CEC European Managers represents around one million managers in Europe through its national and sectoral federations. Managers play a crucial role, both in the companies they represent and as facilitators of dialogue in society. They are responsible for making the right decisions that pave the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Torkild Justesen, Secretary General of CEC, is keen to mainstream Sustainable Leadership in the coming years. He believes CEC is in an ideal position to promote leadership and quality management.
For more than 30 years, he has worked nationally and internationally in the world of social partnership on managerial level. Backed by strong personal values and being someone who walks the talk, Torkild shared his honest views regarding the clear gap between the political ambition of transitioning to a greener and fairer future and the management reality on the ground.
The interview was published in November 2022, in the bilingual yearbook Community Index Magazine no. 4. The publication can be accessed here: https://communityindex.ro/flip-book-2022/
1. CEC European Managers contributes to mainstreaming sustainable skills, behaviours and values in European management. Why do you think sustainability has become such an important component of strategic leadership thinking?
Our world is under pressure, and we need to change direction now if we are to preserve hope for a sustainable future and avoid disaster for future generations. Climate, environment, health, gender equality and education are just a few of the issues we face. Leaders must understand that these issues are interconnected. Indeed, it becomes increasingly clear how unsustainable leadership and business models, a stressed workforce, and a negative impact reinforce each other.
It is obvious to almost everyone that in this situation we need leadership. We need leaders who are capable of acting, leaders who dare and who set a sustainable direction without hesitation. That is why I believe that investing into our capacity for changing private and public sector organizations sustainably becomes a top strategic priority. Without developing the transition know-how, we won’t go far.
2. The philosophy behind CEC is the belief that “it is managers who drive forward our economies, taking the right decisions to allow for change – their professional commitment is indispensable if we want our societies to continue thriving in increasingly uncertain times.” Which are the projects implemented by CEC that will bring forward the competences of European managers in terms of responsible leadership for a bright future?
I wish that it was possible within a project or two to foster responsible leadership more widely for a bright future. It is going to be a continuous effort for years to come. But, at CEC, we are proud to say that we have initiated and partnered on key projects in the right direction.
A truly bright and sustainable future needs, for instance, workplaces where no one gets sick, and a skilled and reskilled labour force able to meet the challenges of lifelong learning. We need more gender equality, more diversity as we need all hands-on deck to create a sustainable Europe: managers who are trained and skilled at sustainable leadership.
This is the reason why we have launched “Sustainable Leaders”: to develop future-fit leaders. We are also the voice representing one million managers across Europe. Our job is to support them in becoming sustainable leaders who deliver – through better legislation, trainings and working conditions.
For example, we lobby for making it easier for workers and managers to access high quality trainings on sustainable leadership. In the years to come, we will amplify our efforts through new projects and partnerships.
3. In 2020, CEC has published a new report on the state of “Sustainable Leadership in Europe”. The findings, based on a survey among 1500 managers from 6 EU countries, highlight a clear gap between the political ambition of transitioning to a greener future and the management reality. Many managers are convinced of the importance of sustainability, but it is insufficiently put into practice in companies. Which are the skills that current managers lack? Why do you think the human side of leadership if too often ignored?
We have indeed found that we need to bridge the sustainability gap in leadership. Most leaders yet don’t have the necessary transition skills. There is a lack in systems thinking that is crucial for a complex world. Maybe, more importantly, personal sustainability values are not translated into the daily work of managers. That is why we believe that living your deep-felt purpose is key for making organizations sustainable.
Fortunately, however, times flies and much has already changed. In 2022, there is a greater recognition of the need to understand and lead in a sustainable way. The demand of sustainable leadership from the company boards is growing. Legal conditions are changing with the EU initiatives on sustainability due diligence and the EU taxonomy being only two examples. Furthermore, the human side of change is being recognized as key. Upskilling of the labour force, the improvement of working conditions, progress on gender equality and many others highlight how important good and sustainable leadership is to make it happen beyond just good intentions.
Of course, the specific competencies needed and called for sustainability, vary from sector to sector and from company to company. This is why we can’t mention one or two specific skills that managers lack. However, all companies and sectors face similar challenges when it comes to the presence, or absence, of sustainable leadership.
CEC represents one million European managers and together they are making at least 10 million of decisions. Daily! Having that in mind, it cannot be underlined enough that there is a great need to ensure that all have sufficient knowledge and professional training in sustainable leadership. If you want to go somewhere, then it can help to train the trainer. The need of this calls on more programs by the EU, by national Governments, by the companies and, of course, by the managers themselves.
4. Only 43% of European managers share sustainable leadership values. These results cannot necessarily be considered positive, since the motivation necessary for a profound transformation must be very strong. What is your solution in this regard?
Fortunately, still almost 50% of European managers share sustainable values and many more think it’s important. I would have been scared if it was less. We surely need a broader discussion on these values, also at the workplace. Leaders are exemplary in this regard. How they commute to work, how they are thinking about the role of the business in society, how they practice work-life balance – all these have an impact.
Furthermore, we can see that younger generations more widely share sustainable values and hold unsustainable behaviours accountable. Employers that want to attract talent must practice what they preach and live these sustainable values.
Of course, there is no simple and single way to bring forward such values and responsible leadership. What we can do is to learn to really listen to each other, get a better understanding of the things in common and the differences, cultivate a greater respect of the reasons behind, and then communicate the needs. We need leadership able to create a followership around a strong purpose with lived values.
5. What is your own leadership philosophy? What does responsible leadership represent to you and how are you walking the talk in your own organization, leading by example?
I believe strongly in setting clear goals and in communicating in plain language. To let the people around me know what to expect of me and what I expect of them. My own leadership is guided by the SDGs 3, 4, 5, 8 and 13. Work should make you feel strong and healthy instead of making you sick. You may be busy, but not feel stressed. I believe in education and training, and it is of the greatest importance to make sure that all your employees are continuously trained.
As a decision maker I cherish diversity, as it ensures me that I get the right inputs. Not the input I necessarily want, as the input needed to make the right decision is a diverse input. On climate, I do my best to walk the talk. I drive a fully electric car, I try only to travel by air when I can bundle meetings and I talk often on my efforts to grow my own organic vegetables. I hope I generally walk the talk, but to get the best answer, you really should ask my employees.
6. Sustainability can be such a complex and large topic and sometimes it cannot be visualized in a concrete “what can I do today?” way. What would you advise new sustainable leaders on where to start?
That is a really good question. Not because the answer is difficult, but because people tend to over complicate the answer. They start thinking of climate goals and forget that sustainability is so much more than climate. The best advice, I believe, is to think of all the things you are already doing. Think about what you could do or are doing on health, on education, on working conditions, on diversity, education and so forth. What is your impact on people and planet? Then you will probably realize that you are already doing a lot. In this way, you will find out that it is not so hard to discover new ways, to make improvements – also on climate.
For greater impact, I think it’s also important to be passionate about what you are doing and leverage this impact with your team. Leaders who want to start the journey can browse through the great multi-media materials of Sustainable Leaders:
