agribusinessreview.comFEBRUARY 202419Engage your team members ­ speak about sustainability during team meetings or town hall discussionsWithout the appreciation and support of the wider business, your project is already doomed. Establish a cross-functional sustainability committee ­ new product development, operations, finance, human resources, quality assurance, sales, and marketing. Engage your team members ­ speak about sustainability during team meetings or town hall discussions. Have your CEO talk about sustainability. Participate in local or national not-for-profit sustainability events, such as `Plant a Tree Day' in Australia. Consider having an SLT/GLT/Board sponsor ­ someone high up in the authority change to act as a figurehead for the project to show importance. Data, Data, Data Assess your current sustainability performance. What data do you have for carbon emissions, energy consumption, females in leadership positions, etc., and how can that data help you show weaknesses in your system? Perform a SWOT analysis ­ strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats a lack of sustainability can bring your business. How do you benchmark against similar companies or direct competitors? What do they look for, and why should or shouldn't you do the same?Reading sustainability reports of businesses in your own country but also around the world to see what is out there is a great way to get a first idea of where to start. Conduct a materiality assessment ­ consult internal and external stakeholders and map the importance of their preferred and significant sustainability initiatives (e.g. do consumers find healthy eating or water consumption reduction more important for your product?)Develop your Strategy Start with a mission and vision statement. You will not be able to do everything, so prioritize based on your materiality assessment which areas are of the highest importance. As with any other strategy ­ a balance of impact vs. effort needs to be achieved. Understand and map the projects that will add a lot of value/have a high impact but will take a lot of resources and are very complex, vs. the quick wins with limited effect but low resource requirements. This will also make you understand potential money pit bets to avoid. Set a Clear Action Plan and Establish KpisWhat does good performance look like? How are you tracking your sustainability journey? Without clear goals, roles and responsibilities and regular check-ins, your program will fail. Having an official launch event or annual update with the business (from the board to the shopfloor worker) often has a great impact. Reporting and Communication Consider marketing your strategy and update: Is there any easy way to create a logo out of your business name and overall brand strategy? Do you have some creative minds that would like to get involved, even as a little competition to develop a logo? Often, consistent messaging can help you communicate effectively. Accountability will drive change; consider reporting to your senior management team or board on a quarterly basis.
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