Understand and act: the keys to integrating sustainable development into your business
Environmental, economic and societal issues are becoming increasingly central to corporate concerns. Over and above the urgent need to change the paradigm to ensure the future of present and future generations, implementing a sustainable development approach within an organization promises many advantages, particularly in terms of brand image.
But embarking on a corporate sustainability project requires a thorough understanding of the concept. And above all, you need to know what levers to activate in order to move from a simple profession of faith to the deployment of concrete actions (beware of greenwashing!).
This article explains it all 🌍.
What exactly is sustainable development?
Defining sustainable development...
There's no better way to define sustainable development than to quote former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland:
Sustainable development is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
To achieve this objective, it is necessary to take into account :
- economic,
- environmental
- social dimensions.
These are the three pillars of sustainable development.
👉 Diagram of the 3 pillars of sustainable development :
... to the definition of corporate sustainability
For a professional organization, a sustainable development project is simply based on the concepts explained above, with the aim of controlling its impact and helping to build a better future.
☝️ These concerns are gaining ground all the more because, in our capitalist system, companies often play a very important role in the degradation of the environment and the living conditions of certain populations, as demonstrated by :
- greenhouse gas emissions,
- deforestation,
- poor working conditions in some parts of the world, and so on.
So we urgently need to question our own practices!
💡To know : the notion of sustainable development is strongly linked to that of CSR, or Corporate Social Responsibility, which reflects the voluntary commitment of organizations to integrate social, environmental and ethical concerns into their business activities.
What are the 3 pillars of sustainable development?
If we go into a little more detail, here's what the 3 pillars of sustainable development actually mean:
- The economic dimension: this component involves creating a stable, prosperous economy that promotes growth while managing financial resources efficiently.
- The environmental dimension: this focuses on preserving and protecting the environment. These include the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable management of natural resources.
- The social dimension: this dimension focuses on improving the well-being of individuals and communities. It encompasses, for example, social equity, access to education, health and decent employment, as well as the promotion of justice and inclusion.
These three pillars must interact with each other to form the balance necessary for sustainable development.
💡To know : some experts go further and also talk about:
- the 4 pillars of sustainable development: in addition to the previous three, there is the cultural dimension, which is essential for preserving the identity and diversity of peoples;
- the 5 pillars of sustainable development: these are the 5 pillars as identified by the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development adopted on September 25, 2015 by the United Nations, namely:
- planet,
- population,
- prosperity,
- peace,
- partnerships.
The challenges of sustainable development in the workplace
Human resistance to change
Launching a sustainable development project is not without its difficulties for companies. Starting with mentalities and cultures that need to evolve.
Indeed, this transition often implies changes on several levels, notably on the scale of work processes (e.g.: stopping the use of paper to switch to 100% digital media).
As a result, companies that decide to change their impact often have to roll out processes at the same time to secure the commitment of employees, but also and above all of management.
The financial parameter
The financial parameter remains one of the main obstacles for companies, constantly obliged to find ways of remaining competitive in the face of fierce competition. And aiming for sustainable development objectives at the same time means maintaining a sometimes delicate balance.
What's more, as with any change, impact-reduction initiatives often require significant up-front investment, such as the purchase of more environmentally-friendly technologies, the implementation of sustainable supply chains and so on. These costs can weigh on short-term profitability... even if the long-term benefits are conclusive!
In short, a sustainable development project is a long-term commitment, and it's important not to think only in short-term terms.
Why is sustainable development an opportunity for business?
While the challenges are many, companies have everything to gain from thinking more ethically and ecologically.
Over and above the obvious urgency of protecting current and future populations, a CSR approach means adding value to your business. And this value will be perceived by :
- Customers: more and more consumers are demanding to know the social and environmental impact of the brands they buy. In this context, sustainable development is becoming a significant competitive advantage.
- Employees: today's professionals are more concerned about the meaning of their work. In other words, a company that is committed to sustainable development is more likely to attract talent. What's more, if it is concerned about the social dimension of its activities, it often offers its employees good working conditions (remuneration, managerial practices, various benefits, etc.), and thus builds loyalty.
Not to mention that adopting more resource-efficient practices, such as reducing waste or energy consumption, leads to direct savings on bills and raw materials.
☝️ Sustainable development is therefore perfectly compatible with the need for companies to be competitive and profitable, thanks to the value creation + cost reduction equation. As mentioned above, all we need to do is look at the long term!
