Common Pool Resource Principles and Development in Business Responses to Climate Change

Abstract

"Organising human activities to sustain global commons resources such as the climate is a critical and pressing challenge. While global collaboration is required to address this issue, some institutions such as specific businesses, are already acting beyond immediate self interest.

"Principles seen in successful local governing arrangements, that sustain common resources, may be present in business responses to climate change. However, constructive developmental theory suggests the inherent complexity institutions face, when addressing global commons issues, means such institutions must also be able to hold and reconcile significantly differing 'worldview' perspectives. Consequently, some action at the later operational stages is necessary. This need arises as businesses' engage with a wide spectrum of the community and must collaborate with others who hold markedly different values based on worldview. Climate change may also be a catalyst that enables higher stage approaches -- organisations may shift to respond to the disequilibrating challenges posed by this threat.

"This paper presents a preliminary analysis of a major international business and discusses evidence for higher stages of development. Common pool resource principles that may enable successful resource protection are used, along with evidence from interviews, to examine these relationships. From early results, stage development shows promise - it adds an important understanding about successful, modern day, resource protection through voluntary sustainability initiatives."