Sustainability in business:

3 common risks and how to tackle them – PART 1

Becoming a more sustainable business is tough but....

...sustainability has stopped being a ‘nice-to-have’ and has become a ‘must-have’ for public sector supply chains.

• sustainability practices could be worth up to £100bn to UK companies through potential productivity gains

*‘Fortune Favours the Brave’ report from Accenture, Business in the Community (BITC) and Marks and Spencer

“Many companies have made progress in reducing their environmental and social impact, but we now need to make sustainability part of our targets and an intrinsic part of our brands. If UK business wants to have more impact, it will have to make sustainability desirable, appealing and relevant by responding to customer wants”

Marc Bolland, Chief Executive, Marks & Spencer.

So what are the risks to ensuring your own business makes the

grade for sustainability?

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

A lack of common goals, processes and

definitions for sustainability can be the undoing of a well intentioned business.

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

How do I tackle it?

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

• Establish a sustainability vision for your company and develop a code of conduct. Make sure

everyone involved with your company is aware of them.

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

• Crowd source – ask for suggestions on how to make things more efficient, you never know who might have a great sustainable idea.

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

Go beyond audits and make the sustainability strategy a part of your sales, production and delivery operations.

• Focus on metrics definition and alignment with a goal

in mind and start benchmarking.

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

Develop tools, systems and processes to identify and manage risks to your sustainability programme.

• Get help – join a local supplier development program to help build your skill set.

Risk 1: Lack of cohesion

• Look beyond the daily grind – If you rely on other suppliers to help you deliver your services, start considering their sustainability credentials too.

Sustainability in business: 3 common risks and how to tackle them

Thanks for viewing! Make sure to check out PART 2 in our series

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