Engaging with business for sustainability: An interview with Jonathon Porritt

Jonathon Porritt has been a major player at the forefront of the sustainability movement for over 30 years. His writings and activities have been inspirational for the author and colleagues working in this area. Porritt is well-known as a writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development. He is Co-Founder of Forum for the Future – one of the most influential sustainability charities – and holds many other high profile posts.

The author interviewed Jonathon prior to his appearance at a National Union of Students conference in Manchester in March 2013. In addition to Porritt's experiences and views on working with business for sustainability, and with higher education, the author also explored with him perceptions on new paradigms for business. Porritt is generally encouraged by the sustainability leadership being shown by some of the UK's most engaged businesses, such as Marks & Spencer and Unilever. There are clearly issues and barriers restricting businesses progress, but the impression is that working with business is a reasonably rewarding focus for his energies. This is in stark contrast to his disillusionment with current UK government (lack of) policies!

In higher education, Porritt hopes that students will continue to bring pressure to bear on governments and HE institutions to be exemplars of sustainability best practice. He comments also on the moral responsibilities of academic staff in this area of the curriculum. Given the reality of climate change, an important message Porritt promotes to all activists is that the sustainability message needs to be about an opportunity, aspiration and values-driven agenda; an approach that he believes business does well.