How can you build a sustainability culture across departments?

Creating a sustainability culture within an organization involves two key components: 1- Leadership Commitment and Support: Leaders must genuinely champion sustainability, aligning performance metrics with goals, and demonstrating active participation in sustainable practices. 2- Integration into Organizational Values: Revisiting core values to include environmental responsibility and communicating these values effectively to employees and external stakeholders.

Get a baseline of the firms sustainability performance by benchmarking against international standards such as ISSB and SASB Once you identify the gaps, you will have a useful place to start

To build a sustainability culture across departments: 1. Educate employees about the importance and benefits of sustainability through workshops, training, and resources. 2. Foster collaboration by forming cross-functional sustainability teams to tackle initiatives. 3. Integrate sustainability goals into departmental objectives and performance evaluations. 4. Encourage open communication and idea-sharing platforms for employees to contribute sustainability ideas. 5. Recognize and reward sustainable practices and achievements. 6. Lead by example, demonstrating commitment to sustainability in leadership decisions and actions.

Leadership Commitment: Ensure that senior leaders are committed to sustainability. Clear Objectives: Clearly define sustainability goals and objectives for each department. Employee Engagement: Encourage employee involvement in sustainability initiatives. Cross-Department Collaboration: Foster collaboration between departments to work towards common sustainability goals. Encourage sharing of best practices and ideas across teams. Recognition and Incentives: Recognize and reward departments and individuals who make significant contributions to sustainability efforts. Measurement and Reporting: Implement systems to measure and track sustainability performance across departments. Continuous Improvement.

A implementação e avaliação da cultura organizacional deve ser tratada como um projeto. Com clareza em relação aos objetivos e metas a serem atingidas, definição dos processos e estar em constante monitoramento e evolução. O sucesso de uma empresa está diretamente ligado a sua cultura.

Define what good sustainability performance looks like Link it to the key business goals for the company When each department and employee can see how their actions impact to overall goals, engagement and performance will improve

Once you have a clear picture of your current culture, it's time to shape your desired one. Define your sustainability vision and values, and communicate them clearly to your employees. Your vision should inspire and align with your business strategy. Embed them in your policies and processes. It's essential to understand that sustainability is a journey, not just a destination. Set ambitious yet achievable targets that balance global goals like combating climate change with your corporation's reality. For instance, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by a certain percentage while also implementing energy-efficient practices. This approach ensures progress while acknowledging individual circumstances.

Before involving other teams, it is important to be able to define your specific goals in a way that is understandable to many different people and teams. Sustainability does not have to be labelled as 'sustainability' in order to incorporate these values. Build solutions into programs that already exist, provide a financial analysis, etc. Different teams have different priorities, so to get buy-in it is important to appeal to the values and needs of the departments you want to work with.

Inspirieren Sie Ihre Mitarbeitenden. Geben Sie die Vision aus, dass alle Mitarbeitenden innerhalb Ihres Jobs etwas für Menschen und den Planeten tun können. Ermutigen Sie Ihre Mitarbeitenden zum Handeln und Integration des Nachhaltigkeitsgedanken in deren Prozesse und Strukturen. Definieren Sie KPIs, woran sich die Mitarbeitenden orientieren und messen können.

Los valores actúan como una brújula que guía el comportamiento, siendo esenciales para prever acciones futuras. Sin embargo, valores sin acción no garantizan cambios significativos en la organización. En este camino hacia la sostenibilidad y el impacto sí creo valioso profundizar sobre cuáles son los valores que deben estar más o menos presentes para que podamos decir que nuestra cultura corporativa es sostenible. Poner en diálogo los valores declarados con los vividos puede ser un ejercicio muy interesante. Para esto existen herramientas como por ejemplo el Cultural Fit Assessment Method el cual define que una cultura ESG se basa en valores como: bienestar, integridad, transparencia, respeto, diversidad y sostenibilidad.

Give everyone a sustainability outcome to own. As Unilever’s Keith Weed said “Don’t create a little [sustainability] department in the corner. Mainstream into all countries, all brands, all divisions.” ..build this into everyone’s goals, support them in making the shift and compensate accordingly. This will embed sustainability into the organisation and protect against greenwashing grumbles. And your employees will thank you. People want to close their say / do around sustainability and want help to do so.

Corporations must remember that employees are ESG stakeholders too, with reporting frameworks increasingly requiring reports on sustainability training for employees. This makes employee involvement not just beneficial but necessary for comprehensive ESG efforts. It's vital to involve employees in shaping a sustainability culture rather than imposing it from the top down. To maximise growth and impact, encourage cross-functional teams to share best practices and generate ideas.

Engagement begins with certified Carbon Literacy training to enable all employees to contribute from the same baseline understanding of climate change, how to prioritise low carbon actions within their role and agency, and how to communicate that action.

É possível também desenvolver uma cultura de sustentabilidade sem necessariamente estar falando em sustentabilidade. Isso pode acontecer por meio de um incentivo ao voluntário corporativo, ou a boas práticas de feedback onde haja mais transparência. É importante ter cuidado antes de fazer amplas divulgações sobre mudanças culturais. É melhor fazer mudanças pontuais, e deixar que as pessoas comecem a perceber as mudanças que estão acontecendo.

Fostering a sustainable culture demands more than top-down directives—it requires active involvement and empowerment of employees. Engage them through workshops, campaigns, and cross-functional teams, providing resources, training, and recognition. This inclusive approach not only enriches initiatives with diverse perspectives but also cultivates a sense of ownership and commitment. Celebrating employees' sustainability successes reinforces positive behaviors and builds a culture where sustainability thrives organically, benefiting both the organization and the planet.

