The Six Ways to Generate Business Value from Sustainability Special Edition Roundtable.
Our first Special Edition Roundtable offered a deeper dive into a specific topic. For those who could not attend, here are some key takeaways:
Business purpose and business value are strongly correlated. Business values have shifted - intangible values now comprise 86% of the balance sheet. Intangible values, such as employee engagement and loyalty, innovation, intellectual capital, relationships, and reputation are difficult to measure by standard accounting practices, and as such are often overlooked. To help create value, we need to be sure our organizations are clear top-to-bottom on their purpose and impact.
In light of this, it is not surprising that Roundtable participants voted marketing and communication as their main topic of interest in business sustainability (higher than financing sustainability or sustainability operations, among other topics). With 30% of consumers as “true blue greens” or “greens,” 30% on the fence, and 35% ambivalent, telling a compelling sustainability story is important.