DKV Mobility ESG Interview with Rene Schmidpeter
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful interview, Professor Rani Smith discusses the importance of sustainability and the need for a transformational mindset rather than mere optimization. Smith emphasizes the co-evolution of economic success, social responsibility, and environmental friendliness, advocating for a systemic approach to sustainability. The conversation highlights the role of digitalization as a tool for creating sustainable business models and the necessity for industries, particularly mobility and transport, to innovate and adapt. Smith also stresses the importance of integrating sustainability into all aspects of business strategy, moving away from the notion of sustainability as a separate entity and towards a collective effort that enhances both profitability and positive impact.
Takeaways
- 🌿 Professor Rani Smith is an international expert on sustainability and prefers both city and countryside for their unique benefits.
- 🔄 Smith is an optimist regarding sustainability and believes in the necessity of a positive mindset to lead and enact change.
- 🕴️ Smith identifies as both a strategic planner and a doer, often working beyond regular hours due to the passion for both aspects.
- 🏢 Germany has been struggling to meet its climate targets, which Smith attributes to a prevailing mindset that sees a trade-off between sustainability and profitability.
- 🚗 The mobility and transport sector is particularly lagging in sustainability, with some segments sticking to old business models and others innovating.
- 💡 Digitalization and sustainability are intertwined, with digital tools being key to making processes more sustainable, yet requiring responsible use.
- 👥 The role of sustainability managers will evolve from an 'add-on' to an integral part of corporate strategy development.
- 🛣️ The future of mobility will likely involve increased mobility options while decoupling from unsustainable energy sources.
- 🌐 Sustainability is not about personal sacrifice but about embracing opportunities that come with positive environmental and social impacts.
- 📚 Sustainability is a complex, multifaceted topic that requires ongoing education and integration into various disciplines and strategies.
- 🌟 Smith emphasizes the importance of positive leadership, purpose orientation, and the collective effort in transitioning to a sustainable future.
Q & A
What is Professor Rani Smith's preference between city and countryside living?
-Professor Rani Smith appreciates both city and countryside living. He enjoys the relaxation and natural environment of the countryside, as well as the cultural life and social interactions available in the city.
How does Professor Rani Smith view the current situation regarding climate change effects?
-Professor Rani Smith is an optimist when it comes to sustainability and climate change. He believes that being optimistic is necessary to lead others and to effect change, despite the negative events happening due to climate change.
What is Professor Rani Smith's approach to work, is he more of a strategic planner or a doer?
-Professor Rani Smith considers himself both a strategic planner and a doer. He enjoys developing strategies as well as implementing them, which sometimes leads to working long hours.
Why does Professor Smith believe Germany has missed its climate targets?
-According to Professor Smith, Germany has missed its climate targets due to a mindset that sees a trade-off between sustainability and profitability. This mindset is prevalent among people and politicians, who often view sustainability and economic success as mutually exclusive.
What does Professor Smith see as the key to transforming society towards sustainability?
-Professor Smith believes that a new mindset that integrates sustainability and profitability is crucial for societal transformation. He hopes that the younger generation will bring this mindset to discussions and accelerate the transition to a sustainable society.
What is Professor Smith's view on the readiness of the German or European economy for transformation towards sustainability?
-Professor Smith suggests that transformation happens regardless of readiness, citing historical shifts from agricultural to industrialized societies. He sees the current moment as a transition from an industrialized to a sustainable knowledge society, which is not yet fully understood by everyone.
How does Professor Smith perceive the mobility and transport sector's progress in sustainability?
-Professor Smith observes that the mobility and transport sector is lagging behind in sustainability. He notes a mix of companies trying to maintain old business models and others innovating with new electric mobility solutions and sharing platforms.
What is the relationship between sustainability and digitalization according to Professor Smith?
-Professor Smith sees sustainability and digitalization as interconnected, with digitalization being a tool to make processes, products, and business models more sustainable. However, he emphasizes the need for responsible digitalization that considers ethical implications.
How does Professor Smith envision the role of sustainability managers in the future?
