In a world dominated by the pursuit of higher short-term credit, it is not common to hear an appeal to the moderation of companies. That is why the intervention of brand and sustainability consultant Sirikul Laukaikul brought fresh air to the second edition of Sustainable Brands Buenos Aires, the conference about sustainability and brands that was held September 1-2 at La Rural with more than 70 speakers and 1,200 attendees (see her presentation from SB ’15 San Diego). After the conference, Laukaikul further explained the idea of the “sufficiency economy,” based on “take the necessary and say this is enough,” to the magazine, Noticias de la Semana.
What is the Sufficiency Economy?
It is the economy of moderation. Problems come because we never have enough; we always want more and more. When you don´t have enough, you reach a state of greed, and greed leads to anger, hate, ignorance, and a lot of bad things. All of the problems in the world come from the lack of control of greed. It is not good for companies and people; sooner or later, bad actions lead to bad results, also in companies. We can think of it as bad karma. If we could learn, people and business, to say "I have enough," we could begin to share, to collaborate, to do better.
Where does this idea come from?
The heart of this idea comes from Buddhism, which is based on moderation. And restraint means the middle, not extremes, in any case. It doesn't mean it has to be symmetric, because my moderation is not always the same as your moderation.
The king of Thailand came up with the idea that we can reach the point of moderation. He called it the sufficiency economy. It rests on three principals and two conditions. To identify your moderation the first principal is: you have to know yourself, know your strengths, your values, your beliefs. Second principal: Everything has to be rational; you have to use your logic for your actions and not do things just because your friends do them. Everything has to have significance. The third principal is about the future: We are not just here for today. We have to create autoimmunity, protection, not overuse things; manage risks that will [affect] the future.
These three principals walk on two conditions. The first is about knowledge, which is essential; we have to make the correct decisions. The second condition is to use knowledge with good ethics and heart. You decide your moderation.
What if my moderation is very different from the moderation of a large company?
It's not the point! If you know your moderation, that is enough. It´s not a matter of pointing to others. Why do you have to control other people? Learn to control yourself! You can change, and with this change you can teach your friends and students. You do not have to wait for other people to be moderate. They have their own reasons.
This idea of Buddhist moderation in business — are you the first to highlight it?
No, this philosophy is from the king of Thailand, I just learnt from him. I used to work for a firm of a global conglomerate. Large companies are full of people saying, "I cannot sleep, I have to reach a goal, my boss will do this and that, and I cannot be my own boss." All that was in my mind was money, it was all about money. I felt I was losing balance in my life, so I started to study the philosophy of my king and try to understand the idea of moderation. I only followed his model — three principals and two conditions. I began to know myself; I started to think, how much money do I need? And calculate the path of my life according to these principles. I left my job in the big corporation and started working as a freelance consultant. As I know me and all I have to spend, I know how much I have to win, and then I can handle this — I'm just rational. I used to think that when I wanted to buy something, I bought it if I had the money, but now I think I have to be moderate. It doesn't mean I have to sacrifice. I feel I am fashionable, I like to get dressed up but, do I have to buy something in every color? To be fashionable with one article should be enough. I also think in the future: If I buy something, I have to be sure I have enough money to buy it without using my savings.
How do you take this idea to businesspeople?
I used to work with banks, but it is important to start with the small things. I have the freedom to choose clients, because I don´t belong to a big corporation where you are forced to work with companies you don´t like. I choose clients that carry out their business with a good heart. Every time a new client comes to me, I talk with them to understand if we share the same concepts — if we do, we start working together. Marketing can serve to spread these ideas and create responsible and conscientious behavior.
How can this model, which seems so far from the spirit of business, scale?
Not everyone believes in being good or sharing. But everyone can have a good heart; sometimes that heart does not find the way. Not all the people gathered here understand the truth about sustainability, just a few. But a small group of people can change the world. So you begin with them. I am happy to be working with a few of them; this can create a small difference in society. I think when people see this change; this can grow like a snowball.
What feedback you receive from entrepreneurs?
Some love the proposal and agree with it. Others think "this is too abstract, this is for dreamers." It depends on each one; those who believe in this can make a difference. You got to believe in you, believe in your power, you got the power to change things. It does not have to be big; it is enough to believe we can do better.
This post first appeared in Noticias de la Semana on September 9, 2015. Translated from the Spanish by Melina Pangare.