Every BAM company is an environmental company. They are having an impact on the environment and the environment is having an impact on them. – MarK Polet 

    This month we are delighted to share a series on BAM and Creation Care on The BAM Review. While COP28 is focused on the crucial issue of climate in UAE right now, we know that creation care is much broader and that it’s God’s idea! As Christians in business, with a missional intention, we have a unique opportunity to be leaders creating positive environmental impact through enterprise. In this post, Mark and Anugraha explore how we are doing. 

By Anugraha Gaikwad with Mark Polet

    It takes courage to start a business, especially in a new land among new people and culture. It takes even more courage to keep going and not pull down the shutter amidst the adversities and challenges. One does not necessarily have to hold a degree in business management or international relationships to start a business when the Lord asks you to. One must simply have a heart of compassion and humility and take the first steps. 

How are you doing?

    Many of you are already doing that all over God’s good earth. Some of you are in areas prone to flash floods and landslides, while others are in areas stressed with depleting water levels, heavy smog, or poor soils. Some of you may lack the resources, institutions, or facilities to completely process your waste, while some may find it too expensive to change to more environmentally sustainable ways. So, how are you doing? In this blog, we will talk about the BAM journey to care for God’s creation, people and planet. We hope to provide some inspiration for those who are looking for ways to care for the garden God created, for us to work and tend.

    In January 2020, BAM practitioners were polled about their environmental practices and the challenges therein. In the poll, 72% BAMers state that environmental stewardship is part of their business. However, a considerable 73% of the respondents have been unable to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) in their organisation. Where are you in your journey of environmental stewardship and what support do you need? 

Loving others and caring for creation

    The most successful businesses are those that fail a lot, as they keep trying something new that hasn’t been done before. Be the kind of business that does what others won’t and can’t do.  If your neighbours face food and nutritional insecurity or lack clean drinking water, you could be the company to step into the gap. That is exactly what will make your organisation distinguished and sought after in the marketplace! It will not only create opportunities to care for the resources the Lord has blessed you with around your company, but will also make an impact on the people you work with by giving them dignity in the work they do and will be an opportunity to act out the love of our Father for your neighbours.
 

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” – John 13:35

    A BAM company in Southeast Asia is doing just that. The founder, burdened with love for God’s people and the unsustainable waste generated in the city, started an environmental and social impact initiative to deal with the issue of waste and unemployment among refugees and indigenous people groups. Today, the company is thriving with artisans from various indigenous groups and refugees from different countries that make exquisite art out of sustainable and biodegradable material, and earn a fair wage that allows their families quality health and education services. The company has also earned a fair trade certification by the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and is the first of its kind in the whole country!

    The BAM Global team seeks to encourage all Christian businesses to equally consider the four bottom lines, i.e., social, financial, environmental and spiritual. The BAM and Creation Care series, available on the BAM Global website, consists of four papers that focus on: suggestions from men and women in the Christian environmental field on what a God-honouring business can do to be a good creation care steward; examples of other BAM companies in their endeavour to accomplish all four bottom lines; and the challenges and hope that BAM companies carry to meet the demand to provide clean air, clean water, clean food and energy to the unreached people groups.

Practical help for BAM practitioners

    Through the work of the BAM Creation Care series we recognised that business as mission practitioners face challenges, they are often doing business in underserved places, amongst employees, customers or communities that are neglected by others. Historically they have lacked capacity and resources to care for creation as they would hope to. The desire to develop and implement fruitful environmental management practices has been expressed by BAM practitioners, but the practical know-how has been lacking. The final paper in the series is therefore a response to this challenge. It shares helpful resources to help BAM practitioners develop effective Environmental Management Systems and become better environmental stewards through their companies. 

    The authors hope to consolidate the series of four papers into a concise article that highlights the real struggles and make simple suggestions for companies from varied industries, starting small. We would love to hear from you as we put this compendium together.

Asking the Father

    We need innovative entrepreneurship from BAM to heal the people and the land. Ask the Father about His plans for His business in the next year. The first source to turn to is the Holy Spirit. He continues to inspire and renew us every day as we walk in obedience. Then, will He not also inspire and refresh us, with creative ways to tend and keep His garden? How is the Spirit of our Father inspiring you to partake in His restorative work?

    There is also a need of more members of the body of Christ to work together in the BAM Creation Care team. The hands, feet, eyes and ears of Christs’ body, who are already doing His work in the world, and will passionately stir others to care for God’s beautiful garden through their business. Come, pray and work with us for God to use His companies to heal the people and the land.