You're struggling to gain buy-in for sustainable practices. How do you win over hesitant stakeholders?

Winning over hesitant stakeholders for any new initiative requires explaining why it matters, how it's material to the success of the business, how much it will cost, what the returns will be, and how it will create long-term value for customers and all stakeholders. Sustainability initiatives are no different. Aligning them with the company's long term strategy and short/mid term KPIs is the best way to gain stakeholder understanding and buy-in.

Sustainability is about RESPONSABILITY, INNOVATION, CLEAN TECH, TALENT ATRACTION RETENTION, RISK MANAGEMENT, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, CONVICTION AT THE TOP, CO CREATION ... all this point are true and the best way to convince hesitant stakeholder is to developp the one who is the most relevant to your audience. Be Agile, Be Flexible to engage ALL. Communicate sustainability as your communicate business results with fact and number.

Make it personal, show the hesitating party how transparency and accountability can enhance their image and make a positive impact on the future of their business and their community.

In my experience, showing them what's in it for them has always worked. The 'value proposition' you have for each group of stakeholders will be different based on each of their priorities and preferences. Once they see value in it, they drop their hesitance. I had to replace bottled water that comes in single use PET bottles in the conference rooms. There was lot of hesitance, resistance from stakeholders considering the hygiene issues. But when they were replaced with glass dispensers and when we demonstrated savings on account of waste generation, money and also water, a lot of people came not only supported but they became flag bearers of this 'green' change. I believe 'value creation' has a lot when it comes to acceptance.

As much as I would like for brands to pursue sustainability for the sake of doing the right thing, that often does not garner buy-in from key decision makers. Sustainability needs to be framed through the lens of the priorities of other departments (finance, marketing, legal, etc). As a result, I encourage that messages about sustainability go beyond the feel-good to also talk about the business imperatives: risk mitigation, regulatory compliance, supply resilience, customer loyalty, industry leadership, brand reputation, and long-term cost savings. We are seeing repeatedly that sustainability initiatives affect the success of every team, not just the sustainability folks

Aquí 4 ideas: 1. Invita a participar:En lugar de solo hablar, involucra a las personas. Pregúntales cómo creen que la sostenibilidad podría mejorar su área. Si sienten que su opinión cuenta, es más fácil que apoyen. 2. Muestra resultados reales: No te quedes solo en teorías. Enseña ejemplos concretos de lo que ya está funcionando, ya sea en la empresa o en la industria. 3. Hazlo parte de la cultura:Integra la sostenibilidad en los valores de la empresa. Cuando se convierte en parte del día a día, deja de ser una “nueva idea” y se vuelve algo natural. 4. Incentiva lo personal:A veces, lo que realmente motiva es lo que cada uno puede ganar. Ya sea desarrollo profesional, reconocimiento o simplemente sentirse bien, muestra qué hay para ellos

This is how General Electric (GE) addressed stakeholder concerns about the costs of sustainability. GE highlighted the cost savings and revenue opportunities from their "Ecomagination" initiative, which focused on energy-efficient products and reducing environmental impact. They demonstrated how these sustainable innovations, like energy-efficient turbines, led to market leadership and enhanced customer loyalty. GE shared success stories showing that their green technologies had saved customers over $300 billion while reducing emissions. This clear link between sustainability, cost savings, and market growth made a compelling case for stakeholders.

Understanding benefits and how. Business is driven by a need for returns, if not, they fail. Likewise, sustainability means that the bottom line stays positive. Understanding on how these two are mutually important is the key. Often the in the short term is where there is a lack of alignment, some sustainability practices can be a large upfront cost, so finding ways to fund these is important. The other challenge I see most frequently is the how, different firms can contribute differently, and the lack of understanding on the how to implement sustainability processes and activities is still a challenge for many companies and industries, so more information needs to be made available on how firms can implement more sustainable practices.

