1% for the Planet…
One of the great things about making this film is that we get to meet many different people around the country, in fact around the world, who are passionately involved with environmental projects, working hard to protect our beautiful planet. Earlier this year, we were very lucky to be introduced to Simon Bailey who fits this mould perfectly. Simon is the CEO of LSP Leadership, a coaching and regenerative leadership development company.
As well as working with leaders and their organisations to bring about an accelerated transition towards a sustainable enterprise, LSP Leadership is a member of 1% for the Planet, a global network that enables members to contribute at least one percent of their annual revenue to environmental causes to protect the environment. Thanks to Simon, our Six Inches of Soil production company Springtail Productions has been accepted and is listed as an Environmental Partner, which means 1% for the Planet member companies can choose to support our film project. If you would like to find out more about how to become a 1% for the Planet member click here. LSP Leadership also gave a generous donation to our Crowdfunder, which we’re extremely grateful for.
Simon believes companies have a real opportunity to think differently about the purpose they’re here to fulfil as a business. To consider the challenges in the world that their organization is there to solve or contribute to. For him, his strong connection to nature was the pull to change. “There's just something innate about that connection with the outdoors. I think some people have big realisations where they need to change what they’re doing. It wasn't like that for me, instead it was a growing realization that the progression we've been making as a society and the disconnection from nature has been getting steadily greater.”
Following an army career, Simon studied for an MBA in 2000, which included sustainability modules, at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto. This gave him the impetus to find ways to bring sustainability and leadership together when he co-founded LSP Leadership in 2003.
Simon Bailey, CEO, LSP Leadership
He adds, “I think the critical thing we're trying to change particularly for business leaders is mindset, away from a very narrow focus on profit. It’s a mechanistic worldview that's only one measure of how we should be thinking and defining success. We need to be putting people and nature, which are one and the same, at the heart of decision making. That's the bit I'm really excited about, that’s the transition we're in. It's happening, our role is to accelerate the leaders courage and conviction so that it happens faster.”
I asked Simon how LSP became involved with 1% for the Planet. “Four years ago, we were looking at how we could be more sustainable as a business, which is when we first came across the not for profit. The concept is you give 1% of your turnover, not profit, but your turnover annually to an organization that is working for social or environmental charitable aims.”
1% for the Planet verifies the amount of money given by members like LSP Leadership as well as verifying the organisation that the members are donating to. Members can donate in cash or fifty percent in cash and up to fifty percent in benefits of some kind, such as coaching and leadership development for example. Simon adds, “As a company we wanted to contribute more to the regenerative agenda and this was a very visible way of doing that. Over the last four years we’ve built our partnership with the Marine Conservation Society, which continues today and is so rewarding for us both.”
The Six Inches of Soil team couldn’t be more delighted to be a 1% for the Planet Environmental Partner. Our Producer Claire Mackenzie says, “We’re really grateful to Simon for making this introduction and of course for LSP’s very kind donation. Throughout this project, we’ve made so many incredible connections and this opportunity could open doors to new funding from the business community. We really hope someone that reads this blog decides to sign up to 1% for the Planet as a Member and chooses to support Springtail Productions and thereby our film.”
Springtail Productions has been set up to deliver an impact campaign for the film, to inspire farmers with the confidence and practical know-how to adopt regenerative farming approaches; to give consumers the impetus and information to rethink their food choices; and ultimately create a groundswell of public opinion leading to policy change, support and funding for a British regenerative farming and agro-ecological revolution. If your business would like to support our production company Springtail Productions through the 1% for the Planet platform please get in touch with us and check out our information on the 1% for the Planet website.
LSP Leadership is now going a step further with its environmental plans as the company has recently bought some land on the edge of Dartmoor that it has begun to regenerate. Simon concludes, “We’re going to create a wetland, add trees, hedgerows and a forest garden to start with. We want to show, and to role model, that as a business we can be net positive ourselves in terms of carbon, biodiversity and water. We've got a plan for addressing water runoff on the land, which is a mini project in itself. I'm learning all the time and that's just wonderful.”
