Understand and act: the keys to integrating sustainable development into your business
Environmental, economic and social issues are becoming increasingly central to the concerns of businesses. Over and above the urgent need to change the paradigm to ensure the future of current and future generations, getting your organisation involved in a sustainable development approach promises many advantages, particularly in terms of brand image.
But embarking on a corporate sustainable development 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 will explain everything 🌍.
What exactly is sustainable development?
The definition of sustainable development...
The best way to define sustainable development is to quote the famous words of Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway:
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, we need to take into account the :
- economic
- environmental
- social dimensions.
These are the three pillars of sustainable development.
👉 Diagram of the 3 pillars of sustainable development :
... to the definition of sustainable development in business
For a professional organisation, a sustainable development project is quite 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 all the more ground 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 shown by:
- greenhouse gas emissions
- deforestation
- poor working conditions for workers in certain parts of the world, etc.
So there's an urgent need to question our own practices!
💡 Note : the concept of sustainable development is closely linked to that of CSR, or Corporate Social Responsibility, which reflects the voluntary commitment of organisations to integrate social, environmental and ethical concerns into their commercial 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 involves creating a stable and prosperous economy that promotes growth while managing financial resources efficiently.
- The environmental dimension: this focuses on preserving and protecting the environment. These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving biodiversity and ensuring 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 needed 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 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted on 25 September 2015 by the United Nations, namely:
- planet,
- population
- prosperity,
- peace,
- partnerships.
The challenges of sustainable development in business
Human resistance to change
Launching a sustainable development project is not without its difficulties for companies. Starting with attitudes and cultures that need to change.
Indeed, this transition often involves changes at several levels, particularly at the level of work processes (e.g. stopping the use of paper and switching 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, which are 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, etc. These costs can weigh on profitability. 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 is important not to think only in short-term terms.
Why is sustainable development an opportunity for businesses?
While the challenges are many, companies have everything to gain from thinking in a more ethical and ecological way.
Over and above the obvious urgency of protecting current and future populations, signing up to 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 looking more closely at the meaning of their work. In other words, a company that works towards sustainable development has a better chance of attracting talent. What's more, if a company is concerned about the social dimension of its activities, it often offers its employees good working conditions (pay, management practices, various benefits, etc.), and therefore gains their loyalty.
Not to mention the fact 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 equation of value creation + cost reduction. As mentioned above, all we need to do is look at the long term!
How can sustainable development be applied within a company? 6 best practices
#1 Involve management and employees 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.
In addition, clear communication must be provided to employees so that they understand the "why and how " and the benefits they will derive from the change. In some cases, training will be needed to make them aware of the issues and introduce good practice.
#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 using hard data.
To start with, we recommend that you accurately measure your current environmental impact. It's not always easy to assess, but fortunately there are tools 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 (Low Carbon Transition Agency). What's more, the solution supports you in the next stages of your transition, by setting up a personalised 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 that you can constantly adapt to changes in the challenges of sustainable development.
#3 Be clear about your objectives
For some organisations, the road to sustainable development 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 by identifying your priorities, i.e. the key areas where your company has the greatest influence.
Is it to reduce your carbon emissions? Minimising waste production? Improving working conditions?
👉 Example: if you're a manufacturing company, you could make reducing your energy consumption one of your top priorities for reducing the carbon footprint of your operations.
Of course, make sure that these objectives are relevant to your sector of activity and the size of your company. It is easy to understand that it is simpler for a small entity, given its limited resources, to aim for a proportionately smaller reduction in its environmental impact than a large group.
#4 Draw inspiration from different standards
Despite all the goodwill in the world, it's not easy to know where to start in order to achieve your sustainable development objectives 😮💨!
One good practice is to draw on the various existing standards, as they provide recognised and structured frameworks for managing environmental and social issues. And they also provide valuable information about the processes to be applied!
👉 Some examples of standards to look out for:
- ISO 14001 environmental standard: this establishes guidelines for setting up an effective environmental management system;
- ISO 50001: focuses on energy management;
- ISO 26000: this is an international standard for corporate social responsibility (CSR).
#5 Change the little things we do every day
Even if it doesn't seem 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;
- curbing the use of paper, by encouraging dematerialisation;
- to minimise car emissions, by encouraging teleworking or by making it easier for employees to use public transport (e.g. reimbursement of season tickets by the employer);
- promoting responsible purchasing by using local suppliers;
- etc.
#6 Rethinking business models
However, companies need to do more than just make 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 makes no sense to require your employees to sort waste 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 life cycle and optimisation of the supply chain (giving preference to local suppliers, for example) ;
- 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 energy, etc. ;
- implementing initiatives aimed at significantly reducing waste (e.g. phasing out single-use plastic);
- investing in research and development into technologies that are more respectful of the environment and people;
- etc.
Sustainable development in business: in a nutshell!
Sustainable development in business is no longer an option, given that the economy is one of the pillars of our societies. All organisations, from the smallest VSEs to the largest groups, 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. Hence the importance of measuring our impact in order to position ourselves and define objectives in line with the reality of our business.
Then it's important to do everything possible to achieve these objectives, because 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