Do We Want More Regulations in Sustainability??

The newsletter for professionals cautiously approaching the discussion about climate, but pretty sure they should.

Issue Number : 19

So, what's really better, the carrot or the stick?

During the month of October, I spent some time writing about becoming an early adopter in the sustainability space and pros and cons of further regulating markets and standards, especially around carbon. I guess for me, it boils down to the simple things: do we want to take advantage of opportunities or would we rather wait it out and hope there are no penalties? In the realm of motivation and behavioral change, two distinct approaches have been used for centuries: the carrot and the stick. These metaphors represent opposite strategies for influencing behavior. Let’s take a look.

The Carrot Approach:

The carrot approach is often associated with positive reinforcement and reward-based motivation because it involves offering incentives or rewards to encourage a particular behavior. It’s usually voluntary and it takes an intrinsic or personal motivation to take advantage of the carrot.

What happens when we go for the carrot:

Positive Experience: Carrot-based motivation creates a pleasant and rewarding experience such as cash or other good stuff we want.

Long-Term Commitment: When people are motivated by rewards, they may develop a lasting commitment to the desired behavior or brand.

Enhanced Creativity: Positive reinforcement can stimulate creativity and innovation when people feel encouraged and rewarded.

Improved Relationships: The carrot approach can foster positive relationships by emphasizing cooperation and mutual benefit.

From the above, you probably think I’m totally for advancing sustainability through only carrots. It’s true, I happen to be a free-market type of believer. But, offering a bushel of carrots every time you want a behavioral change out of someone has a fair amount of downsides and I’ll write about them later this month!

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