The business sustainability It has been permeating companies in recent years. The truth is that incorporating sustainable measures seems to have an impact, not only on the image, but also on the income statement. There are studies that estimate that 17% of companies consider that its balance sheet has benefited from this type of “green” actions, while 22% believe that they will register this impact in the next five years.
According to GRAND experts, we have seen the words “sustainable”, “green”, “environmental”, repeated over and over again in work plans, strategic objectives and goals, both in the medium and long term. But, is it enough to include it in these approaches if it is not reflected in a real result? According to a study carried out by The Harris Poll for Google Cloud, 97% of Spanish executives plan to implement a sustainability strategy or already have one in place. However, 58% of global managers surveyed believe that their organization “exaggerates” these efforts.
In this sense, GRAND has compiled some of the signs that reveal when a sustainability strategy is failing:
Sustainable, yes, but half
The sustainability strategy of an organization must be planned in such a way that it involves all the departments and people of the company. Not following this criterion would be making a serious mistake that many companies fall into. In this way, it is essential that from the top manager to the last worker they are aligned to be able to draw up sustainable strategies that take into account everything from office supplies or the mobility of employees, to the products and services that are marketed.
Not measuring the impact
As is evident, the purposes of a successful sustainability plan must be ambitious, objective, aligned with the company’s values, measurable and achievable. Despite this, surprisingly, many organizations lack the knowledge or tools to understand the current performance of these strategies. To do this, organizations must choose how they are going to evaluate the success (or not) of their actions, and do so periodically.
‘Green-hushing’
Why don’t companies show the results of their sustainability initiatives? It is something obvious that clients, interest groups and the workers themselves are interested in knowing. Some companies hide behind the fact that the certifications are different depending on the country, which becomes the perfect excuse for not providing figures.
However, when there is no information to prove the performance of the actions, it can put you on warning: to what extent is the environmental concern of the company true? The lack of communication of these strategies or their results has been given a name, ‘green-hushing’, and above all, it is a sign that if it is not communicated, there is something to hide. For this reason, it is essential that conclusive data or figures are shared to demonstrate transparency and to know if the sustainable actions applied have had an effect.
Bypass the experts
We are all seeing how consulting and advisory services grow in all areas. Sustainability should not be less. Having an expert in this field is key to identifying the specific needs of the organization to reduce its impact on the environment. Few companies are aware that making certain mistakes could cause delays, cost overruns and damage the company’s credibility. However, this expert can also be internal, so that he is the leader the company needs to lead these strategies and ensure compliance.
Assume that your employees know about sustainability
Having knowledge of sustainability goes beyond riding a bicycle or knowing how to recycle office paper. If we want all employees to share values and sustainable behaviors, and execute them at work, we must provide them with the appropriate training, whether through courses, talks or programs. This is the only way for them to acquire a conscious mindset that allows them to understand how to operate more sustainably in the exercise of their tasks and responsibilities.
Fall into the ‘greenwashing’
This marketing practice is the sin that many organizations end up falling into. It is about not implementing sustainability from a strategic point of view, but as a promotional tool. In this way, it is essential to base communication on real facts that support it and demonstrate the company’s commitment to the environment. Otherwise, there is a reputational risk that is difficult to recover in the short term.
Skip the “trial and error”
The objective of testing strategies is none other than to minimize risk. It is advisable to test sustainability plans through small-scale projects. This type of pilot plan allows, when the costs and risks are low, to err and to be able to rectify the project without major setbacks.
“It is evident that sustainability has become a strategic axis in companies due to the positive impact it has among its target audience and on the economic results themselves. However, most organizations are guilty of wanting to cover too much and not execute really effective actions in this matter. For this reason, at GRAND we provide solutions, through strategic design, as in our recent campaign for Nippon Sanso Holdings, with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint and the negative impact of the industry on the planet”says Enrique Grandía, CEO of GRAND.
