Australia’s wildfires are a reminder

In the last few months, 15.6 million acres have burned in one of Australia’s worst wildfires on record. The destructive impact on the environment and animal life is hard to fathom. An estimated 1 billion animals have been lost in what might translate into long-term, permanent damage to our planet’s biodiversity.

Whether it’s closer home or worlds away, natural disasters like these shake us to our core, push us to reach out and remind us of humanity, compassion and gratitude

In watching these devastating wildfires, I’m reminded of a few things:

Humanity is all about helping others

In the images of cyclists feeding water to burnt and thirsty koalas, there is something heart-warming that comes about. It’s the way people step up to help. It’s a reminder that humanity is alive, and that meaningful happiness is found in helping others.

Nature’s fury knows no bounds

Time and again, nature reminds us that nothing can stand in front of its fury. When it comes to business, it’s prudent to think of worst-case scenarios and have a crisis management plan ready. It may not be absolute. But it can save a lot of trouble as every decision during a crisis can have a huge impact on stakeholder value

Urgent action is needed to combat climate change

We are witnessing undeniable and unpredictable weather events due to climate change. It is a grave global challenge and each one of us needs to ask ourselves, are we taking it seriously? Each one of us needs to become active in saving our environment from further degradation. It is now beyond urgent. And businesses should take care of the environmental ecosystem so that we leave behind a cleaner planet to our future generations.

Reflecting often serves as a reminder of things we know but tend to forget. It helps us realign ourselves to our convictions.

Have you been reflecting on something in particular?