Huffington Magazine Issue 72 | Page 38

STUART C. WILSON/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE B TEAM Voices L IAN GOLDIN HUFFINGTON 10.27.13 It’s Time for Business to Focus on the Long-Term AST WEEK, when we saw the effects of political gridlock writ large in U.S. politics, the report Now for the Long Term felt well-timed in its strong call for leaders in politics, business and civil society to include longrange thinking and planning into the mix. The immediate pressures of today cannot be ignored but neither can the need to create a sustainable future; not least if we want to leave a positive legacy. ¶ The danger of leaving a damaging legacy is real. The growing financial debt, rising carbon emissions, dwindling natural resources and the escalating burden of chronic disease all have the potential to leave unsolvable problems for the next generation if we fail to act on the scientific bases that show clearly the difficulties we are storing up. The Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations has brought From left to right: Mo Ibrahim, Kathy Calvin, Jochen Zeitz, John Elkington, Richard Branson, Shari Arison and Strive Masiyiwa launch The B Team in June 2013 in London, England.