We’re all human.

And a human trait that concerns me is a tendency for some who are on a CSR/sustainability/ethical mission to give themselves a ‘pass’ when it comes to their own behaviour. Cobblers being the worst shod and all that.

Some examples:

• A local waste activist who could be stunningly rude to those who didn’t/couldn’t hit zero waste right here, right now – but who would drive home in a large SUV.
• The fact that gender pay differentials in the CSR sector are bigger than those outside.
• Until very recently (the last couple of days, unless I’m mistaken), Guardian Sustainable Business was less than transparent about its funders.
• The debacle at the Co-operative Bank.

I’m nervous about preaching this myself in case someone unearths some enormous hypocrisy on my part (we’re all human), but we should never be blinkered by our mission. Doing good at one thing doesn’t trade-off against doing wrong elsewhere. We must meet – and surpass – the standards we expect of others.