In search of the new Ithaca | Tilemachos Mavrakis | TEDxFiesole

Key Concepts

• New Sirens of 2025: Modern-day temptations that lure away from sustainability and ethical practices, emphasizing cost and discouraging DEI.
• ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance): Policies and practices related to sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and equality.
• DEI (Diversity, Inclusion, Equality): Principles aimed at ensuring fair representation and treatment for all individuals.
• Ethos/Ethica: A guiding spirit or character; moral principles.
• Hercules at the Crossroads: A classical allegory of choosing between vice/pleasure (Kakia) and virtue/effort (Areti).
• "KIO" (Japanese): Meaning "living and working together for the common good," representing a company's ethical philosophy.
• Truth as a Compass: The idea that genuine ethical action, not just data, should guide organizational decisions and communication.
• Journey vs. Destination: Sustainability and ethical practices are ongoing processes, not endpoints.

The Modern Tragedy: A Siren Call Away from Sustainability

The speaker begins by drawing a parallel between ancient Greek tragedies, rooted in her hometown of Thebes, and the current global dilemma. She identifies "new sirens" in 2025, who are advocating against sustainability by framing environmental sensitivity as expensive and urging the abandonment of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality (DEI) policies. This, she argues, signifies a loss of compass and ethical direction, leading the world astray.

Legislative and Corporate Pressures Against ESG

Recent months have seen significant legislative actions and external pressures that challenge ESG principles. The speaker mentions the "omnibus" from Christine Lagarde and letters from US embassies targeting European and US corporations, demanding the abolition of ESG and DEI policies. This raises a critical question: is the current dilemma truly a choice between "profits or environment" or "export versus equality"?

The Next Generation's Perspective

The speaker posits that the younger generation would likely reject the idea of sacrificing sustainability and DEI for short-term gains. She illustrates this by imagining a conversation with her daughters, where she would have to explain that "plastic is fantastic" and that diversity and equality are no longer priorities. She questions the feasibility of such a discussion, especially in the context of the European Union, which is inherently diverse and has women in leadership positions across its 27 nations.

A Real-World Example: Sustainability as a Business Model

In contrast to the prevailing pressures, the speaker highlights a client in Dubai, UAE, that has successfully integrated sustainability into its core business. This company produces "green steel," zero-emission, net-zero steel, a feat she notes as unique globally. This client demonstrates that sustainability can be an ethical and profitable business, benefiting the Emirates, its people, expatriates, employees, investors, and the visionary entrepreneur behind it. They chose to "zag" rather than "zig," opting for the right path over the easy one.

The Moral Path: Hercules and the Choice Between Vice and Virtue

To further illustrate the importance of choosing the right path, the speaker recounts the ancient Greek myth of Hercules at the crossroads. Hercules encountered Kakia (vice/pleasure) and Areti (virtue). Kakia offered a life of ease, wealth, and no pain, while Areti presented a rough, steep path that would lead to lasting remembrance. Hercules' choice of virtue is presented as the reason for his enduring legacy.

Personal Journey: The Ethical Choice in Career

The speaker shares a personal anecdote from her student days when she had to choose between two job offers. One was from a "Swiss glam super giant conglomerate" with offers in exotic locations, while the other was from a "humble Japanese camera brand" with assignments in more conservative European cities. Research revealed the Swiss company was featured in Time magazine as unethical, whereas the Japanese company, embodying "KIO" (living and working together for the common good), was building environmentally conscious facilities. This ethical foundation guided her career, demonstrating that "goodness magnetizes goodness."

Truth, Transparency, and Action in ESG Communication

As consultants, entrepreneurs, employees, and storytellers, the speaker emphasizes that goodness lies in truth. She cautions against superficial communication regarding sustainability, stating that storytelling can transform compliance into culture and obligation into opportunity. For ESG, the focus should not be solely on data but on transparency, action, and truth. The goal is to help organizations "do good and communicate it better," finding a new compass that points to truth, not just north.

Conclusion: The Journey of Ethica

The speaker concludes by reiterating that this new ethos is not a destination but a journey. Drawing inspiration from the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy's poem "Ithaca," she advocates for a long, adventurous, and wise journey. The true value lies in the process of striving for ethical practices and sustainability, step by step, every day.