如何掌握可持续发展的曲线+How+to+Ace+the+Sustainability+Learning+Curve

HowtoAcetheSustainabilityLearningCurve

Topheavyisnotgood.Notforvehicles(they

haveanastytendencytotipoveratspeed).

Notforweddingcakes(unlessyoucatchthe

spillonvideo).Andnotforbusinesses.

Inbusiness,topheavymeanslotsofhigh-

salariedpeoplemakingdecisionswithout

muchvisibilityintowhatishappeningwith

customers,oremployees,daybyday.

Whenitcomestosustainability,boardsand

CEOsareinvaluabletofiguringoutstrategy

andchampioningchange.Big,enterprise

effortslikethiswouldgonowherewithout

theirvigor.Butwhentheconfettisettlesand

thesustainabilityshiphasbeenlaunched,

everyoneneedstohelpsteer.

Thosecarbontargetsandpledgestoinvestorswon’tachievethemselves.

Infact,thelongeracompanyhasbeenmeasuringsustainability,themorelikelyitssustainabilitystrategyissetbythechiefsustainabilityofficerratherthantheboardortheCEO,accordingtoasurveybySAPInsights.

Butthepersoninchargeisn’ttheonlycharacteristicthatdistinguishescompaniesthatareprogressing

fromthebeginners.Respondentsshowothersignsthatformapattern,includingwhetherthey’reusingsustainabilitydataintheirbusinessstrategyandoperationaldecisions,whetherthey’reholdingmoreleadersaccountableforresults,andwhethersustainabilityismaterialtotheirfinancialresults.

Here’swhatweknowaboutwhatthelearningcurveforsustainabilitylookslikeandhowanycompanycanaccelerateitsefforts.

EarlyStage

Progressing

ʣAccountabilityforsustainabilityisfocusedatlowerlevelsinsidethebusiness

ʣThechiefsustainabilityofficerandsustainabilitymanagerhaveahighdegreeofaccountability

ʣAccountabilityisspreadmorebroadlytobusinessleaders

Leadership

ʣTheboardortheCEOsetsstrategyforsustainability

ʣThechiefsustainabilityofficersetsstrategyfor

sustainability

ʣThesustainabilitystrategyismoreintegratedwiththeoverallbusinessstrategyandhasmoreexternalmotivators,suchasstrengtheningsocietalapprovalofthebusinessandcommitmenttotheUNSustainableDevelopmentGoals

ʣLeadersaremorelikelytosaythatgovernmentregulations

haveapositiveimpactonthebusiness

ʣThebusinessinvestsmoreinsustainabilityissues

Sustainability

ProgressModel

ʣThesustainabilitystrategyisfocusedatthebusinesslevel

ratherthanglobally

ʣLeadersaremoreconcernedthatgovernmentregulations

willnegativelyaffecttheirbusiness

ʣThebusinessinvestslessinsustainabilityissues

Accountability

ʣAccountabilityforsustainabilityismoreconcentratedat

thetopofthecompany,mostlyattheC-level

ʣSustainabilityspecialists,suchasthechief

sustainabilityofficerandthesustainabilitymanager,

havelessaccountability

ʣAccountabilityislesslikelytobeassignedinareasimportant

forsustainabilityprogress,suchasenergyrisk,facilities,

processes,procurement,andindividualbusinessunits

Decision-Making

ʣ

ʣ

ʣ

ʣ

Sustainabilitydataisusedlessofteninbusinessstrategicandoperationaldecision-making

Sustainabilityhasbeenmeasuredforashorterperiod(1-5years)

Fewerareasofsustainabilityaremeasured

Satisfactionwithsustainabilitydataqualityislower

ʣ

ʣ

ʣ

ʣ

Sustainabilitydataismoreintegratedintostrategicandoperationaldecision-making

Sustainabilityhasbeenmeasuredforalongerperiod(5+years)

Moreareasofsustainabilityaremeasured

Satisfactionwithsustainabilitydataishigher

ʣFewerbusinessessaythatsustainabilityismaterialto

financialresultstoday

ʣRespondentsaremorelikelytosaythatsustainabilitywill

notbefinanciallymaterialtotheirbusinessresultsuntilmorethan20yearsfromtoday

FinancialMateriality

ʣMorebusinessessaythatsustainabilityismaterialto

financialresultstoday

ʣRespondentsaremorelikelytosaythatsustainabilitywill

befinanciallymaterialtotheirbusinessresultsin1-3years

27%

19%

19%

BoardsandCEOslead–atfirst.

