33 SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production – Evolve

Group Reflection

This critical reflection provides insight into the group experience of the AIM2Flourish assignment. First, we introduce Evolve Builders Group Inc. and briefly summarize the firm’s operations and mission. Next, we reflect as a group on the experience of completing the AIM2Flourish assignments. We address both our key insights from the interview, as well as the important skills that we gained from completing this assignment. We also address the challenges inherent to completing an international group project.

Subsequently, all our group members provided a short reflection. This allows for unique individual experiences to be heard alongside our group’s collective experience and understanding. Our group represents very diverse backgrounds: both due to our nationality, education, intersectional identities, and the programs that we are studying. Understanding all our group members’ individual experiences helps to understand the cumulative group experience.

Finally, this critical reflection ends with a conclusion. This summarizes the key points mentioned throughout the paper: our experience in the assignment, our group dynamic, and our learnings from the assignment. We finish by adding recommendations to increase the already formidable level of corporate social responsibility demonstrated by our client, Evolve Builder Group Inc.

Evolve Builders Group Inc. is an Ontario-based construction company focusing on climate-friendly and environmental construction. Evolve Builders Inc. is an example of a business that truly cares about all three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental (United Nations, 2023). Through interviewing Ben Polley, we learned that sustainability was the reason Polley created the company, and is the driving force behind all operations. Evolve Builders Inc. meets multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs) including “Decent work and economic growth” (SDG # 8), “Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure” (SDG #9), “Sustainable cities and communities” (SDG #11), “Responsible Consumption and Production” (SDG #12), and “Climate Action” (SDG #13) (United Nations, 2023).

As a global group project, this process was both challenging and very rewarding. The opportunity to meet with people from three different continents is very rare. Beyond simply completing the assignment, we learned the transferable skills of cross-cultural communication, scheduling between time zones, and using a global approach to answer the questions. While organizing meetings across time zones was difficult, the logistical challenges were worth the extra knowledge gained.

One concept that stood out to our group during our interview with Ben Polley was that overall there is a lack of knowledge and passion regarding sustainability in the construction industry. Polley emphasized how he is willing and able to teach others how to run a sustainable construction company like his, and even stated that he was comfortable teaching individuals to become his competition (B. Polley, personal communication, October 25 2023). He further explained that society as a whole would benefit from him creating competition, even if that means his company may experience a decrease in sales. Polley made it evident that there is room for this market to expand but there is a lack of businesses attempting to make that happen. Our group understood that this meant there is a lack of urgency for businesses to have a reason to delve into this industry. This could be due to a lack of policies encouraging sustainable construction; additionally, consumers continuing to purchase from unsustainable businesses teaches those businesses that it is ok to continue operating with no changes being made.
This market offers a lot of room to grow, yet businesses are refusing to take the opportunity to create a change for the greater good. Because of this, our group experienced a sense of disappointment. We are feeling this way because we recognize that change needs to be made one way or another, but if it is struggling to happen on a scale as small as the one Polley was referring to, it is hard to think of how this change can be made globally. Within a class lecture at the University of Guelph, we discussed how sustainable change can be made and whether it should be done voluntarily or made mandatory for firms to comply (Hoong, 2023). When speaking about this issue specifically in the construction industry, this same concept can be applied as we discuss if firms should be coerced into change or have the option to do so voluntarily. After the interview, it, unfortunately, seems as though the only answer to this question is to use coercion, as firms currently have a mentor in a market with an opportunity for large growth but are refusing to take it.

With further reflection, we recognized that we, like Polley’s typical customers, lack knowledge on sustainable building practices; we also wouldn’t know how to move forward with purchasing from this company. For example, we lack the knowledge to know what questions to ask the company, what products to purchase, and if we are being charged an adequate amount for the products and services they are providing us. This taught us that other consumers may feel the same way and this could explain why there is not a large climate-conscious construction market. A lack of information reduces the likelihood of spending money on products or services to make changes for the greater good. Governments globally should be providing this information to society as a whole to not only encourage sustainable construction markets to expand but also to simply inform the public about changes that can be made. In doing so, people would have an understanding of what they could work towards if they are passionate about making change. Ultimately, if governments globally increased this knowledge it would reduce the factors that make consumers hesitate to purchase from firms acting ethically.

As consumers, this story will certainly impact the way we act. We now have a deeper understanding of how consumers’ purchasing decisions impact what businesses succeed in the market. After interviewing Polley and seeing how passionate his business is about acting ethically, businesses such as his are the only ones we would like to support going forward if we are financially able to do so. We would much rather see a business like Evolve Builders Group Inc. succeed than we would a typical construction company as Polleys is creating effective change for the greater good, acting selflessly and not just profit-oriented. To see improved communities, employee retention, and reduced climate change these are the businesses that we each need to be putting an effort into to support. As business people, we will take what we’ve learnt as a consumer and apply that to the larger financial and partnership decisions we may need to make while employed by a firm in the future.

Recommendations

Our group struggled to find recommendations, as Evolve Builders Inc. already is an incredible role model of responsible management and CSR strategy. However, one thing about Evolve Builders Group Inc. stood out to our group. Polley shared with us (B. Polley, personal communication, October 25 2023) that his company does not engage in any marketing of any sort. He further explained that this is due to the fact that the climate-conscious construction market is so niche, so if customers are looking for his products or services they will find them quickly and find the company, rather than the company finding them (B. Polley, personal communication, October 25 2023).

