Sustainability Leadership in Action

Is it only top executives that can lead on sustainability? 

While it's preferable for the Board and CEO to lead the sustainability efforts it is not needed. It is entirely possible for the sustainability efforts of a business to be started by a single individual, who may not even have sustainability as their primary or formal role. It is not the role that leads sustainability, but the person as a formal sustainability role can be filled by someone who has no drive for sustainability or by someone with a deep passion. 

How can the role of sustainability be distributed in a business? 

Allocating different sustainable development goals between all board members (ideally depending on personal preferences) would be more impactful to a business. Allowing sustainability issues to be distributed can ensure they are tied to strategies and everyday decisions - rather than being lumped together and allocated to one individual, which effectively forms a silo. 

What are some examples of sustainability leadership? 

• Rolls-Royce has chosen to focus on 4 out of the 17 UN SDGs: climate action; responsible consumption and production; decent work and economic growth; peace, justice and strong institutions.
  
  
• In 2022, Bentley Motors set an unprecedented standard in the industry by achieving ‘Net Zero Plastic to Nature’.
  
  
• The Communications Director of Tallink started to work voluntarily with sustainability issues, then had her own sustainability role formalised. She then lobbied internally for one of the Board members to take on responsibility for sustainability issues, and that led to a member of the Management Board being formally responsible for sustainability.