What neuroscience reveals about collective leadership in the quest for Net Zero

We all need to join our efforts and skills to create a better world – for now and future generations. We need to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from human activities to reach our Net Zero target. Why is it so challenging, though, to drive this collective change?

The perspective of neuroscientists is helpful. In his recent book Die dunkle Seite des Gehirns (ed. The dark side of the brain) Prof. Stefan Kölsch explains how the subconscious-driven behaviour of humans has developed over an evolution of hundreds of thousands of years. This is impacted by recent history and childhood experience, too. Even though they evolved to take control, especially in life-threatening moments, survival mechanisms influence our behaviour more often than we imagine.

Unconsciously, the fear of losing the status quo can trigger rapid, emotional and illogical reactions. For too many people, our continuous exposure to this crisis hampers our perception of reality, blocks creativity and drives negative thinking.

How should we cope with such a truly “dark side” of our brains? Neuroscientists have demonstrated that, more than ever, we need greater empathy, reflection and intention in our daily lives.

Which leads us to the question: How can leaders improve their approach to leading the transition to Net Zero?

The World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Meetings in the New York City will bring together leaders from around the world who are passionate for positive change. In-person connections and shared experiences provide fertile ground for inspiration, meaningful learning, new ideas and fresh perspectives.

Passion, however, is not enough. Driving change may have real consequences, both personally and for one's organization. With that said, what are some systemic approaches to achieve greater impact with measured effort?

People, in fact, are the key factor of change management. In a time when many societies are living in “survival mode”, could we heed the lessons of what neuroscientists have discovered?

We cannot alter the workings of the human brain that nature has shaped over hundreds of thousands of years. We can, however, build collaborative foundations which gives people the confidence to embrace change with humanity and creativity.

The case of the green and digital twin transition which is currently underway serves as an illustration hereof. Step by step, inspirational leaders are transforming their organizations, aligning with key stakeholders, developing decarbonization plans, making public commitments, building new capabilities and encouraging initiatives at every organizational level. The “sweet spot” of the twin transition promises much more than commoditized operation excellence in the classical sense. It aims to enable operational readiness to handle disruptions through product, process and business model innovation.

In the context of the twin transition, another factor stands out – one that is inherently linked to Industry 4.0. and to the capacity boosting of an organization: automation and digitalization (OT/IT) technology. The World Economic Forum’s Lighthouse Operating System initiative noted that 64% of companies report they are still in the early stages of their digital factory transformation.

Sustainability leaders may not be OT/IT specialists, yet they are central to driving change. Modern production systems, however, remain highly resistant. Integrating equipment with digital systems is slow, data for reporting is difficult to capture, skilled programmers are scarce and empowering broader teams with information is overly complex. Hardware-software interdependencies make modernization cumbersome, while cybersecurity solutions remain unnecessarily complicated.

As neuroscientists explain, understanding the nature of our brains with their systemic components and functions is essential. By becoming more conscious in our behaviour, we can collaborate more effectively to achieve common goals. At the same time, we must evolve our thinking about manufacturing infrastructure, machines, equipment and their components. How do we address their human-like “immaturities,” such as stubbornness, communication issues, lack of growth mindset or wastefulness?

Having developed only in recent decades, industrial software is not only critical today but also holds the potential for even greater impact. From machine code to large-scale plant solutions on-premises or in the cloud, software “gives life,” “writes the brain,” and even “shapes the character” of production systems. In the context of the twin transition, we must view industrial software in a new light, rather than simply allocating generous budgets for every possible effort.

Here are three key principles of OT/IT software which can streamline our collective twin transition:

1. Empower people to deliver decarbonization plans by providing tools and strong user experience for real-time awareness, process adaptation, product creation, renewable generation, holistic energy management, innovation in efficiency and effective use of data for analysis, reporting and new technologies.

2. Support lean implementation of industrial solutions through flexible automation, robust data infrastructure, reduced engineering time and skills demand, agility from proof of concept to rollout, interdisciplinary scope and seamless integration into the digital ecosystem.

3. Build a future-oriented technology foundation by design, incorporating product and solution lifecycle management, interoperability, standardization, modularity, integrated OT/IT architectures and robust cybersecurity.

By applying neuroscience to software technology, we can collaborate across disciplines to deepen reflection, reframe perspectives and amplify systemic impact. Now more than ever, the world demands that we embrace change with determination, passion and creativity.