Founding insights

Incite was founded by Jonathon Hanks and Nicola Robins in 2005 with the aim of ‘inciting’ a revolution in the approach to corporate sustainability. Their aim was to try and answer questions, such as:

Can we shift sustainability from being ‘green’ to becoming a driver for fundamental change in the world of business?

Can activism exist within corporate corridors?

Can a consultancy become an active agent of change?

To what extent can activities in a developing country influence global debates around sustainability?

The early days (pre Incite)

Jonathon and Nicola are old friends, activists, colleagues and fellow trailblazers in the environmental movement dating back to the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Between them, they share an array of achievements, experience and, fundamentally, a passion for sustainability. They have also worked for and with some of the largest and most influential companies in South Africa.

Jonathon played an active part in one the first corporate environmental auditing programmes in South Africa (for Eskom in the early 1990s) and then went on to a corporate environmental role for AECI where he contributed to their environmental auditing, management system (EMS), policy and lobbying activities. At the same time, Nicola was implementing the first ISO 14001 certified environmental management system for Nissan South Africa, an international standard that they both were involved in developing.

Working for change from within provides valuable lessons.  As Jonathon notes, “Twenty years ago, at the time of the Rio Earth Summit, a few farsighted South African CEOs were engaging quite actively in understanding and addressing some of the profound dilemmas of sustainability; there are times when we wonder today whether things have moved on sufficiently since then”.

Following a few years in academia overseas and as a student of traditional African teachings respectively, Jonathon and Nicola moved to Cape Town to integrate their new perspectives, skills and vision for change. Incite was to be the expression of that vision.

The beginning of Incite

Conceived as a coalition of like-minded passionate people who see business as a key agent for change, Incite’s early associates had deep experience of working in business and were looking to shift the agenda. Over the years, the company has become a tight, highly leveraged organisation.

The questions Jonathon and Nicola asked five years ago are being answered definitively and positively:

• Jonathon chaired the global negotiations involved in developing ISO 26000 on social responsibility, the largest multi-stakeholder process of its kind in ISO’s history involving high level experts from more than 90 countries.
• He has recently been involved in developing guidance on Integrated Reporting that is impacting corporate reporting and performance metrics for all listed companies in South Africa and is also contributing to the work of the International Integrated Reporting Committee.
• By bringing the Carbon Disclosure Project to South Africa, Incite encourages companies to ask the right questions about climate change.
• Incite’s leading-edge thinking on agility and sustainability-related competencies has helped companies and practitioners to place sustainability where it belongs: at the heart of business strategy.

Sustainability is a movement. Its diverse members occupy corporate boardrooms, law courts, factories and sewing co-operatives in townships throughout South Africa. But the passion is shared. Nicola agrees: “In truth, the first five years has inspired a revolution in our own knowledge as much as anything. We are in awe of what organisations and people can do when they listen to their passion and work towards change.”