How do you apply sustainable development in your company? 6 best practices
#1 Involve management and staff in this transition
Changing mentalities remains one of the main challenges.
For the project to work, management must express a clear commitment to reducing its impact, and make it part of its values and DNA.
It also requires clear communication with employees, so that they understand the "whys and wherefores" and the benefits they will derive from the change. And sometimes, training will be needed to make them aware of these issues and install the right practices.
#2 Measure and monitor
To determine whether your company is heading in the right direction, it's important to know exactly where it's starting from. And that means relying on hard data.
To begin with, we recommend that you accurately measure your current environmental impact. This isn't always easy to assess, but fortunately there are tools available to help you in this task. One example is the Carbo software package, which enables companies to calculate their CO² emissions very simply, based on the methodology of the Agence pour la Transition Bas Carbone. What's more, the solution supports you in the next stages of your transition, by setting up a personalized action plan to reduce your environmental footprint.
☝️Ce is a long-term project, since you'll need to regularly review your progress and revise your objectives, so as to constantly adapt to changing sustainable development issues.
#3 Be clear about your objectives
For some organizations, the road to sustainability is a long one... but Rome wasn't built in a day!
So, first and foremost, you need to define the objectives you want to achieve, and do so by identifying your priorities, i.e. the key areas where your company has the greatest influence.
Is it to reduce your carbon emissions? Minimizing waste production? Improving working conditions?
👉 Example: if you're a manufacturing company, you could elevate lowering your energy consumption to a top priority to reduce the carbon footprint of your operations.
Of course, make sure that these objectives are relevant to your sector of activity as well as to the size of your company. It's easy to see that, given its limited resources, it's simpler for a small entity to aim for a proportionately smaller reduction in its environmental impact than a large group.
#4 Draw inspiration from different standards
Despite all the good will in the world, it's not easy to know where to start in order to achieve your sustainable development objectives 😮💨 !
One best practice is to rely on the various existing standards, as they provide recognized and structured frameworks for managing environmental and social issues. And they also provide valuable information on the processes to be applied!
👉 Some examples of standards to look out for:
- ISO 14001 environmental standard: provides guidelines for setting up an effective environmental management system;
- ISO 50001: focuses on energy management;
- ISO 26000: an international standard for corporate social responsibility (CSR).
#5 Changing small everyday gestures
Even if it doesn't sound like much, every effort counts, and small everyday gestures make a significant contribution to a sustainable development approach, while being more easily integrated into work routines.
👉 For a company, this means, for example:
- reducing energy consumption by moderating the use of heating or air conditioning, turning off lights or computers at night, etc. ;
- encouraging recycling by setting up a selective sorting system;
- curb the use of paper, by encouraging dematerialization;
- minimize car emissions, by encouraging telecommuting or facilitating the use of public transport for employees (e.g., reimbursement of season tickets by the employer);
- promote responsible purchasing, through the use of local suppliers ;
- etc.
#6 Rethinking business models
However, companies need to go further than just everyday gestures: they often prove insufficient in the face of the scale of the challenges facing humanity.
A solid commitment to sustainable development often means reviewing the company's economy, its production model and even the very nature of its offering.
For example, it doesn't make sense to impose waste sorting on your employees if you apply the principles of programmed obsolescence to your products.
👉 A clear commitment on the part of companies therefore implies :
- responsible design throughout the product lifecycle, and optimization of the supply chain (e.g. favoring local suppliers) ;
- partnering with suppliers who meet high ethical standards in terms of working conditions and business practices;
- offering sustainable products, designed to be repairable and recyclable;
- a commitment to carbon neutrality by offsetting emissions through reforestation projects, investment in renewable energies, etc. ;
- initiatives aimed at significantly reducing waste (e.g., phasing out single-use plastic);
- investment in research and development of technologies that are more respectful of the environment and human beings;
- etc.
Sustainable development in the workplace: in a nutshell!
Corporate sustainability is no longer an option, given that the economy is one of the pillars of our societies. All organizations, from the smallest VSEs to the largest corporations, have a role to play. Of course, the efforts required are not the same, given the different environmental and human repercussions from one entity to another. That's why it's important to measure your impact in order to position yourself and define objectives in line with your company's reality.
Then, it's important to do everything possible to achieve these objectives, since it's not just a question of beautiful values to be displayed on your website and communication media.
In any case, even if there's a long way to go, every step forward is already a victory for our common future 🍃.
Article translated from French