Forging a Sustainable Future: Charlene Lake

Few companies have the resources to make significant strides in the sustainability movement, but AT&T stands among the few who have realized and surpassed their potential. With resources that dwarf other leaders in the frontier, AT&T can leverage its services and substantial capital towards sustainable investments. But gathering resources is just half the battle; that’s where visionary Charlene Lake comes in.

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For over a decade, Lake has served as AT&T’s guide in its effort to tackle the pressing challenges of our modern era. As Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, as well as Chair of the AT&T Foundation, she has excelled as a visionary with a vested interest in sustainability.

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Lake has stated her commitment to three core areas: the environmental, economic, and social.

Environmental Initiatives

Lake led AT&T’s environmental initiative, which set a goal to attain carbon-neutral emissions across global operations by 2035. This effort made AT&T the largest purchaser of renewable energy among corporations in the US, becoming a leader in the sustainability movement and taking an active role in encouraging more environmentally friendly practices.

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Not only is this initiative positive for the public, but instrumental to meeting the demands and concerns of stakeholders and consumers. As climate change becomes a major concern among corporations, governments, and communities, sustainable practices will ensure the optimum conditions for life, and business, in the future.

Lake has stated her commitment to three core areas: the environmental, economic, and social.

Economic Initiatives

AT&T has made sustainable economic growth and stability an imperative issue. Lake has stated that economic empowerment, particularly through connected learning and the expansion of economic opportunities, is essential to their sustainability plan. This has manifested in employee-led volunteer drives and donations directed to their communities, among other endeavors.

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Exemplifying these ideas, Lake has committed financial backing to encourage upward mobility through work readiness programs nationwide. Students also benefit from AT&T’s economic initiatives as they receive funding for their education as well.

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Lake has stated that these economic initiatives are designed to lend support to their communities and contribute to their development. This ensures a fair distribution of opportunities and stronger communities that can grow alongside AT&T and contribute more advanced training and skills to their company, as well as more financially liberated consumers.

Social Initiatives

One of Lake’s primary tasks is bridging the difference between business objectives and social needs. In our modern environment, there are a variety of movements directed towards uplifting underprivileged social groups. AT&T has made efforts to lend their support to these movements and encourage their success. This secures a more diverse community in the future, which may contribute to more opportunities for innovation and growth.

Connecting Sustainable Initiatives with Business Success

Professionals have often struggled to connect these initiatives with success, a likely reason why these efforts are unique to so few. However, this is where Lake’s talents are seen. Viewing the big picture and how different aspects of the world influence each other, she has become keenly aware of the interconnectedness of sustainability and business success.

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As Lake has stated, “a well-functioning society is fundamental to our business.” This is why her mission was to integrate purpose into all levels of AT&T’s operations; a strong community leads to strong employees and strong businesses.

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Historically, corporations have shown their commitment through financial support. This would amount to public donations that did little to invoke real change. However, AT&T’s model has been to become the leaders of change themselves. This entails changing their operations and leveraging their technologies and other resources to help confront these issues head on.

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Yet, it is undeniably a more compelling effort to stakeholders, employees, and consumers.

An Active Voice

Most corporations are inclined to hold a passive voice when it comes to sustainability. From a logical, intuitive position, it is often assumed that these initiatives have little to do with their product or operations. In this instance, a telecommunications company may have a limited interest in environmental conservation or the upward mobility of their employees’ communities.

However, the work of Charlene Lake shows the mutually beneficial relationship between any organization and their participants. An active voice goes further, not only in its positive effects but its long-term benefits into the future as well.

Business Takeaways

• Develop a core focus that trains your efforts into fundamental areas where you can propose initiatives.
• Leverage all of the resources at your disposal; don’t rely solely on financially backing these issues alone.
• Keep an active voice and focus on integrating initiatives into your operations; avoid passive acts with little effect.