SUSTAINABILITY: Why great companies are investing in it in a big way BY ROBIN FISHER, SENIOR AREA VICE PRESIDENT, SALESFORCE - EMERGING MARKETS
The days when companies could view sustainability as a “nice-to-have” are long gone. Far from being something tacked on for the sake of good PR, sustainability is an urgent business imperative. We are, after all, no longer just navigating a crisis—we are facing a new reality. Climate change, racial inequality, and the pandemic are all profound realities that have changed what we expect of businesses. Companies need to embed sustainability and responsibility by design into the core of their business. It is not separate. The companies that do this early will lead and drive great value for their business and for all. And, outside of the business imperative, regulatory changes will soon require Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, with many countries starting with climate change. This data is becoming essential to financial filings, corporate reputation, employee recruitment, and customer engagement, and helps build trust with all stakeholders. That focus on sustainability isn’t just something companies should feel obligated to do either. It’s also something that customers want and which, ultimately, makes good business sense.
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TOP500 11th Edition
THE DESIRE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
And while value and ease of purchase
It’s easy for organisations to
are still the main drivers of purchase
underestimate how much demand there is for business to embrace sustainability. But the numbers are actually pretty significant. Some 90% of customers, for example, expect corporations to live up to a set of values higher than shareholder return.
decisions, sustainability is becoming a bigger factor. A 2019 survey, for example, found that 47% of internet users worldwide had ditched products and services from a brand that violated their personal values. The number one reason for doing so was environmental concerns.