BeginnersaremorelikelytohavetheirboardsandCEOsdirectly

overseeingsustainabilitystrategy,especiallyiftheyhaveonly

beencollectingsustainabilitydataforoneortwoyears.

Boardofdirectors

35%

Chiefexecutive

officer(CEO)

Chiefsustainability

officer(CSO)

Other

Companiesthathavebeen

collectingdataforonetotwo

yearsare47%morelikely

tohavetheboardinchargeof

settingsustainabilitystrategy

and14%morelikelytohave

theCEOincharge.

HavingtheCEOortheboardinchargemakessensewhenstartingout.Sustainabilityisn’taproject,it’satransformation.Youneedtheleadersatthetoptochampionsustainabilityandtotellemployeeswhyandhowtheyneedtochangeuntilitbecomespartofhowtheydoeverything.

Further,CEOshavethecredibilitytopitchearly-stagechangeasagrowthstrategy.WhenCEOsareleadingthesustainabilitystrategy,businessesaremorelikelytobemotivatedbyrevenueandprofitopportunitiesbyawidemargin.

BusinesseswheretheCEOsetsstrategicdirectionforsustainabilityare16%morelikelytohaverevenueandprofitgrowthopportunitiesasamotivatorforaction.

16%

More

likely

Sustainabilityisn’taproject,

it’satransformation

Eventually,thechiefsustainabilityofficertakescharge.

Havingsustainabilityleadershipgluedtothetopoftheorganization

isn’t,uh,sustainable.It’sgoingtobeoneofahundredthingstheboard

andCEOneedtoworryabout.That’swhy,ascompaniesprogress,they

eventuallydelegateleadershiptoachiefsustainabilityofficer.

73%

Companiesthathavebeencollecting

dataformorethantwoyearsare

73%morelikelytohavethechief

sustainabilityofficerinchargeof

settingsustainabilitystrategy.

Afterrallyingthebusinessaroundasustainabilitytransformation,theCEOandtheboarddon’tneedtobethefaceofitanymore.Buttheydon’twithdrawcompletely.AmongthetopmotivatorsforchiefsustainabilityofficerswhosetsustainabilitystrategyareboardandCEOcommitmentandcompanypurpose,whichshowsthatchiefsustainabilityofficersaren’trunningaroundlikestraycats.

Businesseswherechiefsustainabilityofficerssetstrategicdirectionforsustainabilityare12%morelikelytohaveboardandCEOcommitmentastheirtopmotivator.

12%

More

likely

Sustainabilityispartofstrategicandoperationaldecision-making.

Moreexperiencedcompaniesusethedatatheyhavecollectedabout

sustainabilitywhentheymakedecisions.

Respondentswhoarehappiestwiththeirsustainabilitydataaremore

likelytohavebeencollectingitforatleastfiveyears.Andthelongerthey

havebeencollectingit,themorelikelytheyaretobeusingittomake

operationaldecisions–thekindthatreduceacarbonfootprintorprioritize

reuseofmaterials.

Whenyouhavealotofreliabledata,yougainabetterunderstandingabout

whatneedstobemeasuredandhowtoimprovemega-metricslikecarbon

footprint.Whichistosay,knowingwhyyou’remeasuringsomethingisas

importantasmeasuringit.

<10%

Everyoneelse

45%

Strongdegree

ofdatause

Businessesthatusesustainabilitydatatoastrongdegreeindecision-makinghaveamuchhigherdegreeofcompletesatisfactionwiththequalityoftheirdata(45%)thaneveryoneelse(lessthan10%).

Accountabilityspreadseverywhere.

Inorganizationswherethechiefsustainabilityofficersetssustainability

strategy,accountabilityspreadstootherleadersintheorganization,

particularlysustainabilitymanagers,energymanagers,andriskmanagers.

