Wisdom Over ROI in a Changing World

In boardrooms everywhere, the conversation is dominated by ROI, the so what? But I want to ask a different question: What are we truly investing in? In our rush for profit we are leaving behind the very foundation of business and life: nature.

Because business does not exist in a vacuum. Supply and demand, goods and services, the connections across communities and ecosystems-they all flow from nature.

According to the US $44 trillion of economic value-over half of global GDP-is moderately or highly dependent on natural assets and ecosystem services. 

Transitioning into the world of corporate leadership coaching. I believed high achievers and driven professionals would instinctively see that time is of the essence as much as profit. But what I found was the opposite: silos, fractured communication, weak emotional intelligence (EQ), little adaptability (AQ), and soon I realised we now need social intelligence (SQ) too.

Leadership without wisdom, without connection to nature, without clarity or purpose-that is a recipe for collapse.

The strongest leaders I know are wise. They understand natural capital, cyclical systems, and the role of energy and ecosystem in business.

Think of the film Avatar the Na’vi protect their natural world because they understand its value; by contrast, the technologically advanced invade, exploit and destroy. In reality, that story is ours.

Indigenous approaches show us that community, nature, and purpose belong together. They knew and still know-that living well means living within the rhythm of the earth, not over it. That kind of thinking isn’t nostalgic-it’s essential.

Now is the time to lead intentionally. To ask-why are we driving this change? What legacy are we building? Sustainability the word in itself has lost any impact...fundamentally reframing our lifestyle and every conscious choice we make: from a coffee supplier, to a clothing line, to the boardroom strategy.

Without nature, our supply chains collapse, our businesses fail, our communities suffer. As one review put it: “Nature loss will cost UK GDP almost 5 % this decade if businesses don’t act.” Guardian.

So let’s shift the narrative away from “What’s my ROI?” to “What’s my legacy? What am I stewarding?” This isn’t just about business models-it’s about life cycles. And to lead well, we must reconnect-with nature, with community, with our own purpose.

Key facts at a glance:

• 55 % of global GDP (approx. US $44 trillion) now has moderate to high dependency on nature. 

• 72 % of companies in the euro area are highly dependent on at least one ecosystem service-rising nature-risk across supply chains. 

• Only 36 % of companies disclosed emissions for their largest purchase category, despite that category often contributing the largest share of emissions. 

Final thought:

Wisdom over ROI. Meaning over margin. Nature-based solutions over short-term fixes. Because the greatest return we’ll ever make isn’t in the ledger; it’s in the world we leave behind.