The role of a leader is always evolving and updating to suit the rapidly changing needs of our industry and the world around us. But what about the role of a leader when it comes to achieving net zero? How would a leader in the resources industry need to act today if we were to achieve our 2030 targets of 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions? We asked, “What if?” and explored some options.

1. What if…
it was 2030 and we reached 50%
reduction in global greenhouse
gas emissions?

2. Technologies that already exist could deliver about 60 percent of the emissions abatement
that will be needed.[1] Reaching our 2030 goals is not a technical issue.
It’s a leadership one.
If we did reach our 2030 targets, how would leaders in the resources
industry need to act today?
We explored a few options.

3. Firstly, will leadership really be that different in the next 10 years?
The work we do in the next decade will arguably be the most important of our lives. It will require
courage, leadership, and inspiration to overcome the obvious inertia. It will require leaders
stepping out of their comfort zone and charting a new path, while at the same time running a
tight business today. It’s safe to assume that leadership will have to evolve – fast – if we’re to
reach 2030 targets. But, by how much?
“Leadership (in 2030) will be based on a set of fundamental existing principles and ideas such
as vision and being able to execute on that vision, but that future leaders will need to build on
top of these things with a new arsenal of skills and mindsets.”[2]

4. PLAN
Reaching any kind of target – big or small – requires a strategic plan. Creating a plan alone
isn’t enough though. Leaders would need to not only create a plan to reach their 2030 targets
but also operationalise that plan into their organisation through the corporate culture, values
and purpose. The plan should highlight the necessity of an orderly transition and would most
likely focus on long term goals (with constant short term progress targets) and preparing their
workforce, without compromising the values and principles of the organisation.
The plan could include embracing technical innovation, bringing
stakeholders along for the journey (investing in the future rather
than a cost today), demand shifts, and reallocating
financial/capital structures, etc.

5. WALK THE WALK AND TALK THE TALK
To be a catalyst for future change and innovation, vision need to start at the top. For this transition
in GHG reduction to happen, leaders will need to make hard but fair choices. This hasn’t
always been easy in the past in the mining industry. Commodity businesses designed to
achieve efficiency, productivity, and low cost will have to be rewired. Leaders who are willing to
take risks and encourage others to do the same, be ethical role models and lead by example,
are more likely to start a movement.
Issues of the future will be solved by companies like DRA
and people like you and me. This will take courage to think
and act boldly.
John Holmes,
SVP - DRA Nexus

6. PLUG INTO THE PEOPLE
A leader’s role is to awaken the possibility in people. To do that, they would need to find the
unfulfilled potential in the people around them and inspire them to be their best selves every
day. A leader isn’t there to solve everything themselves, rather to create opportunities where
people can arrive at solutions and answers.[3] To reach 2030 targets, it will also be important
that a mindset is adopted throughout organisations where people are comfortable with volatility,
uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Creating a psychologically safe environment to play,
learn, fail and grow is critical to success.

7. WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?
// Incentivise reaching sustainability milestones and targets with employees and managers.
// Recognise there is a shared responsibility amongst leadership and management to
achieve sustainability targets.
// Create processes and systems to reinforce the realisation of the 2030 goals, in line with
values and principles.
The differentiating factor between organisations that
succeed and those that fail, is the quality of decisions
the management makes during the turbulent periods.
James Smith,
Interim CEO DRA

8. CONTRIBUTORS AND SOURCES
1 Innovating to net zero: An executive’s guide to climate technology
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainabili ty/our-insights/innovating-to-net-zero-an-execu
tives-guide-to-climate-technology
2 Morgan, J. (2020) The Future Leader: 9 Skills and Mindsets to Succeed in the Next Decade
3 The Essence of Leadership for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
https://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/generation-2030/the-es-sence-of-leadership-for-achieving-the-sustainable-de
velopment-goals/
2030 Purpose: Good business and a better future
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Docu-ments/About-Deloitte/gx-2030-purpose-report.pdf
James Smith, Interim Chief Executive Officer DRA
John Holmes, SVP DRA Nexus
John McGuire, Chief Innovation Officer DRA