While generating economic returns is only one of the responsibilities of a business, it's the most widely and favourably accepted one . Therefore demonstrating ROI can be used as a great way to get a foot in the door, because people love hearing ideas about generating additional returns (or reducing costs). But the buck doesn't stop there. After witnessing initial success and establishing trust, other benefits should be surfaced stemming from such initiatives. These include higher customer loyalty, brand perception, employee engagement etc. This chalks out the path for bigger and higher impact initiatives which either have a longer investment period or have neutral/negative ROI.

Strategy: Go beyond financial metrics. Quantify the impact on employee productivity, customer loyalty, and risk mitigation. Use real-world examples to illustrate the tangible benefits. Personal Experience: I once used a case study of a competitor who had successfully implemented sustainable practices to demonstrate the potential for market share gains and improved investor relations. This tangible evidence resonated strongly with the leadership team.

Clearly outline how these initiatives lead to long-term financial benefits, such as reduced operational costs, lower energy bills, and potential tax incentives. Use concrete data and projections to show how the initial investment translates into savings and increased efficiency over time. Highlight case studies or examples where similar initiatives have delivered measurable financial returns. By presenting a clear, quantifiable ROI, you can effectively address concerns about costs and illustrate the value and practicality of sustainable practices, making a compelling case for their adoption.

ROI is vitally important, but companies must broaden how they define “business value,” even if certain elements don’t fit neatly into a financial algorithm. Risk reduction, for sure. Resilience, absolutely. Also corporate reputation, brand ethos, attracting/retaining the best people (especially Millennials and GenZ). Also, develop a portfolio of approaches: include some that will garner short-term financial gains (like energy, waste, and water reductions), which will get the attention of the CFO and Operations leaders, and some which will set the company up for longer term gains (resilience, community good will investments, etc.).

Their is the belief that sustainable solutions or practices are usually more expensive, but the onus lies on your ability to show or demonstrate the return on investment,ROI, making them to see how sustainability leads to financial gains, through reduction of waste, energy costs, while optimizing resource use. Their is a need to give a realistic and clear timelines, when they will begin to see favourable results in their returns as compared to what they were used to. You make it easier for them to have a sense of belonging, when you clearly show them, how this will boost their profitability.

To foster effective collaboration and win over hesitant stakeholders, it's essential to craft a clear and compelling statement of purpose that articulates your values and goals. Having a well-defined roadmap enables you to share your story in an authentic and compelling way, building trust and credibility with stakeholders. By sharing your genuine values and goals, stakeholders are able to connect with your vision, leading to deeper engagement and collaboration. Additionally, a clear statement of purpose amplifies your voice, boost your confidence when engaging with key stakeholders, ultimately leading to buy-in and driving successful outcomes.

This is good, however often there are challenges of continuous engagement. Hence, a core team can be assigned with different tasks such as weekly in person engagement, communications to internal and external stakeholders and RnR.

Strategy: Create a sense of ownership and shared responsibility. Invite stakeholders to participate in the development and implementation of sustainability initiatives. Personal Experience: I found that involving employees in brainstorming sessions and sustainability committees not only generated valuable ideas but also fostered a sense of excitement and commitment to the cause.

As we continue to integrate sustainability into our business strategy, it's crucial to recognize that effective orientation and awareness-raising on sustainable practices are key. From top management to every team member, we must ensure that all internal stakeholders are well-informed about SDGs, ESG criteria, and EDI principles.

Couldn’t stress enough on this, a stakeholder barely engaged is a stakeholder completely lost to the cause! Maintain regular communication, interaction and ensure participation. It’s irrelevant whether you’re taking a top down or a bottom up approach, stakeholders need to be included in the process, trainings and capacity building. It’s only through continuous involvement we have a change in mindset and attitude. This allows stakeholders to feel valued and confident about the initiative, evoking both a sense of ownership and responsibility.

