Sustainability Performance Management: Imperative vs Wishful?

The Buzz 1: “Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have extra. It’s a critical piece of the puzzle for companies looking to stay ahead of the competition and protect their bottom lines.[smart.arqlite.com] The Buzz 2: “For companies focused on ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) efforts, metrics matter…Each industry and organization will have different metrics that are material to their business.” [gobyinc.com] The Buzz 3: “Some companies report only their greenhouse gas emissions…others publish glossy reports about their CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives or use their ESG ratings as a badge of honor.” [hbr.org] Yes, sustainability strategy and reporting are hot topics and management priorities for organizations’ internal and external stakeholders. Why? They can tangibly impact the ability to access finance, attract talent and grow market share. The big picture: Worldwide compliance requirements are driving sustainability initiatives, but the metrics to manage and report against can vary by sector, by country, by strategy. Organizations need to not only make future commitments about sustainability metrics, but also to demonstrate their plan to maintain and improve overall corporate performance. Forward-thinking organizations see sustainability reporting as an opportunity to spearhead new opportunities, efficiencies and growth, which require performance management capability and culture. Where to start? We’ll ask Michel Haesendonckx at SAP and Esteban Rastrollo at EY for their insights on Sustainability Performance Management: Business Imperative vs Wishful Thinking?