Thespreadofaccountabilityiscrucialtosustainabilitysuccess.Onlyif

accountabilityisgivento(andacceptedby)therespectiveline-of-business

leaderswillabusinesshavethefueltomakebigchanges.

Whenaccountabilityrestswithmorethanonearea,youstartbuilding

across-businessfunctionthatcanspreadsustainabilitytoprocesses

everywhere.ThinkofitlikeIT,wherespecialistsinHRprocessesandsoftware

areinHRratherthaninthetechnologydepartment.

82%

Energymanagers

104%

Environmentalmanagers

Inbusinesseswherethechiefsustainabilityofficersetsthestrategicdirectionforsustainability,82%moreenergymanagershaveaccountabilityforsustainability,alongwith56%moreriskmanagers,and104%(orroughlytwotimes)moreenvironmentalmanagers.

56%

Riskmanagers

Sustainabilitybecomesmaterialtofinancialresults.

Okay,youmaybethinkingthatinstallingsolarpanelsonafewrooftopsisn’texactlygoingtobenewsworthytoinvestors.Butconsiderbusinessesthathavebeenmeasuringsustainabilityfor20yearsormore.Thisgroupishighlyrepresentedbyindustriessuchasenergy,chemicals,andautomotivethathavebeenregulatedforalongtimeandthusforcedtodoit.Amongsuchbusinesses,44%saythatenvironmentalissuesarealreadymaterialtotheirbusinessresults,whileanother11%saytheywillbewithinthreeyears.

44%

17%

44%ofbusinessesthathavebeencollectingsustainabilitydatafor20+yearssaythatsustainabilityisalreadyfinanciallymaterialtotheirbusinessvs.17%foreveryoneelse.

officer(CSO)

26%

22%

20%

Butfinancialmaterialityisn’tlinkedonlytohowlongacompany

hasbeentrackingsustainability.Businessesthathavedelegated

leadership,areusingsustainabilitydatatomakeoperational

decisions,andhavewidelydistributedaccountabilityappearto

bemoresuccessfulfinancially.

Chiefsustainability

32%

Chiefexecutive

officer(CEO)

Boardofdirectors

Other

Businesseswheresustainabilitydata

hasastrongeffectonoperationaland

strategicdecision-makingaremorelikely

togiveresponsibilityforsettingstrategic

directionforsustainabilitytothechief

sustainabilityofficerratherthanthe

boardortheCEO.

Companiesthatuseenvironmentalmetricstoastrongdegreeare4%morelikelytopredictgrowthin2023.

13%

Completely

satisfied

Howtocatchup

Nowthatyouknowwhatasustainability-savvycompanylookslike,howcanyoubecomeone?

Herearethreewaystogetmoreexperiencefast.

Useimprovementsindatacollectiontocatchup.

Theareaofdataqualityisnotrespondents’happyplace.Amongcompaniesthathavebeenmeasuringsustainabilitydataforonetotwoyears,just13%saytheyarecompletelysatisfied.

Nosurprise.Weallknowcollectinggooddataishard.Yetevenamongthosewho’vebeencollectingfor20yearsormore,just38%expresscompletejoy.

Datacollectionfor1to<2yearsDatacollectionfor20+years

38%

Completely

satisfied

Just13%ofbusinessesthathavebeencollectingsustainabilitydataforonetotwoyearsarecompletelysatisfiedwithitsquality.

Amongbusinessesthathavebeencollectingdataformorethan20years,only38%saytheyarecompletelysatisfiedwithitsquality.

That’sgoingtochange.Thinkofthehandicapsthat

plaguedcompaniestryingtogathersustainability

databackintheolddays:Client–servers!80gighard

drives!3Gnetworks!(Ohwait,thoseweren’teven

availableyet.)Yougettheidea.

Nowwehavevirtuallyunlimitedcloudstorage

anddatabasesthatcomputeinnearrealtime,not

tomentionthe(admittedlygradual)progressof

InternetofThingsandAItogatherdatafromfar-

flungequipmentandanalyzeexponentiallymoreofit

exponentiallyfaster.

