The Biggest Challenge in Corporate Sustainability

One of the most significant challenges in sustainability today is that many professionals, stakeholders, CEOs, and employees don't truly understand the "why" behind sustainability. This lack of understanding often leads to confusion, with sustainability being mistaken for environmental initiatives or social events alone. But sustainability is much more than that—it's about balancing the 3Ps: People, Planet, and Profit. It's about integrating sustainability into the mindset, the business strategy, and every employee in every department.

Understanding the "why" behind a company’s sustainability actions is crucial because sustainability isn’t just the responsibility of one department or a single leader—it must be embedded into every aspect of the business. This integration often requires existing roles to take on new sustainability-related responsibilities. However, if the "why" behind these responsibilities isn’t clearly communicated, employees can quickly become overwhelmed and exhausted.

But is understanding the "why" enough? Not entirely. While knowing the "why" can motivate individuals and emphasize the significance of their new roles, it alone isn’t sufficient. Employees also need adequate support to navigate these changes. Moreover, leveraging the existing knowledge and expertise within each department (whether in finance, sourcing, or operations) is essential to effectively integrate sustainability across the organization.

It’s a mixture of educating existing employees on sustainability tasks, fostering an environment where you can maximize the expertise of current staff, and bringing in new talent with a passion for sustainability. By balancing these elements, organizations can truly embed sustainability into their core operations and achieve meaningful progress.

Explaining the "why" does three critical things:

1. Motivation: It encourages individuals to see sustainability as a rewarding path, offering purpose and fulfillment in their roles.

2. Perspective: It highlights the vast opportunities and future possibilities within the sustainability sphere.

3. Business Continuity: It underscores how crucial sustainability is to business continuity, making it clear that it’s part of everyone’s job to ensure the company operates in the right way.