Building Around a Sustainable Vision

Turning bright environment ideas into core business practices requires the right governance strategy

By Deborah Albers

In today's corporate environment, sustainability is climbing to the top of priority lists everywhere. And we are seeing the benefits: Products are more energy-efficient, companies are reducing carbon footprints and there is a renewed focus on recycling. Annual budgets are developing line items for these important efforts. In short, the future of sustainability is more exciting than ever.

As I focus on the future of sustainability, I look for three things to ensure success for the long term: vision, planning and governance.

The combination of a vision set in motion with a documented plan, executed and managed with good governance policies, is a success story in the making.

Author Ayn Rand said, “Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision.” This is happening today in the sustainable business area.

Corporate leaders are taking their vision of tomorrow and building a business around it today.

For example, Michael Dell, Dell’s chairman and CEO, recently set an ambitious agenda, saying, “Dell will be the greenest technology company on the planet.”

Knowing the end result, but not necessarily the path to getting there, is the essence of a visionary. Without visionaries setting amazing, even audacious, goals, the work of planning sustainability strategies may never have started.

There are two ways to succeed in accomplishing a task, one is careful planning and the other is brute force. Planning is often the first thing thrown to the wind when an important task must be accomplished in a short period of time. Brute force wins out, the task is completed, and the team is recognized for a job well done.

How then do we repeat the process the next time? Who is the one responsible for writing the policy and procedures that will support it into the future? How often is it reviewed for relevance and efficacy? Who is allowed to make changes and who must approve those changes? These are the questions that must be answered to ensure a sustainable program.

Building a program that is scalable requires careful planning, alignment with the business objectives, clear ownership and accountability to the top of the organization.

Such alignment will create momentum and excitement. Employees can see both the goal, and the path to reach it. Implementation is a piece most businesses do best. The risk comes when it becomes the "plan of record" and must be maintained.

This is where governance comes into play.

When growth happens quickly, especially when fueled with passion, there is often no infrastructure built to support future success. The desire to have the goal in place outweighs the desire to do it methodically and without error.

Too often programs are put in place but not documented in a way that would allow careful review of the program’s success, or ensure the program is scalable to successfully grow. Seeing the trajectory of growth and building in process is key to sustaining the efforts companies are putting into sustainability.
There are a few basics of governance: rationale, ownership, accountability and communication.
When you know what you are doing and why (rationale), you buy into the strategy. When you have defined the responsible parties (ownership), there is commitment to the strategy. When those owners are required to review the strategy regularly and show progress (accountability), the strategy becomes a core practice. When you tell the people in the company and the world what is being done (communication), it creates alignment and momentum. These are the keys to success.

Governing a vision can be a difficult task and is not for the weak at heart. Budget cuts, attrition, and slowed growth can all be catalysts for reprioritizing key initiatives. To effectively apply governance to sustainability, it must be built into the highest levels of the company.

Governance thrives in forums where ideas can be openly discussed, risks assessed and processes improved. Documented, repeatable processes are the unacknowledged core of any corporate sustainability program and governance is the key to longevity.

Governance ensures that the foundation is built so it can withstand the test of time, adding authenticity and accountability into the program, the corporation and the movement (if we dare call it that).

I challenge you today to be the voice that speaks up for the value of documented processes, the force behind solid governance practices, and an example of it in your own work. Mahatma Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world.”

The current passion for sustainability provides a unique advantage in taking action. Let's build the roads we will need for the long term, not just the paths we need for the short term.

Deborah Albers is responsible for managing Dell’s Sustainability Governance Strategies. She also leads the strategy development for Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) partnerships, memberships and sponsorships.