted in a deeper understanding of the company’s cultural context.
Idea Mapping and Prioritization: Define specific objectives and criteria to identify which proposals are priorities for both the people and the company, aligning with the business model.
Collaborative Pilot Projects: Develop pilot projects with the people involved and key stakeholders to test which solutions are most effective, enabling agile, low-cost trials before broader implementation.
Case Study: Google and the Value of Engagement
Google’s bottom-up approach demonstrates the benefits of this model for innovation and sustainability. Through its “20% Time” initiative, Google allows employees to dedicate 20% of their work time to projects of personal interest, regardless of the company’s immediate needs.
This approach, which enhances productivity and innovation, has led to the development of some of the company’s most famous and strategic products, like Gmail, Google News, and AdSense.
The “20% Time” not only fosters individual creativity but also supports a participative corporate culture. By working on ideas they believe in, employees feel valued and empowered, positively affecting their motivation and commitment to the company’s success and sustainability.
Create Shared Value through Co-Creation
Building an effective sustainability-oriented culture means going beyond mere information-sharing: it requires activating collaborative processes that directly involve people and stakeholders (customers, suppliers, shareholders—anyone who impacts the business model). True value arises from the ability to listen, learn, and adapt continuously, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute.
This holistic approach not only promotes positive change but also builds a more sustainable, inclusive future that delivers concrete benefits for both the company and society, uniting social, economic, and organizational interests.
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