-Professor Smith believes that sustainability managers will become more integral to corporate strategy development in the future. Instead of being an add-on, they will bring a sustainability perspective to the team, similar to how a chief digital officer brings a digitalization perspective.
What advice does Professor Smith give for companies starting to work on sustainability?
-Professor Smith advises companies to understand that sustainability is not a trade-off but an integrative approach that enhances profitability and competitiveness. He suggests promoting a systemic perspective where economic, social, and environmental success are seen as interconnected.
What is Professor Smith's perspective on the future of mobility and how it relates to sustainability?
-Professor Smith believes that mobility is essential and will continue to rise. The challenge is to find ways to increase mobility sustainably, without relying on fossil fuels, to ensure a free and open society.
How does Professor Smith view the concept of sacrificing for sustainability?
-Professor Smith argues against the idea of sacrificing for sustainability, stating that true sustainability should not require sacrifice. Instead, it should offer opportunities for better living with fewer resources and create new business opportunities.
What does Professor Smith recommend for individuals or companies looking to immerse themselves in sustainability?
-Professor Smith recommends developing a clear purpose and integrating sustainability into all aspects of business and daily life. He also suggests learning from a variety of sources, including books by experts and academics, to gain a broad understanding of sustainability.
Outlines
🌿 Optimism and Strategy in Sustainability
In this introductory paragraph, the host welcomes Professor Rani Smith to discuss sustainability. The conversation begins with a personal preference question about city versus countryside living, to which Professor Smith appreciates both for different reasons. The discussion shifts to the topic of climate change and sustainability, with Professor Smith expressing optimism due to the belief that a positive mindset is essential for leading and effecting change. The host inquires about the balance between strategic planning and implementation, to which Professor Smith identifies as both a strategic planner and a doer. The paragraph concludes with a critique of Germany's progress towards its climate targets, attributing the shortfall to a prevailing mindset that views sustainability and profitability as mutually exclusive. Professor Smith emphasizes the need for a new mindset that integrates both sustainability and economic success.
🚗 Transformation and Innovation in Mobility
This paragraph delves into the challenges and opportunities within the mobility and transport sector. Professor Smith acknowledges the sector's lag in sustainability but sees current problems as catalysts for change. The discussion highlights the contrast between traditional business models and innovative approaches, such as car-sharing platforms and electric mobility. The paragraph also touches on the interplay between sustainability and digitalization, suggesting that digital tools can enhance sustainability efforts but must be used responsibly. The role of sustainability managers within companies is evolving, with a shift from an 'add-on' to an integral part of corporate strategy development. This reflects a broader move towards integration and circularity in business practices.
🌐 The Integration of Sustainability in Business
In this segment, the conversation focuses on how sustainability can be integrated into day-to-day business operations. Professor Smith emphasizes the importance of understanding that sustainability is not a trade-off but a co-evolutionary approach that enhances economic, social, and environmental success. The paragraph discusses the systemic and integrative perspective necessary for true sustainability, moving away from a balancing act to a process where success in one area feeds into another. The future of the transport sector is also explored, with the need to increase mobility sustainably while overcoming reliance on fossil fuels. The paragraph concludes with a positive outlook on sustainability as an opportunity for innovation and business growth.
💡 Positive Leadership and Purpose in Sustainability
The host and Professor Smith discuss the importance of positive leadership and having a clear purpose in sustainability. Smith argues against the notion that sustainability requires personal sacrifice, instead framing it as an opportunity for a better life with fewer resources and greater business prospects. The conversation highlights the need for companies to consider their social, environmental, and knowledge impact, transforming business models to achieve profit while contributing positively to society. The paragraph also touches on the complexity of sustainability and the importance of education and reskilling managers to integrate sustainability into their disciplines. Smith shares insights on how to stay informed about sustainability, emphasizing the collective process of transforming systems and societies.
