Sustainability: business, life, environment

Does your company take the lead in its industry, or does your business typically wait to see how the competition responds before taking action?  In our sustainability consulting, we find business leaders, especially in these challenging economic times, are often leery to over commit resources and capital.  While this may seem like the safe play, chances are the company may be actually increasing business risk and directly affecting the competitive position of the organization.

From our experience, we find the key to long-term business sustainability is often a willingness to take self motivated action.  By proactively reevaluating your organization’s internal processes and business strategies, you are taking a step in the direction self determined change.  If left to respond to the actions of others or in response to external circumstance, you may be unknowingly be falling behind not only the competition but the overall direction of business.

In a recent article, sustainable ‘inaction’ is examined as a true business risk facing many passive organizations.  While regulatory and economic risks have been on the radar for a long time, the business world is now evaluating business sustainability from a broader strategic perspective. 
 
Leading businesses are taking the opportunity to rework traditional business practices and models to position themselves in a more favorable position for the future.  These businesses are now including environmental and social impacts in the profitability equation.  Putting on their ‘green’ glasses, today’s leaders are addressing some basic business sustainability questions:
 
•    What are the current and future dynamics in the market and/or the direction of domestic policy that could affect long-term business profitability?

•    What business risk might the company be incurring by not taking action?

•    What opportunities might the company missing out on now and in the future?

•    Is the competition taking action now?

•    How can you tweak your current business sustainability strategy to successfully balance short and long term company goals with the values of my stakeholders?
 
Taking proactive steps to anticipate change in the business world can not only create an opportunity to capture immediate value but can position and organization favorably in the future.  Our sustainability consulting works with clients to define business sustainability value drivers and integrate them into existing processes and evolving business models.