Nottosoundlikethathighschoolkidbehindthe

counteratBestBuy,butyoucandosomuchwith

technologytoday!Itletsyouclawbacklosttimefast.

Broadenyourhorizonstomakeprogress.

Businessesthathaveadvancedenoughtoputthechiefsustainabilityofficerinchargeofsustainabilityaren’tjustfocusedontheirownfortunesbutalsoonthoseoftheplanet.Thatwillbeessentialtomakerealprogressonclimatechange.

Ifthatsoundsunbearablysquishyandtree-huggy,considerthis:BusinessesthataremotivatedbytheUNSustainableDevelopmentGoalsstillprioritizetraditionalred-bloodedbusinessgoals,suchasopportunitiestodevelopneworimprovedofferingsorrevenueandprofitgrowthopportunities.TheUNcommitmentsaresimplypartofafulllistofsustainabilitypriorities.

42%

BusinesseswhereCSOssetstrategicdirectionforsustainabilityaremotivated42%morebycommitmenttotheUNSustainableDevelopmentGoals,buttheyarenotignoringmoretraditionalgoals.

Findaconnectiontofinancialresults–thesoonerthebetter.

Themandatesthatheavilyregulatedindustrieslikeenergy,chemicals,

andautoshavebeenworkingwithfordecadesarecomingsoonto

abalancesheetnearyou.Soevenifthedirtiestthingyourbusiness

producesisabunchofusedcoffeecupsattheendoftheworkday,

you’renotoutofthewoods.Rather,you’rejustabouttoenterthem.

RegulatorsintheUnitedStatesandtheEuropeanUnion

areworkingon

rules

toincorporateemissionsfromacompany’sdirtiestsuppliers(like

fuelandlogistics)intoitstotals,accordingtoconsultancyPwC.Soon,

yoursuppliers’emissionsmaymatterasmuchtoyourfinancialresults

asyourown.It’stimetostartthinkingofthemthatway.

Notjustbarkingordersfromthebridge

Everyonemakessustainabilitypledges:

Carbonneutralby2035!

Use25%morerenewablematerials!

Reuseandrecycleproducts!

Butcompaniesthatareprogressingintheirabilitytorunsustainablyaretakingspecificsteps.They’regivingleadershipforsustainabilitytotheexpert,thechiefsustainabilityofficer,andthey’respreadingaccountabilityacrosstheorganization.They’vedecidedthatgrowingthebusinessandprotectingtheplanetarecompatiblegoals.Theyrealizethatiftheydon’treducethedamagingeffectsoftheirbusinessesontheenvironmentthey’lllosetheabilitytogrow.

Youcan’tselltoadepletedmarket.

Themostimportantstepthey’retakingintheshorttermistousethesustainabilitydatatheycollectforoperationaldecision-making.Thisisthetoughestpart.Collectingqualitydataisdifficultandusingthatdatatomakebusinessdecisionsisabigshift.Butit’showyoumakeallthosesustainabilitypledgesreal.It’showyougeteveryoneinthebusinesstoincorporatesustainabilityintotheirthinkingandactions.

Andit’showyoukeeptheshipheadingintherightdirectionwhenthewaterisheaving(andrising)allaroundyou.

EmilyActonisanAnalystandEditoratSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

EricAndersonisaResearchDataScientistatSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

ThomasBirnmeyerisSeniorDirectorSustainabilityatSAP.

SarahDziukisSeniorDirectorandResearchIntegrationLeaderatSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

JennyHillisSeniorMarketingSpecialistatSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

DavidJonkerisVicePresidentandChiefAnalystatSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

ChristopherKochistheSeniorEditorialDirectoratSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

MichaelRanderisaSeniorDirectorandHeadofOperationsatSAPInsightsresearchcenter.

DanWellersisFuturesandForesightLead.

AboutThisResearch

TheSAPInsightsresearchcentercollecteddatafrom6,669respondentsacross40nationsand29industries.Respondentshadhighestknowledgeoftheirorganization’ssustainabilityobjectives

andprocesses.ThesurveyswereconductedinApril2022viaa10-minuteonlinesurvey.

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