🤝 Collective Action and the Future of Sustainability
In the final paragraph, the discussion centers on the collective nature of sustainability and the need for widespread engagement. Professor Smith stresses that sustainability is not a zero-sum game but a collective effort where winning together is possible. The paragraph also addresses the current multiple crises and the necessity for a fundamental transformation of the economy, supported by appropriate political frameworks. The conversation concludes with an optimistic view of the energy transition and a call to action for individuals and companies to embrace sustainability as a path to a better future.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sustainability
💡Climate Change
💡Optimism
💡Strategic Planning
💡Mindset
💡Transformation
💡Mobility and Transport Sector
💡Digitalization
💡Sustainability Manager
💡Purpose-Oriented Leadership
💡Complexity
Highlights
Professor Rani Smith discusses the balance between city and countryside, highlighting the benefits of both for relaxation and cultural life.
Smith emphasizes optimism as a necessity for leading and enacting change, especially in the face of climate challenges.
The interviewee identifies a dual role in strategic planning and implementation, often leading to working beyond regular hours.
Germany's struggle with meeting climate targets is attributed to a prevailing mindset that sees a trade-off between sustainability and profitability.
Smith calls for a new mindset that recognizes sustainability and economic success as complementary, not opposing forces.
The importance of transformation over mere optimization is underscored, suggesting that history shows transformation happens whether people are ready or not.
Industries such as mobility and transport are identified as lagging in sustainability, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for change.
Innovation in sustainability is seen as a driver for broader innovation, with digitalization and biochemistry leading the way.
Smith argues for responsible digitalization and AI, integrating ethical considerations into the development of new technologies.
The future role of sustainability managers is envisioned as integral to corporate strategy development, rather than an add-on.
DKV Mobility's strategic priority 'Lead in Green' is introduced, aiming to embed sustainability into day-to-day business.
Smith advises against viewing sustainability as a trade-off, promoting an integrative approach where economic, social, and environmental aspects co-evolve.
The transport sector's future is predicted to demand more sustainable mobility solutions without reducing the overall mobility.
Sustainability is reframed as an opportunity for positive living and business growth, rather than a form of sacrifice.
Positive leadership and purpose orientation are highlighted as key to transforming business models towards sustainability.
Smith recommends focusing on opportunities and integrating sustainability into all aspects of business and society.
Complexity in sustainability is acknowledged, with a call for clear purpose and value-driven actions to manage it.
The necessity of reskilling and educating managers in sustainability is discussed, with an emphasis on integrating new knowledge into existing disciplines.
Smith shares insights on gaining knowledge through publishing books with experts worldwide, reflecting the evolving understanding of sustainability.
The interview concludes with a collective call to action, emphasizing the importance of a positive mindset and the potential for a win-win approach to sustainability.
Transcripts
i'm here today with professor rani smith
peter welcome it's great to have you
yeah thank you for having me um you're
an international and well recognized
expert regarding sustainability to get
started we are beautiful cologne do you
prefer the city or the countryside oh
actually both is very nice
the countryside of course you can relax
and you can go to the mountains or to
the sea whereas in the city we have more
the cultural life you can meet people so
actually i would not like to miss any of
this fully understand
well there were lots of youth lately
regarding climate change effects um
whether events negatively um happening
hearing all this are you more realist or
an
optimist regarding sustainability and
where we are heading i've always been an
optimist because i think if you want to
lead other people and if you really want
to change things there's no other choice
in being optimistic sounds good and
changing is all about getting into into
implementation are you more strategic
planner or are you a doer type of person
actually both i like developing
strategies but i also like implementing
and doing things so that's why sometimes
i miss time because of course you cannot
do both at the same time so
this
is why i'm sometimes wicking on the
working on the weekend and even in the
evening so because i really like doing
both and the day only has 24 hours yeah
sure
which brings me to my first question i
mean sustainability is also about
implementing strategic concepts and what
we have seen is that
germany is very good in strategic
planning but that two ministries the
ministry of construction and strength
transport have missed their climate
targets for
2021
in your opinion what is the reason for
this and why is
germany and those ministries why are
they struggling so much achieving their
um sustainability slash climate targets
so we not only miss it today i think we
missed out the last 20 years so to say
that already by then it was pretty clear
that we need to transform our society
especially the last 10 years
not much happened and i think it's
mostly related to the mindset you know
like because people still see a
trade-off between sustainability and
profitability they see
it like you can either be profitable or
sustainable and also the politicians
somehow have this kind of trait of
thinking if you look on the different
political parties they are arguing
should we become sustainable or
economically successful and i think this
is a wrong question because you we need
both and this is kind of having a new
mindset so i hope that the younger
generation now is really bringing in
this new mindset to the discussion and
that we are getting much faster to
transform our society
so i hear um there is hope but i also
hear that you say that sustainability
needs a willingness for
transformation that we only
not only do things
better that we do things differently but
to what degree are we ready as the
german or european economy ready for
transformation and not just
optimization maybe it's not a question
whether we are ready or not i think in
history transformation just happens and
if you look how we
went from an agricultural society an
industrialized society i think most of
the people also were not ready for this
but we somehow achieved it and now we
are actually at a
similar point in history where we have
to
go from an industrialized society to a
sustainable knowledge society and i
think this is still not really
understood by everyone that it's really
not only changing things it's really
about transformation and that's much
more than change
as certain industries or
sectors who are already doing good in
overcoming this integration
challenge and i'm also asking we are in
the mobility and transport sector and
it's something that especially this
sector's lacking behind regarding
sustainability so where do you see where
we are standing regarding transportation
and mobility with this integration
challenge
there's
different industries and most of the
time
you need kind of a
uh
a problem you know like if if an
industry comes to into a problem like
the mobility sector or the energy sector
right now this gives you the window of
opportunity to really change things yeah
because as long as
you keep on successful with the old
fashioned business models people don't
understand that they need to change but
once the old fashioned models are not
working any longer because new markets
are
deriving and a new customer wishes are
changing the demand or now we see all
the
international supply chains breaking or
you see the inflation we see the
limited amount of energy we now have so
this is all i think a good driver of
change so unfortunately
sometimes we only learn it the hard way
but there's of course also other
examples of industries who are very
proactive
for example in the field of
digitalizations young startups
also in in certain fields of
biochemistry
so whenever there are some new
innovative industries they are more also
into sustainability and this already
shows sustainability is actually a
driver for innovation so it's not also a
contradiction so the more innovative our
industry is the more they also focus on
sustainability and the more they focus
on sustainability the more innovative
they are in the mobility sector you can
see both at the same time you still see
some
struggling and and trying to somehow
keep the old business models like
building big cars and trying to find
customers for it and others already
going a step further and building
platforms how to share cars new electric
monability automotive driving there's a
lot of innovation but it
mostly comes from i would say smaller
medium-sized enterprises who are really
need to change because they that's the
only way how they will survive in the
future interestingly um you mentioned
digitalization
as a key word and probably could you
elaborate a little bit how you see
sustainability and
the topic of digitally do they go hand
in hand do they run run aside what's
your view on this i said in the
beginning we see this kind of crossroads
from the industrial society entering
into sustainable knowledge society and
that means
you cannot have the one or the other so
it it's basically you need both you need
to the digitalization but you need it in
a sustainable way so what
does this mean it means we can use
digitalization to make our processes
products uh business models more
sustainable yeah we can for example
control the supply chain much better
than in the past we can also find better
ways to the customer we can also of
course use big data and also artificial
intelligence to get to new ideas how to
make things more sustainable but at the
same time digitalization is not a
mean in or a goal in its own yeah so
we really have to be careful that we
also reflect ethically what we are doing
when we are digitalization
things and and that's why we need also
kind of a responsible digitalization we
need responsible ai responsible big data
and this is where all intermingles it
merges together and in the future we
will see a lot of responsible digital
circular business models so it it's
becoming all one but of course you need
different competences and we need also
this kind of teamwork in developing this
new kind of business models and
strategies
looking at the organizational setup in
companies
in my role as a
sustainability manager do you
believe that
such departments persons are still
needed in the future just asking
difficult questions really pushing the
