One familiar approach adopted when cascading sustainability across an entire organisation is the appointment of sustainability champions.
A critical catalyst when translating the why into the what and how for sustainability. Though sustainability as a concept is not new, it offers an opportunity for transformation in many organisations, which forms the basis for the role played by sustainability champions.
Transformation involves change and often requires a re-imagination of the status quo, which contrasts with the current state of the different functions in the organisation.
Managing these opposing objectives of the current and future needs is where sustainability champions are required. In other words, they are change agents tasked with leading the transformation occurring through sustainability and its related aspects.
They take responsibility for the implementation of the sustainability-related change management strategy across operations, structures, processes and culture.
The ultimate goal of these champions is to deliver sustained sustainability-related outcomes for the organisation where changes have been embedded, people are functioning in their new roles effectively, and the sustainability champion role comes to an end.
For organisations to profit from having sustainability champions, they must consider the following. An essential aspect of being a sustainability champion is communication. They are dedicated points for information dissemination to specific teams and functions.
The champions should be knowledgeable about sustainability in the organisation’s context and possess targeted insights into translating high-level goals into bite-sized tasks and activities for their teams. Another aspect of their communication is providing feedback to the leadership team on challenges and revisions that need to be considered during implementation.
They also help to drive knowledge sharing across different teams, drive alignment across the organisation and provide practical solutions to challenges faced by teams.
They provide leadership, motivating, inspiring and driving accountability while negotiating on behalf of their team on matters such as deadlines and resource allocation.
One challenging aspect champions must navigate carefully is the resistance they face from employees, which requires anticipating and proactively planning for early and continuous stakeholder engagement, prioritising the human element, and providing comprehensive training and support, including necessary tools.
Sustainability champions should define what success looks like from the start when setting expectations and hold regular check-ins with their teams.
The writer is a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is an author who writes and speaks widely on corporate reporting topics.
Unlock a world of exclusive content today!Unlock a world of exclusive content today!
