Last updated on Aug 18, 2024

You're striving for sustainability in your organization. How do you win over skeptical key stakeholders?

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Selected by the community from 55 contributions. Learn more

Steffen Burrows

Head of Sustainability | Pick n Pay

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Aileen McManamon

Sports Industry Futurist | Sustainable Business Champion | Global Sports Partnerships Intelligence | Certified ESG…

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Yaswanth A

Sr. System Administrator || VMware vSphere || Active Directory || Windows & Linux servers || SCCM || Cisco UCS || Power…

Convincing stakeholders of sustainability's value requires strategy and finesse. Here’s how to turn skeptics into advocates:

- Demonstrate ROI: Show clear data on long-term cost savings and potential revenue from sustainable practices.

- Share success stories: Highlight case studies where sustainability has led to improved brand reputation and customer loyalty.

- Engage in dialogue: Listen to their concerns and provide evidence-based responses that align with their interests.

Which strategies have worked for you in promoting sustainability initiatives?

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Steffen Burrows

Head of Sustainability | Pick n Pay
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In my experience, without demonstrating business value, projects are very rarely approved. Sustainability needs to be an outcome of a value generating project. A shared value approach or profit enabled impact - projects that deliver both business value and sustainability are the ones which internal stakeholders are more likely to buy into. It’s also key to identify those stakeholders with leverage which support sustainability, these stakeholders are key to ‘convincing’ the rest.

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Aileen McManamon

Sports Industry Futurist | Sustainable Business Champion | Global Sports Partnerships Intelligence | Certified ESG Board Director (GCB.D) | Sports Tech Investor | Team Owner | SBJ Game Changer
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Make the business case - always. No matter the department, advantages abound - C-Suite: cost savings, business risk mitigation, supply chain resilience, talent attraction/retention. Marketing/Media Relations: storytelling, broader coverage, brand differentiator (and if you don't act quickly, the differentiation is that you haven't kept pace with the world). Operations (see C-Suite.) Financials are the language we all speak and must all translated our innovation proposals into, so use it. Don't count on vague, altruistic benefits to do the 'sales' job when selling change management

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Yaswanth A

Sr. System Administrator || VMware vSphere || Active Directory || Windows & Linux servers || SCCM || Cisco UCS || Power Shell || NSX-T || Data Center || Nutanix || Citrix || On premises Cloud(AWS, Azure)||
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Basically taking initiatives & implementing sustainability , we can achieve significant cost savings, enhance our brand reputation, and comply with evolving regulations. I'll present clear, data-driven projections showing how these changes lead to long-term financial benefits and operational efficiency. Together, we can make informed decisions that drive both environmental and business success.

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Aasim Hameed Khan عاصم حميد خان

Sustainability I ESG I Decarbonization I CCU+S I Carbon Credit I Carbon Modelling I Climate Change I Circular Economy I Strategic Planning I Asset and Facility Management I Operation and Project Management I Drive Change
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To win over skeptical key stakeholders in your organization's sustainability efforts, start by clearly demonstrating the tangible benefits of sustainability, such as cost savings, risk mitigation, and enhanced brand reputation. Use data and case studies to provide evidence of successful sustainability initiatives and their positive impact on similar organizations. Engage stakeholders through transparent communication, addressing their concerns and highlighting how sustainability aligns with the organization's values and goals. Involve them in the planning process to foster ownership and buy-in, and show quick wins or pilot projects to build credibility and demonstrate that sustainability initiatives can deliver real results.

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Jean Marc Stavroulakis

Founder and Director @ Eliots | Transformative Change Leader
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Start by taking small but impactful actions yourself—use a reusable water bottle, bring your own coffee cup to the shop, and choose public transportation. When others see you making these sustainable choices, it sets a standard that can inspire colleagues and even the management board to follow suit. Leading by example can create a ripple effect, turning individual actions into broader organizational change.

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