As “Germany’s ways of the future”, entrepreneurs show how climate-friendly economic policy can work. Ex-Lufthansa CFO Simone Menne explains why she is participating in the initiative and which points she considers crucial.
There are many seemingly overwhelming problems in our world. In times of digitization and protectionism, social division and polarization, climate change and the extinction of species, our future seems uncertain. Still, I am optimistic. Because we do not lack clever ideas and people. Often the only thing missing is the market economy framework to successfully catalyze innovation and capital. That means that we need future-oriented action now more than ever. We have to get out of the paralysis. As an entrepreneur, I don’t like to wait, so I would like to personally contribute to solving our problems.
A quote from Rafael Laguna de la Vera and Thomas Ramge expresses my discomfort and my concern about the current situation: “As a society we no longer dare to understand innovation in the literal sense. Innovation is the ability to radically improve solutions to problems There is a consensus that there is no shortage of big problems. But often a toxic mixture of dogma-based skepticism of technology, cryptic renunciation rhetoric and pictorial bio-romanticism prevents us from considering technical solutions to social problems at all. ”
Sustainability and prosperity are not mutually exclusive
In this situation I was approached by Martin Stuchtey, who offered me the opportunity to work on Germany’s future ways. He and Maja Göpel wanted to bring together a “wild group” that unites decision-makers from business and science in order to support the implementation of disruptive ideas. The background to this was, among other things, a quote from the Chancellor: “We need new strong alliances.” For me it was a call to business leaders to work for the urgently needed transformations. For example, I firmly believe that ambitious and proactive climate protection is essential for our long-term economic and social success. The narrative that sustainability and prosperity are opposites has long been empirical and out of date in reality. I therefore see people from the business world like myself having an obligation to support politics.
It was because of this conviction that I joined. We are committed to a future-oriented transformation that underlines positive gains. In times of transformation, we no longer need the same thing, but a clear idea of where we want to end up with structural change and how we can implement it quickly, integratively and legitimately. Constructive cooperation between science, business, the state and civil society is essential.
It is important that we are entrepreneurs from a wide variety of sectors and with diverse backgrounds and that we work closely with experts from science. In doing so, we build on the excellent results of other initiatives and advocate fundamental conditions instead of just our individual sector interests.
Concrete, feasible ideas
What was important to us? What does the initiative have to do in order for us to get involved? There is a clear answer here: Concrete, feasible ideas that can be implemented and, in sum, can have a transformative effect.
Many initiatives are already campaigning for a courageous climate strategy. We would like to supplement this with a consistent system perspective so that the search for solutions in one problem area does not exacerbate other problem areas. In some discussions we identified seven pillars of transformation. These range from ‘modern concepts and measures of prosperity’ to a ‘future-oriented state’ and ‘overall societal solution processes’.
We provide specific recommendations for action in all areas, accompanied by examples from all over the world. These show that what is new territory for us is already being successfully implemented elsewhere and thus provide courage for Germany.
GDP as an outdated indicator
Personally, I have two topics that are particularly important to me. Since I come from the finance sector, one of my goals is to modernize accounting and performance measurement for both companies and the state.
One question that arises is whether gross domestic product (GDP) is still the right metric to measure a country’s success. States face growing crises caused by the type of economic activity that is hidden behind rising GDP. Joseph Stieglitz already said in 2019: “The world is confronted with three existential crises: the climate crisis, the inequality crisis and a crisis of democracy. And yet the established ways in which we measure economic progress do not give us the slightest indication that we have a problem to have.”
In particular, three aspects that have constitutional status in Germany are not recorded by the GDP: Is the economic development such that future generations will still have the freedom to fall back on stable natural living conditions and ecological resources? Is economic and social development inclusive and fair, so that no one is left behind and democratic principles are preserved? Does the understanding of value creation include all developments in human welfare such as care and education services or the digital service economy?
If we want to prevent the crisis from escalating and measure progress in such a way that it corresponds to today’s challenges and achievements, we need appropriate metrics and indicators. Because strong societies are characterized by the economic and cooperative ability to find creative solutions for current problems and future risks and to focus on the needs of the most vulnerable groups. In short: if GDP was the answer to war mobilization, which key figures answer the question of whether high social well-being is achieved with the lowest ecological footprint?
Holistic objectives and benchmarks would enable Germany to orient political and economic action towards the long-term common good. Understanding what matters most to people enables difficult decisions to be made more informed and strategically aligned.
Disruptive innovations for the climate
However, corporate management, and in particular accounting, does not map essential activities that represent innovation or social measures and therefore does not offer any incentives to implement them. Nowadays it often costs companies more to do what is socially desirable (e.g. to invest in sustainable innovations or processes) than to stick to the status quo.
That brings me to the second topic that worries me in particular: disruptive innovations for the climate. In the current landscape in Germany it is difficult to implement really disruptive ideas; we are often world-class in research, but mediocre in implementation. Especially if there is not yet a market for marketing new solutions. State and technical control regulations in companies prevent long-term disruptive solutions, but instead promote incremental improvements.
With the publication of our “Compass for Germany” we provide impulses for a positive and proactive design of the successful and sustainable future of Germany. We will accompany the political and social debates with these and other impulses after the election. I look forward to this opportunity and responsibility.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