the topic forward or are we also heading
towards what you mentioned in
integration where everything's circular
working hand in hand so studies do show
that we need much more people who are
aware of sustainability and have
knowledge so for those who are already
in the field and know about
sustainability i think they are very
much needed but i think their role will
change so in the fut in the past it was
more kind of a add-on so you were
somehow responsible for sustainability
which i think doesn't work how can one
person or one department be responsible
for sustainability so this would be this
kind of add-on thinking like a backpack
so this is i think belongs to the past
in the future it's more that the role of
a sustainability manager will be to be
part of the team which is developing the
corporate strategy and brings in the
sustainability perspective
as the
chief digital officer brings in the
digitalization perspective and we need
to get from a sustainability strategy
towards some sustainable corporate
strategy and i think this is a big
change and that makes the role of people
with this kind of knowledge even more
important in the future and i think this
is really where it's heading to we
see a much more integrated perspective
on sustainability which is good yeah
happy and relieved to hear this
at dkv mobility one of our key
strategic priorities is called lead in
green and of course our job is also
embedding this
into our day-to-day
business
imagine the situation you would be
starting working with with the company
um also convincing them about
sustainability how would you
start what would be your first first
actions i think first of all you need to
understand this is basically not a
trade-off so trying to convince as many
middle managers about this that
sustainability profitability
competitiveness go together very well
and second thing
i think a mistake what is done quite
often is to think about sustainability
as balancing yeah so you have this topic
we need to balance the different
dimensions economic social environmental
dimension somehow balancing but the
problem with balancing is it's still
kind of trait of thinking yeah you can
have a little bit more of this a little
more of that
so it's really important to get this
systemic integrative perspective that
it's basically a co-evolutionary
approach so you can only develop your
economic success by being more social
this means also being more
environmentally friendly and that's also
means maybe to have more knowledge and
have more knowledgeable companies so
it's basically kind of you need economic
success to lead to environmental success
leads to social success this leads to
more knowledge knowledge leads again to
more profitability so it's really like
an unfolding process and and this is uh
different thinking like the
one-dimensional financial thinking we
had in the past we were always trying to
maximize one single thing mostly profit
and now many wonder why it's not working
anymore because it's under complex
looking at the challenges we have right
now
especially looking at the challenges of
the transport sector of course we don't
have a crystal ball but there's lots of
things happening with the new
legislation coming in via the european
um green deal i think we are very aware
of the
paris climate agreement um targets what
do you think specifically where the
sector will be heading in the future we
are still very much relying on the
traditional way of
transportation
so mobility as such is a thing which is
very important for society we need to
transport goods we want to travel yeah
mobility is life it's part of our life
and it really really should appreciate
mobility and all the studies also show
that mobility in the future will further
rise so there will be not a way where we
reduce mobility that would be not good
for a free society
open society so we need to find ways how
we can have more mobility even more
mobility more freedom more
ways to move
goods and also travel but at the same
time try to decouple it from
unsustainable energy use yeah i think
this is basically this kind of trade-off
we have to overcome so we have to not
reduce mobility try to find ways to have
sustainable mobility which is overcoming
this old
yeah without dependency on on fossil
fuels and all those kind of
old-fashioned industrial things and that
will be a challenge of course yeah
yeah often people also say well
sustainable behavior is personally
sacrificing um things uh what's your
opinion
obviously not because sacrificing is
not sustainable yeah if you sacrifice
profit it's not economically sustainable
if you sacrifice a good life it's not
good for your social and psychological
mind so and and
we really should see that the future has
so many opportunities so many positive
ways how we can live in the future by
using technology but by also using our
mind and developing new businesses
that we should not only look at this
the resources we also should look at the
opportunities and i think this is a
change of perspective so if you look at
the opportunities we will have in a
sustainable future in the in the future
society in the future this will really
lead to
not sacrificing it will lead to a better
life with less resources
and also a lot of business opportunities
so i think sustainability is really
becoming
the biggest business opportunity of this
millennium so and also thinking it in a
very positive
fashion so i hear sometimes also it's
put a more negative
tack on it and as you say thinking and
opportunities new business models and
being
optimistic that also it's a kind of
