Jake Kheel publishes his first book entitled “Waking the Sleeping Giant: Unlocking the Hidden Power of Business to Save the Planet”, which is already on sale in English on Amazon and will see its Spanish version with local distribution in the DR in July.
Patricia Guzmán Parra, partner, and director of the environmental practice of DMK Abogados, applauds the interesting initiative of Mr. Kheel, for the benefit of education and environmental awareness in the DR. In the book, the author seeks to sow the awareness of sustainability in professionals and entrepreneurs, since, according to him, companies have an essential role in environmental protection. According to the author, without the private sector, its proactive cooperation, its technological and innovation contributions, it would be difficult to achieve the impact we need to reduce the current ecological degradation.
He abounds, indicating that the private sector and companies are the sleeping giant, a sector from which we have not yet managed to take advantage of its capacity for innovation, its creativity, and its human resources to face the environmental and social challenges that we face. He claims that when we awaken that giant, we will see an exponential advance in our ability to protect the planet.
Below we share an interview with Jake Kheel about the book of his authorship.
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After 16 years working for Grupo Puntacana, Jake Kheel publishes each of the lessons learned in this book with the hope of sowing awareness of sustainability in professionals and entrepreneurs. A book that, in July, will see its Spanish version with local distribution in the DR.
—In a presentation for Tedx, you wondered when starting in Grupo Puntacana how you could contribute to the environment from a private company, what do you think now?
Companies have an essential role in environmental protection. Without your proactive cooperation, your technological and innovative contributions, it would be difficult to achieve the impact we need to reduce current ecological degradation.
—In your book you talk about “waking up the sleeping giant”, what do you mean?
The private sector and companies are the sleeping giant, a sector from which we have not yet managed to take advantage of its capacity for innovation, creativity, and human resources to face the environmental and social challenges we face. When we awaken that giant, we will see an exponential advance in our ability to protect the planet.
—”How do you discover that (hidden) power?”
We need to penetrate the DNA of companies so that they become positive agents of change. Personally, I am an environmentalist. He always believed that business was the enemy of the environment. But he recognized that it was necessary to know this enemy closely. To my surprise, when I started working in the private sector with Grupo Puntacana 16 years ago, I discovered that companies have a great capacity to achieve positive transformational change, but that potential is currently underutilized. You have to exploit it.
—Do you think that if companies join in on this change, politicians will continue?
If business and society take the initiative, politicians will follow. Politicians have an important role in sustainability, but citizens and companies have to pressure them to produce coherent and effective policies. If not, you have to remove them!
—If the environmental policy were in your power, what would be the first measure you would adopt?
It would make it illegal to dump organic waste in landfills and create a system for collecting and transforming it into energy, biogas, compost, or any other product that is not garbage. It is a transversal action in society: it would increase the recycling potential, reduce greenhouse effect emissions, limit the pollution of drinking water, rivers, and the sea, and affect the entire society. Then I would go into the protection of protected areas …
—Some companies (that caused serious environmental damage) now put the label of ‘sustainable’ to do ‘greenwashing’. How to distinguish the truly committed ones from those that only seek to sell more, follow a fashion or wash their image?
Although companies are very sophisticated in marketing and public relations, it is increasingly difficult to achieve the “greenwash” because consumers and society, in general, have greater access to information and more potential to expose companies that are trying to deceive the public. . Transparency is the key. Consumers and the public sector have to demand that companies make their practices and their environmental and social impact transparent, and demand improvements.
—What happens when executives see sustainability as a way to benefit the planet and its profits?
Sustainability offers various benefits to companies that integrate it into their operations. Improving your image is one of the benefits, but it is not the only or the most important. It can also produce large savings in companies through efficiency improvements, for example in energy or raw material consumption; it pushes companies to make changes in their environment; force to adopt a culture of innovation; and prepares companies to be more resilient in tough times. During the pandemic, sustainable companies have managed to manage the economic impact on their business and remain competitive by having an innovative culture. Finally, sustainability helps create a community among employees who work for a social mission, rather than simply producing financial gains. This is reflected in the loyalty and retention of employees, a great benefit for companies.
—And how is this conversion achieved?
Read “Waking the Sleeping the Giant” for that answer!
—What is the most serious environmental problem for Dominican companies?
The indifference. There are many small and medium-sized companies that do not feel committed to the environment, nor do they consider that they can have a positive impact. But the country has more small and medium-sized companies than multinational and large companies, the participation of all is needed to find environmental solutions.
– What environmental actions have worked best in Grupo Puntacana?
Grupo Puntacana’s most successful environmental projects are projects that produce direct benefits for the company while solving an environmental challenge. For example, “Discharge Zero,” the largest recycling and waste management project in the country that we started in 2007, not only reduces our environmental impact, it has produced significant savings in our operations and has had a positive brand reputational impact on the company. It is a win-win project.
—What was the most difficult action to implement and why?
Co-management of the coastal zone has been a complex activity that involves many local actors such as fishermen and excursion operators, the Ministry of the Environment, CODOPESCA, and private companies to organize aquatic activities in the Punta Cana area. The project includes the conservation and restoration of coral reefs, sustainable fishing, and control of maritime activities. It takes a lot of time and perseverance to get all stakeholders to participate and collaborate in a process of positive change.
– Would the existence of an environmental education subject in schools help something?
Of course, environmental education is the basis for change. The future objective of this education should be to locate all careers within the concept of sustainability. That there is no “green architecture,” “green hotels” or “green buildings” as specialized areas, but that being green should be the baseline and totally common in all races. That starts with environmental education.
—What has been the eco habit that you practice the most in your daily life?
I love turning food waste in my house into compost. The process is simple, it has a high ecological impact, and it is an activity that I share with my son.
– Do you agree with the connection between COVID-19 and lack of respect for nature?
I believe in science and scientific research has proven that human incursion into natural spaces and the consumption of wildlife increases the potential for new diseases that are transferred from animals to humans. COVID-19 is a product of this phenomenon. We need to maintain natural habitats for our own health.
—If you had to explain to a businessman in one sentence why it is necessary to get involved in the protection of our planet, what would you say to him?
Protecting the planet is necessary for your future profitability, the communities close to your business, and your customers. Sooner or later, companies and society pay the cost of environmental degradation by not taking advantage of turning a potential risk of their business into a profit now.
Source:
Listín Diario
