Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. It’s true of a lot of things, from learning to snowboard (as I painfully learned in 1999), learning a musical instrument, or learning pretty much any new skill. Once you’ve got some momentum built up, you can use it to power through the inevitable challenges that come with trying to achieve mastery.
When I’m talking to organizations that want to do more with sustainability, that see it as a tool for innovation, engagement and creativity, one of the hardest things for people to get their head around is this.
Don’t ask where to start, ask where you want to end
Yup, in a somewhat zen nod to Stephen Covey, what’s true for personal and organizational development is also true for sustainability. Begin with the end in mind.
A great way to get started is to start by asking, “what does sustainability mean at my company?” You need to ask this question because sustainability is not one size fits all. Although the larger principles of sustainability and corporate responsibility will remain the same across sectors and industries, the accepted definitions of sustainability are too broad to be of much use if you want to actually achieve something. You cannot buy an off-the shelf sustainability or corporate responsibility strategy. You cannot copy another strategy from a similar organization. You must pull together your senior team and decide what risks and opportunities sustainability can mean for your organization.
Here are the questions you need to ask yourself, organizationally speaking, order to figure out the end results:
• How does our core mission intersect with sustainability principles?
• What risks are posed to our success by sustainability legislative, supply chain, weather impacts, costs, etc)?
• What opportunities are available to us from a sustainable approach (e.g. cost savings, new customers,new programs, internal communication opportunities, etc)?
• What result do we wish to achieve from this initiative? (enhance reputation, engage employees, cut costs, create new products and services, enter new markets, reduce regulatory risk, etc.).
Once you have identified what sustainability means for your organization, you can begin to develop an achievable goal, and a plan to get you there.
