My Take on “3 Hidden Killers of Sustainability Programs”

I recently found an article titled 3 Hidden Killers of Sustainability Programs, and thought it was a great topic to elaborate on as we continue our introduction to Corporate Responsibility. Although we will cover the steps and strategies of creating, implementing and strengthening a corporate sustainability program in detail in upcoming video series, this article really illustrates the importance of a few of my Core Principles for Implementing Successful Sustainability Programs.

The first “hidden killer” addresses sustainability programs that are not linked to overall corporate strategy. In many instances, I have seen companies that implement sustainability initiatives that are separated by business segments or by end objectives. This results in disconnected corporate responsibility projects, not overarching programs. In order to successfully engrain sustainability into an overall corporate strategy, it must be an integral function that supports business plans, rather than an independent agenda.

The article identifies the second hidden killer as “Death by Middle Management”. This section explains that, in both top-down and bottom-up approaches to sustainability, middle managers play a significant role in advancing sustainability through the ranks; however, middle management incentives are typically operations and revenue based. I have always believed that a top-down approach mitigates this challenge, because upper management has the power to shift assessment criteria to include sustainability performance metrics as a complement to operational performance. My consulting firm always recommends training at all levels within an organization. Similar to implementing new programs focused on safety, IT or even diversity, training is the key to effectively integrating sustainability into the corporate culture. We will talk more about the importance and benefits of training in future videos and blog posts.

Finally, the third roadblock is “Premature Declaration of Victory”. With a wide range of reasons for corporate citizenship – regulatory, stakeholder pressure, competitive pressure, etc. – the definition of sustainability is different for every firm. A sure-fire way to undermine a sustainability program is by setting weak, short-term goals. Once these goals are accomplished, the motivation to continually improve is lost. It is important to report on and celebrate accomplishments, but sustainability is always a moving target. Setting challenging, multi-year goals and effectively incorporating sustainability into strategic planning ensures continued support and greater results. In later video series we will examine effective goal setting as well as green marketing to promote your sustainability achievements.

Stay tuned for next week’s video release and for the next few series, where we will dive deep into developing sustainability programs that successfully support business strategy.

 – Tad Radzinski, PE, LEED AP, SFP