Navigating Through The Fog - Loren Witkin

A friend asked me the other day about my opinion on tax reforms and which direction I thought that Feds should take.  I responded that the issue of importance to me wasn't if taxes would remain the same, be raised, or even lowered (a guy can hope, right); what was at issue was the need for predictability.  As the president of an employee-owned business, and as an environmental, health, safety and sustainability consultant that clients rely for my advice, it is difficult to create a plan or provide sound advice when the target continues to move.

It doesn't matter if it is health care, taxes, interest rates, or environmental regulations/incentives, all of which are in flux right now. Business leaders need to be able to assess the situation, formulate a game plan, and implement their plans without hesitation and with as much clarity as is possible.  Drastic reforms in health care, a rise in interest rates, and increased regulations, while maybe not preferable, are all manageable when we all know what we are facing and what we have to take into account.

Unfortunately, there is a tremendous amount of "fog" in all of the above right now and clarity does not seem to be on the horizon due to a real or perceived lack of political leadership, partisan fighting, and issues (sovereign debt, Iran, etc.) beyond our control.  Navigating a course through the fog is difficult, but we have no choice to chart some course.

My advice to clients when it comes to managing their environmental, health and safety risks, and implementing their sustainability programs (and business in general) during these uncertain times, is to develop as reasonable of a plan as you can, and follow that course with conviction.  While others are waiting on the sidelines or in safe harbors, take advantage of the fog,  stand out, and lead.  Continue implementing your sustainability programs as others are retracting theirs, garner attention for these projects while no one else is, purchase and remediate brownfields when real estate and clean-up costs are at rock-bottom, and enhance your corporate governance  image with the public and your employees, and minimize liabilities by re-affirming your commitment to your environmental, health and safety programs.  It's just as easy to be recognized right now for doing the right thing as it is the wrong thing as everyone is standing still waiting for the fog to clear.