With this information, our group believes that if Evolve Builders Group Inc. wanted to grow their business or the climate-conscious construction industry as a whole, Polley could implement a marketing strategy. This would increase overall consumer awareness of the industry, as well as the specific sustainable products and services Polley offers. While the company may not have the capacity to handle the increase in customers due to the marketing, Polley has explained that he is willing to train individuals on how to run a company like his own to become his competition. By marketing to increase the customer base and training new individuals to expand the market, sustainable construction as a whole in Polleys operating area may increase, ultimately, making an effective change to reduce climate change.

To conclude, our group had a net positive experience with this assignment. Although the international aspect added challenges beyond a typical group project, this experience was also very exciting and rewarding. We all learned a lot about the role of business in social good, and we are now inspired to hold this knowledge going forward in our education and careers. Evolve Builders Inc. is a business that exemplifies best practices of corporate social responsibility and takes sustainability seriously. The interview provided an experience for our group to gain first-hand knowledge and inspired us all.

Individual Reflections

Miguel: Reflecting on the interview with Ben Polley, the founder of Evolve Builders Group Inc. I am fascinated by the profound impact the company has had on both the environment and society. The commitment to sustainable and climate-conscious construction goes beyond a business strategy, it shows a passion for social responsibility and welfare in Ontario. From a learning perspective, I have gained learnings into the power of shaping a business’s mission. Polley’s childhood in the countryside, coupled with a tragic house fire, influenced his deep connection to nature and his interest in sustainable architecture. This underscores the importance of personal values and experiences in driving innovation and makes me reflect about how we experience changes, our mindsets, and our purposes.
In terms of my reaction to the interview, I would commend Polley’s approach to business as a force for social good. His willingness to share knowledge and train others in the industry demonstrates a commitment to industry growth rather than just personal business growth. This delighted me a lot because most entrepreneurs look for their personal interests but Polley is not like others and has concerns for our planet and for social well-being. Then tackling the group work experience, I have to say this kind of project feels extremely beneficial to be able to engage with people and improve teamwork skills. They gave us a chance to work with people from around the world and it was an awesome experience. Finally, I want to add that I enjoy working with my teammates Page, Kaia, Victor, and Marco and especially the ones from abroad. It was really nice to meet them.

Page: This group project was a great experience to connect with students internationally while expanding my knowledge of how businesses can implement sustainable initiatives within their operations. Connecting with students in different countries added an element of excitement to the assignment, increasing my motivation to complete tasks and build relationships with group members. Being a member of this virtual team was challenging at some points as we navigated setting meeting times across three different time zones, all while we each had to balance other class assignments and personal commitments. There were also a few communication difficulties throughout the semester because when we planned meetings there would often be a response delay between all members due to the time differences. This created confusion at some points as we attempted to complete assignments with upcoming deadlines.
However, while at some points challenging, the diversity within this group allowed us to perceive the project in various ways. Throughout the interview with Polley, our varying backgrounds brought forth diversified questions in response to what Polley shared with us as we each grasped his answers differently. This allowed our interview to go more into depth with each question asked and we collectively developed an enhanced understanding of how and why Polley operates Evolve Builders Group Inc.

Kaia: This assignment was eye-opening about the role of business and social good. As an environmental governance major, I continuously learn about the negative role of corporations in the climate crisis. I am quite cynical of the impact of the for-profit sector, as profit is routinely prioritized over the environment. However, I was surprised and inspired by the interview with Ben Polley. The way that Evolve Builders Inc. operates subverts many assumptions about how businesses should run, and the role of business. For example, Polley trains people to “become his competition”, which goes against my preconceived notions about competition in the marketplace. Moreover, Polley explained that the company does not operate to maximize all possible profit. Instead, the motivations for the company are to increase awareness of sustainable construction and create strong local economies. This prioritization of their mission over extreme profits inspires me and makes me realize that the role of business for social good depends on the integrity and passion of the founders.
The COIL assignment structure itself presented challenges in terms of coordinating between different time zones. Although this could be frustrating at times, this is a very rare opportunity that I am grateful to have experienced. International collaboration skills will be an asset in my future career, as I hope to go into environmental policy. Navigating challenges due to cross cultural communication in such a positive environment allowed me to learn in a safe and beneficial manner.

Marco: Overall, this project has been a fantastic experience. Working on this project provided me with a unique opportunity to gain insights into sustainable business practices. This experience has heightened my awareness of the importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how businesses play a crucial role in contributing to them. Hearing Polley discuss why he went into this industry, and discussing the other potential business interviewees who are also trying to make a difference has made me feel better about how many entrepreneurs globally are trying to implement effective change. Ultimately, this project has not only expanded my knowledge but has also underscored the significance of global collaboration and sustainable practices in the business world. Being in a group with students from multiple countries provided valuable insights into how businesses can implement sustainable practices. Despite the difficulties experienced with time differences, the diversity within our group proved to be a strength. Our varied backgrounds brought different perspectives to the project, and collaboration enhanced discussions.