Beware the #greengap - the lack of consistency between what companies say externally and what they do internally. It comes up again and again as a demotivating influence when we talk to people driving sustainability within organisations. Companies that say they are sustainable but do not follow this through in their actions from the very visible (plastic cutlery, unnecessary business class flights, excessive paper use) to the more hidden (procurement policies, pension portfolios, digital carbon footprint). Monitor closely and help close the gaps to support the change needed throughout the organisation to meet sustainability targets and visibly underline sustainability commitment.

As a leader, your actions can inspire sustainable practices both in and out of the workplace. For instance, instead of exclusively using private jets, consider opting for more sustainable transportation options like commercial flights or trains. Additionally, introduce sustainable habits and practices within the workplace, such as implementing recycling programs, reducing energy consumption, or encouraging telecommuting to minimize carbon footprints.

Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping a culture of sustainability within their organizations. By leading by example, demonstrating commitment, and integrating sustainability into decision-making, leaders set the tone for their teams. Transparency, accountability, and communication are crucial, fostering trust and resilience. Recognizing and rewarding sustainability efforts and celebrating successes further reinforce this culture. Ultimately, sustainable leadership isn't just about words—it's about action and collective responsibility for a better future.

Commit - Demonstrate a genuine commitment to the things you are seeking to change/influence in your decision-making and daily activities. Make this visible through actions not just intentions. Include - Share your goals and progress openly and frankly this includes areas you are failing in. Invite feedback (ensure it is constructive) and show accountability at all times. Celebrate - Recognise and reward sustainable behaviours meaningfully and authentically. If sales teams get bonuses when they hot a target, why shouldn't others be rewarded for their sustainability efforts? Remember to understand what motivates different people/teams are provide incentives that reflect their values/drivers.

A liderança é pedra angular na criação da cultura. Ela estabelece normas, procedimento, promoções. A liderança estabelece o que é comunicado, e como a dinâmica de poder ocorre na organização. Neste sentido, a coerência entre prática e discurso é absolutamente fundamental.

Creating a sustainable culture isn't a one-off task; it's an ongoing process. To succeed, organizations must constantly monitor and evaluate their performance across environmental, social, and economic indicators. This involves collecting and analyzing data, identifying areas for improvement, and communicating findings transparently to employees and stakeholders. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, companies can stay ahead of the curve and ensure their sustainability efforts remain effective and relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Y cuando ya parece que has terminado, continua. Si hemos dicho que es un asunto estructural, no puedes obviar su existencia a largo plazo. Ya tienes el jardín plantado, ahora toca regarlo y cuidarlo. Hay que mantener la guardia alta y afrontar los nuevos desafíos que se vienen tras la implantación de la nueva cultura. Porque vendrán nuevos desafíos que pondrán a prueba la resistencia al cambio.

I regularly assess the effectiveness of our sustainability culture through surveys, feedback sessions, and performance evaluations. By identifying strengths and areas for improvement, I can implement targeted strategies to enhance our sustainability efforts and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

Não é nada simples medir uma cultura de sustentabilidade. Seria necessário desenvolver indicadores próprios para tal. Muitas vezes a empreitada pode não valer a pena, por geral resultados imprecisos. Vale mais continuar a jornada em busca de bons resultados, e coletar resultados qualitativos, junto a dados quantitativos de suporte.

To ensure a thriving sustainability culture, you must continually measure and evaluate key sustainability indicators like environmental impact, social responsibility, and economic value. Start by selecting relevant metrics that align with your organization's sustainability goals, such as energy consumption, waste reduction, carbon emissions, or community engagement. Establish a baseline to track progress and maintain consistent data collection for accuracy. Regularly review these indicators to spot trends and adjust strategies accordingly. Share the results with stakeholders to promote transparency and engage employees in developing solutions.

To build a sustainability culture within departments, you can start by educating team members on sustainability's importance and its impact on the environment, society, and the business. Implement department-specific sustainability goals that align with the companyy's overall objectives. Recognize and reward sustainable practices to motivate sustainability efforts within departments. Encourage innovation and ideas from employees on how to improve sustainability outcomes wiyhin the scope of their department's mandate and strategy. Lastly, integrate sustainability into daily operations and decision making processes of each department to make it a core part of the department's culture.

Weave the sustainability values, strategy and journey into every employee touchpoint from recruitment, through pre and onboarding into engagement, training and development, benefits and off boarding. This will help bake sustainability into the culture.

Embed sustainability within your procurement processes and policies. Ensure that embodied Carbon is valued alongside cost and quality at the specification stage of procurement, if this is done across all departments it will drive a huge sustainable shift for all.

Creating a cross-functional team by choosing experts from each department can be a nice idea to incorporate a culture of sustainability across an organization's departments. This team can act as a central point to brainstorm ideas and analyze their feasibility in incorporating them into the company's strategies to achieve long-term goals. This can also be beneficial since the team can monitor industry trends, thereby including them in the short-term and long-term goals.

Build a sustainability culture from the start: ✅ Sustainability is not an afterthought, it should be embedded in the life-cycle of the products / services and at all levels in the company, especially within the governance ✅ Have a clear code of sustainability practices and communicate with ALL stakeholders. That way, you'll only be able to sell your services and products to people that already understand your principles and align with them ✅ Focus on long-term gains. It's easy to be tempted by short-term gains, with big margins and disregarding sustainability principles. I do believe though that the key to building resilient companies is by achieving a balance between sustainability and profitability.