Anyone who is interested in sustainability, and based in China, will attest to the fact that there are a lot of events dedicated to the topics at hand.  Green Drinks, Cleantech conferences, and the like are occurring on a near weekly basis in Beijing and Shanghai, and one might be fooled into thinking that through these events change was happening.

The problem is, as I recently found out, was that while many in China are concerned, many in China are passionate, and many in China are working hard to develop solutions, few have spent the time to develop the required local capacity.  That through many of these events, and sidebar conversations, “we” are often foreign, and “we” need to begin developing the ame passion, spirit, and sense of empowerment beyond the current population.

IT was a topic that a good friend of mine, a well known Green celebrity, discussed over email following a recent event.  A thread I hope readers will consider, and add their 2 cents to.

Green Warrior:
In answer to your question about: is there anyone interested / committed to this. I wanted to say: everyone in this room! But, i need to keep myself from talking too much (at the events).

Rich:
Honestly, while I know you care, and there were clearly others… it was odd that no one mentioned how they are building capacity locally. Something I would like to explore actually, and have a post in mind. Something we should discuss as you build.

Green Warrior:
I’m not worried about the contractors. They are a dime a dozen, aren’t syndicated and don’t have worker’s compensation… all the ingredients that make for the most conservative profession in the world. They’ll follow once we see a bit of leadership from developers and designers.

If the leadership comes from the designers… there are other critical issues: mainly developing the tools to get these ideas implemented while not being the decision maker: blackmail, greenmail… it’s all good.

Rich:
Actually, I meant build capacity within ttheir/ your own firms. It was clear that the contractors were not view as a group to build capacity through (A mistake in my view), but more importantly I would like to have seen someone discuss how they are training their own employees in these ideas.

Sure – they are clueless (contractors/ new employees) – but is that their fault? Or the fault of those that hire them?

Green Warrior:
Now that is a good point.

I know what we’re doing with our staff… and i random the guess that i know what others are doing with their staff.

Rich:
Actually – that was the point that I was trying to make at the event. That… all the bosses were in the room, but where was their local staff?

Lily made a reference that it was too time consuming to train up staff, but why not work together as a group to build a plan to do so that benefits everyone. Perhaps even go so far as to find a way to get each other to agree in writing not to poach staff once they are trained up?

Green Warrior:
I hear you.

In my office i found that training my staff was a waste of time. Then i figured out what i needed to do was build awareness… and then they started training themselves.

We’re working on it, we’re working on it…

In response to this, and to several other experiences, I am now beginning to compile a piece on building local capacity, but I would like to also include YOU the readers in this conversation… and I will start off with two easy questions:

How long can we as foreigners go on as we are without building long term local capacity?

What are the best ways, both effective and long term, to developing capacity staff within foreign firms?