The trouble with environmental sustainability targets is that they are decided in the board room but can only be made a reality by functional and operational teams.
‘Sustainability mature’ organisations back their targets up with a well thought through strategy that touches every part of the business. But many organisations don’t. And those organisations that do have a robust and clear strategy still face the challenge of how to ensure everyone really understands what that means for the work that they do.
In the conversations we have with senior sustainability leaders it’s clear that taking people from ‘recycling coffee cups’ to ensuring the ‘long-term success’ of our business, requires a big shift in mindset for everyone. From the board to the executive team, to procurement to finance, to HR to operational colleagues they all need to be given the opportunity to help change their thinking.
What we know from the world of safety is that shifting mindset takes time, effort, energy and most importantly conversations that involve everyone in taking responsibility. If organisations want to ensure that environmental sustainability underpins everything they do, every decision they make, every action they take, simply broadcasting targets won’t cut it.