With the right motivations and mindset in place, businesses can enact real, positive shifts while remaining grounded in what’s feasible for their specific organization. Any frameworks for environmental sustainability must be maintainable from a business perspective as well.Įven if a business can only sustain, say, 2 percent more efficiency in operations year-over-year, that will compound over time to steadily move the needle. See More: How the Cloud Drives Sustainability For Lasting Impact, Focus On Incremental Improvementsīusiness leaders should only consider and implement sustainability initiatives if they know they can maintain them over time – otherwise, they risk neutralizing or reversing any short-term progress made. Being upfront about prior operational shortcomings can be effective-and help to strengthen a business’s relationship with its customers-if the approach is authentic and focused on demonstrating growth rather than accruing accolades. There have absolutely been instances where, with an eye toward sustainability, truly impassioned leaders have cast a spotlight on their former practices as a way of establishing credibility and accountability with their customers and peers.īy and large, though, businesses that want to make a splash about their sustainability initiatives and improvements are best served by being strategic. While questions like those above have been and will continue to be levied against any business that claims to have made too radical of “improvements” too quickly, they do not invalidate the occurrences of authentic sweeping change. If a company claims that its operations improved year-over-year by, say, 50 percent, what does that say about how it used to operate? What kind of practices may the company have employed previously? Was leadership truly invested in drastically changing course, or were they perhaps called out by a third party? Should customers expect similar improvements the following year, or will these massive changes lead to a plateau? While it is true that demonstrable improvements can shed light on a company’s values, any dramatic improvements should give customers and partners pause. Major Sustainability “Improvements” Could Actually Be Cause for Concernīetween customer expectations and environmentalism dominating the cultural zeitgeist, it can be compelling to tout one’s accomplishments when it comes to sustainable operations. When it comes to sustainable operations, businesses should focus on incremental improvements rather than sweeping initiatives. Indeed, leveraging advanced technology is a business’ best bet toward more sustainable operations – but it must be wielded strategically. Many manufacturing leaders are laser-focused on improving their production wherever possible and have embraced IoT-powered technology to gain unparalleled visibility into their operations. This antiquated perception of manufacturing is a far cry from today’s reality. But before they spin their wheels building roadmaps for sustainability overhauls, they should take a step back and think “big picture.” This is especially true for industries like manufacturing, whose leaders face an uphill battle in combating the generations-old stereotype of “dirty” business, complete with imagery of belching smokestacks and perilous working conditions. Efficiency often goes hand-in-hand with sustainability KPIs tend to focus on reducing waste, right-sizing inventory, and curbing emissions, notes Nic Azad, TrakSYS communications lead at Parsec Automation.īetween customer demand and the ever-present imperative to edge out the competition, business leaders may feel compelled to implement sprawling changes in the name of sustainability. Organizations around the world are embracing digital transformation, with leaders eagerly pursuing better, more efficient ways to operate and serve customers (two-thirds of whom, according to a 2020 McKinsey study Opens a new window, consider sustainability when making a purchase).
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