Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword but a necessity for businesses aiming for long-term success. While large organizations can hire dedicated sustainability professionals and teams of consultants, small- and medium-sized enterprises often must chart their own path, making sustainability efforts pay for themselves while relying on leaders who are often already stretched thin with other responsibilities.
Launching a sustainability initiative can seem daunting for these smaller companies, but following a structured, five-step approach can help them integrate sustainability effectively into their existing operations.
Step 1: Conduct a realistic assessment
Before accepting the lead on your organization’s sustainability initiative, conduct a realistic assessment to clarify leadership’s goals and expectations. Understand motivations, set achievable expectations, and ensure the initiative aligns with your organization’s capabilities and strategic goals.
A realistic assessment aligns sustainability efforts with business objectives, ensuring the initiative is ambitious yet practical and feasible. It sets the stage for a successful journey, backed by
organizational commitment and resources. Leading a sustainability initiative can be risky if the organization isn’t genuinely committed. If the initiative is perceived as superficial and doesn’t bring real improvements, it could harm your career. Success depends on genuine dedication to change. If the initiative lacks support from top management or is viewed as mere marketing, it will likely fail to achieve meaningful improvements.
Step 2: Seek education
Education is a foundational step for launching a successful sustainability initiative. By understanding best practices, innovative solutions, and potential pitfalls, you can avoid common mistakes and leverage proven strategies.
Attend workshops and conferences, utilize online resources, and study case studies of similar companies. Joining industry-specific committees like ISSA’s Sustainability Committee can also provide access to specialized resources, peer support, and ongoing learning opportunities.
Step 3: Assemble a team
A successful sustainability initiative requires a committed and diverse team. This team will drive the initiative forward, ensuring that all aspects of the organization are involved and that the efforts
are comprehensive and effective.
Form a cross-functional team by ensuring it includes critical players in operations and accounts payable. They will be essential for gathering data, defining team members’ roles and responsibilities, and securing leadership support to ensure the initiative has the necessary resources and organizational commitment.
However, go beyond choosing team members based solely on their work titles and tasks. Consider personalities, as it is critical that the team members are willing to put in the time and can work in an area that is rapidly changing. Not everyone has the time nor flexibility, which can be problematic, especially when the initiative is beginning.
Step 4: Assess the initiative drivers
Understanding the motivation behind your organization’s sustainability efforts and setting a starting point for the project is essential for setting realistic goals and tracking progress.
Identify initiative drivers such as customer requirements or cost savings. Next, conduct an environmental audit of your company and evaluate the social and cultural impact of creating a sustainability initiative. Finally, gather accurate data to establish a baseline for future comparisons in order to demonstrate progress.
Step 5: Identify key areas of impact
Not all sustainability issues will be equally important to your organization. Identifying the most relevant and impactful areas ensures that your efforts are focused and effective.
Engage with stakeholders for their opinions and conduct a materiality assessment, which is a fancy term for identifying what is impactful to your organization. Align your company’s sustainability
priorities with its overall business objectives to integrate sustainability into the core strategy.
Go beyond the steps
Launching a sustainability initiative is a significant step for any small- or medium-sized company. By conducting a realistic assessment and understanding the true commitment needed, you can ensure your sustainability efforts are genuine and impactful.
Remember, sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Continuous learning, adaptation, and improvement are key to long-term success. Your commitment will help protect the planet and position your business for future growth and success.