1. Find respected figures within your organization who support sustainability. 2. Use examples from other companies or departments to illustrate benefits. 3. Connect sustainability goals to the stakeholders' personal or professional values. 4. Share data and research showing the financial and environmental benefits of sustainable practices. 5. Organize meetings or workshops where influencers can discuss and endorse sustainability initiatives. 6. Demonstrate immediate benefits or successes to build confidence and support.

Requirements from suppliers and investors are becoming as demanding and strict as national regulatory requirements in some context. My advise is that sustainability professionals must continually leverage on demands from these stakeholders whose requirement maybe critical for remaining in business. Especially, if such business is primarily a compliance driven type. Also, many businesses pay lip services about sustainability. They sometimes don't see its importance like they would do other aspect of the business. It could be they know but are not ready to commit with the right resources. 😏😏 However, professionals must resist the risk of being complacence and strive to initiate good practices that can improve the overall businesses.

I have found helpful to get key influencers on board first—they can help convince hesitant stakeholders by showing that sustainability is already valued and supported within the organization.

Aqui é importante tomar cuidado para as pessoas não sejam ativistas e/ou radicais sobre algum tema e confundam vida pessoa com profissional. Não é porque você é defensora dos direitos dos animais na vida pessoal que no trabalho, sendo convidada para ser influenciadora de sustentabilidade, vai prioritariamente tratar esse tema, querer a qualquer custo implantar um projeto voltado a isso. É preciso que esse objetivo esteja conectado aos objetivos da empresa. E mesmo as pessoas influenciadoras gostando dos temas, elas precisam ter conhecimento sobre eles, apenas gostar e ser simpático ("eu faço reciclagem em casa") não funciona no corporativo, é preciso entender de projetos, processos, políticas e as diretrizes da empresa sobre os temas.

Strategy: Identify both formal and informal leaders within the organization. Their endorsement can carry significant weight and help overcome resistance. Personal Experience: In one instance, I enlisted the support of a respected senior engineer who was passionate about sustainability. His advocacy was instrumental in convincing his colleagues in the technical department to embrace new, eco-friendly technologies.

Strategy: Use pilot projects as a learning opportunity. Collect data, gather feedback, and refine your approach before scaling up. Personal Experience: We once piloted a sustainable packaging solution for a specific product line. The positive customer response and the lessons learned from the pilot were crucial in securing buy-in for a company-wide rollout.

I propose starting with small-scale pilot projects to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of sustainable practices. By showing quick wins and positive results, I can build momentum and gradually expand the initiatives. This approach allows hesitant stakeholders to see the value firsthand, reducing their resistance and increasing their willingness to support larger-scale implementations.

Implementing pilot projects is a strategic way to demonstrate the value of sustainable practices. By choosing a small-scale initiative likely to deliver quick wins, you create a tangible proof of concept that can serve as a powerful showcase. These pilot projects offer real-world evidence of the benefits and feasibility of broader sustainability efforts. Success stories from these initiatives can be instrumental in converting skeptics into supporters. When stakeholders see positive results in action, it helps shift their perspective, making sustainability not just an abstract idea but a proven, practical approach that can deliver measurable outcomes for the organization.

How pilot projects can serve as a proof of concept in sustainable practices. A clear example of a real life situation is the introduction of electric vehicles and comparing it to internal combustion engine,ICE. When we compare the cost of charging your electric vehicles and the cost of gasoline in the ICE, it's obvious to everyone the huge gain in electric vehicles. And when we now compare the cost of EVs and ICE vehicles, electric vehicles tend to be a bit costlier, but that gap is closing gradually, which we refer to as CAPEX, with the running costs, which is referred to as OPEX, you realize the OPEX in electric vehicles will close up the little gap in the CAPEX within a reasonable shot time, making electric vehicles more cost effective.

I recommend starting with small-scale pilot projects. These initiatives allow stakeholders to see the benefits of sustainable practices in action without committing to a full-scale implementation. Successful pilots provide tangible proof of concept and build confidence in the viability of broader adoption.