Sustainability – Success through consulting and strategy

Today, a “little green” is too little to meet the demands of stakeholders. Social values and parameters are changing – and with them the commercially viable goals. What is at stake is nothing more and nothing less than a sustainable corporate transformation.

Neo-ecology is the megatrend that will fundamentally influence our world in the coming years: Environmental awareness is evolving from an individual lifestyle to a social movement and an obligation for everyone. Sustainability is shifting from a consumer trend to an indisputable economic and competitive factor. In the process, we are dealing with a whole series of changes and potential:

• Generation Global: Ecological values are creating a new global identity
• New Markets: The new “we” culture is signalling a shift away from consumerism
• Nature Next: Nature is becoming synonymous with a healthy life
• New Economy: Progressive post-growth is becoming the paradigm of the next society

A new world is emerging – Sustainability 3.0 – with immediate consequences. The change in values will further limit the general tolerance of environmental sinners and will result in strongly regulating laws. This calls for proactive action at the executive level. Facing these challenges requires some entrepreneurial courage and foresight, but it also holds great opportunities. For the individual company as well as for us as a human race. 

Today, customers, employees, investors and civil society place a company’s image and products in a context of sustainability – and, if in doubt, decide against it if sustainability is not lived authentically. 

Business success results from outstanding products for the right target group, on the one hand. On the other hand, the new demands of stakeholders in terms of sustainability act as external drivers that can challenge or accelerate this success:

• Sustainability is becoming more and more embedded in customers’ purchasing decisions, throughout the entire process from production to the supermarket shelf.
• Workers are looking for meaningful work (“a purpose”) that, at best, helps overcome the challenges of our time. 
• Investors want to invest their money in future-proof projects that integrate the issue of sustainability in the long term.
• Civil society expects companies to take responsibility for their actions and the consequences of these actions.
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) influence public opinion and expose greenwashing.

Governments are setting new political parameters for more climate protection and sustainable corporate governance.

Companies that don’t have a sustainability strategy no longer have a strategy.

Book tip: Horst von Buttlar describes in his book “The Green Decade” (EN: The Green Decade), published by Penguin, how companies manage the transformation

Sustainable practices are becoming part of the business strategy. This is the challenge that many companies are currently facing.

For successful integration, it helps to have an outside perspective and the right change management: With sound advice, sustainability strategy and sustainability marketing remain a challenge, but they can be mastered.   

As an sustainability consulting agency, we will support you in developing or improving your sustainability strategy and your sustainability marketing. Our experts can help you successfully implement your specific strategy and measures in your company.

1. We ask the right questions
2. We are familiar with the legal framework
3. We take a holistic approach
4. We develop sustainability strategies
5. We implement sustainability marketing

What strategy and measures can achieve in your context:

• We focus on your positioning as a sustainable company with our extensive know-how in sustainability.
• We strengthen your positioning as a sustainable development partner, manufacturer and service provider.
• We establish contacts with NGOs and well-known personalities in the field of sustainability.
• We communicate the positioning of your sustainability management – visible and tangible for the internal and external world.
• We see sustainability marketing not as compulsory communication, but as active and strategic action.

Claiming to be a sustainable company from one day to the next is implausible. It is much more about showing your stakeholders how ambitious and innovative you are in driving this issue forward in your company. For example, what interim goals you are achieving, what experience you have gained and how you have evolved from it.

Pursuing sustainability (more) actively begins with asking the right questions. That is why we develop key questions on an individual basis depending on the task at hand. For example:

• How are you gearing up for the transition to a climate-neutral economy and what contribution are you making?
• What do the fundamental changes brought about by the energy transition for your industry mean for your company?
• How important is sustainability compared to profit and cost targets?
• Do you have sustainable products in your core business or do you use them as drivers for new business areas?
• What transition risks of a low-carbon economy do you see?
• How will the type and direction of distribution of sustainable products be set up?
• Should sustainability be integrated into the brand?
• What are the consequences for product development, sales, risk management and reporting?
• What do you need to report and by when?
• What systems and tools can support and help here?
• Are you a pioneer/innovator in your sector? Early adopter? Follower?
• How does sustainability not become a hygiene factor with basic customer expectations?
• What business risks and business opportunities do you see?
• What are the profiling opportunities?
• Do you think in entirely new ways? Or rather: “We are becoming a little more sustainable every day”?

And so many more...

Climate neutrality is one of the most important and prominent sustainability issues.

But if you look at the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or the ESG criteria (Environmental, Social, Governance) from the investment sector, there is much more involved in a consistently sustainable company. This is why we work with a holistic approach in sustainability consulting that takes into account the sustainable transformation of all areas of the company.

This mindset is found equally across the different stakeholders. Some examples:

Tighter legislation

• Legal requirements for companies to achieve the EU Green Deal are increasing
• Policy focus is on climate protection, human rights and transparent reporting 

Higher customer expectations

• Information on ambitious sustainability goals, strategy and measures is examined and critically scrutinised
• Greater transparency in the supply chain is demanded
• Technologies, products, services and activities should be in the spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 

New investor perspective

• Sustainability is becoming an important indicator for risk assessment
• The EU Green Deal serves as a driver for sustainability investments

The fact that sustainability is becoming a significant parameter for a company’s future viability is indisputable. And the start of authentic sustainability communication is the development of a sound sustainability strategy that suits the company. This requires know-how, time, capacities and an unbiased view. How do we recognise this?

Many companies are primarily concerned with the following topics:

• Sustainable production
• CO2-neutral footprint
• Resource-saving production
• Use of recycled materials
• Renewable raw materials
• Recyclability and/or closed loop models
• Local or regional production
• Fairly produced at fair wages, free of child labour

However, we take a much broader view of the topic in line with our holistic approach. Because...

A good sustainability strategy also considers:

• Sustainable corporate governance
• Transformation processes
• Corporate principles (equality, diversity, anti-corruption)
• Internal communication and change processes
• Employer branding
• Sustainability ratings
• Qualification programmes and company health management for employees
• Safe, motivating and family-friendly workplaces
• Social responsibility
• Business models

A variety of technologies and systems provide a good starting point for achieving the following goals, for example, with a sustainability strategy:

• Conserving resources
• Avoiding waste
• Reducing costs
• Promoting sales and customer loyalty
• Ensuring the future viability of the company
• Increasing employee motivation and willingness to perform
• Positioning the company as an attractive employer

As holistically as we approach a sustainability strategy as an agency, we also develop and realise the marketing for it.

With an integrated approach, with storytelling on all channels, a broad portfolio from PR and advertising in print and online, to trade fairs and events to sustainability reports.

Sustainable business activity unfolds its positive effect when it is also perceived as such by the relevant stakeholders – transparently, authentically and as free of contradictions as possible. Therefore, sound sustainability marketing and stringent sustainability communication are needed. On the basis of the Paris Climate Agreement and in an implementation that takes into account the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Science Based Targets Initiative as well as investment and compensation. Sustainability reports alone are no longer enough.

From strategy to implementation – with our sustainability consulting agency you’ll find the complete sustainability programme. With experienced management and a team that not only undergoes intensive training, but one that also develops and drives sustainable processes within the agency. We are always up to date with new legislation, social trends or challenges in the industry: Whether as a member of relevant national sustainability committees, working groups, as speakers or workshop organisers.

Our long-standing know-how in sustainability:

• Sustainability strategy
• Sustainability communication
• Sustainability audits
• Reputation management and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• PR and marketing support