survival a good survivor strategies for
for companies to think about sustainable
business models fear is never a good
advisor as we learned also the last
couple of years
we really need to have a positive
leadership which is also purpose
oriented so we have to give the people
some purpose although the businesses
what is the purpose i'm standing for
what is my goal and it should be always
serving other people serving the society
developing new
also positive impact and that's the
second dimension we really should not
only think about profit anymore we
really should see the overall impact of
a company yeah what is the social
environmental the knowledge impact and
by seeing this we really can transform
our business models in a way where we
still make profit even more profit is
possible but at the same time have
positive impact for our environment and
for the world and this is giving a lot
of purpose so the people will be much
more motivated you will attract
employees you will get enough investors
who are looking for this kind of
business models so i don't see why
sustainability should be sacrificing
it's rather the opposite all of us can
drive the
transition towards
a more sustainable efficient future
and
yeah that we can all play our our active
role
i have lots of people telling me why
sustainability is sometimes really
complex it's such a wide topic it's not
just environmental it's also
social
governance um subjects do we have an
advice or some some good tips for uh
people immersing into sustainability
favorite books podcasts you're listening
to so first of all i think you mentioned
something very important complexity so
we learned that our world is much more
complex than in the past so
easy there's no easy solution so we have
to find a way how to manage complexity
we and this is can be done by value and
by clear purpose oriented actions yeah
because we have too many possibilities
so we really should define ourselves and
from the inside to the outside so not
just
listen to the advice because everyone
now gives some advices to everyone here
so you really should learn to develop
sustainability from your own perspective
so what is your belief what is the
purpose of your company
which kind of impact you want to create
and then
form a strategy and act according to it
secondly of course you mentioned the
second thing that we have a big
challenge which is educating and
reskilling a lot of managers there was a
study done two years ago which said
within the next five years we have to
reskill 50 of all our managers worldwide
and this already shows that
sustainability is not so much an
environmental issues it's really an
educational issue so we really need to
educate and bring this new kind of
knowledge to the people to the managers
and
you also ask why where i do get my
knowledge it's mainly by publishing
books so
with
lots of
experts managers academics all over the
world
we roughly publish 10 books a year
and i already can see from year to year
new knowledge arising so there's lots of
knowledge out there and the point really
is now to get a focus
and also combine it what you already
know so it's not so much that you should
know everything about sustainability or
that you need everything about
sustainability we need managers who know
very much about their discipline but
integrate this new kind of social
environmental knowledge
perspectives to their unique discipline
and that's what sustainability is now
different than in the past
sustainability is not a
discipline on its own right
it needs to be reintegrated into
management science it's not only about
an individual
transformation it's really transforming
systems transforming companies and the
society as such and this is a collective
process and the more really get into
this kind of topics the better it is
because we need also the knowledge of
all people so it's not that we need
somebody who knows about sustainability
telling us where to go but we really as
a as a society or as a company need to
discuss it broadly and integrate it in
every single question we are facing
yeah very interesting approach also that
you say it's now not i'm spending an
hour of my day to think about a
sustainability strategy that is just the
fashion how i'm doing my daily jobs i'm
thinking about it basically all the time
when i'm sitting at my desk in front of
my
of my computer and i really liked your
uh
final verse i think was a perfect
summary about what we just spoke so i've
learned a lot thank you very much for
taking your time it's been a pleasure
talking to you yeah thank you and i
really believe that the more people are
getting into this field the more we
really
win and it's not about win lose anymore
it's really we can either win together
or lose together and it's much more fun
to win so i hope many people will join
in and also win together the game we
have right now which is really
challenging to overcome the crisis is a
multiple crisis we have but this is only
possible by a real little transformation
by a new setup of our economy but that's
something i think we now already know
from the news
and i do hope that the politicians will
find the right frameworks and support
for this so that we
really get some support for this
transformation also from the side of
politics yeah i agree and um telling for
myself and dkv mobility we are
definitely into it and yeah really
looking forward also from a very
positive mindset to the to the energy
transition very important keep positive
[Music]
you
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