Embedding Sustainability in Organizational Culture - Network for ...
Embedding Sustainability in Organizational Culture - Network for ...
Embedding Sustainability in Organizational Culture - Network for ...
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embedd<strong>in</strong>g<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong><br />
organizational<br />
culture<br />
Framework and<br />
Best Practices
<strong>in</strong>troduction<br />
Many bus<strong>in</strong>ess leaders recognize that the true value of susta<strong>in</strong>ability is<br />
realized only when susta<strong>in</strong>ability is embedded <strong>in</strong>to their organizations’<br />
cultures. The ability to identify opportunities and <strong>in</strong>novate new processes<br />
requires that every <strong>in</strong>ternal stakeholder understand susta<strong>in</strong>ability and<br />
practice it. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports often describe<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability as “part of our DNA” or “the way we do bus<strong>in</strong>ess”; however,<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess leaders lack a clear framework <strong>for</strong> systematically embedd<strong>in</strong>g<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>to organizational culture.<br />
The <strong>Network</strong> <strong>for</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> and Canadian Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>for</strong><br />
Social Responsibility produced such a framework follow<strong>in</strong>g a one-day<br />
workshop of senior susta<strong>in</strong>ability and HR executives. Dur<strong>in</strong>g an open<br />
dialogue facilitated by Dr. Tima Bansal of the Richard Ivey School of<br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess, participants exchanged their companies’ methods of <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>to corporate culture. Major po<strong>in</strong>ts of discussion<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded strategic plann<strong>in</strong>g, organizational structure, human resource<br />
management, susta<strong>in</strong>ability report<strong>in</strong>g, and employee rewards<br />
and <strong>in</strong>centives.<br />
The best practices that emerged from the workshop are presented<br />
here <strong>in</strong> a five-part framework. <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> and HR professionals<br />
are encouraged to map their own susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>itiatives aga<strong>in</strong>st this<br />
framework and to identify the specific practices that could help them<br />
further <strong>in</strong>tegrate susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>to their own organizations’ cultures.<br />
Senior susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
and HR executives<br />
exchanged<br />
successful strategies<br />
<strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>to<br />
corporate culture.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 2
“The <strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong><br />
workshop was one of the best<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability events I’ve attended.<br />
In addition to present<strong>in</strong>g top-l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess realities, it delivered the<br />
latest academic research. All<br />
<strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation was presented <strong>in</strong><br />
a realistic light.”<br />
MICHELLE WHITE<br />
DIRECTOR, SUSTAINABILITY<br />
INDIGO BOOKS & MUSIC INC.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 3
framework: the star model<br />
The Star model 1 , developed by Professor Jay Galbraith, is a framework outl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
the five elements (Strategy, Structure, Processes, People and Rewards) essential<br />
to chang<strong>in</strong>g the culture of an organization. Our discussion focuses on these<br />
elements and how they factor <strong>in</strong>to your susta<strong>in</strong>ability plann<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
People – Influence and build the<br />
organization’s human resources<br />
through recruitment, promotion,<br />
rotation, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and development.<br />
E.g. Provid<strong>in</strong>g susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to employees.<br />
Rewards – Influence the<br />
motivation of organization<br />
members to align employees’<br />
goals with those of the<br />
organization. E.g. Incorporat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>to f<strong>in</strong>ancial and<br />
non-f<strong>in</strong>ancial rewards programs.<br />
People<br />
Strategy – Determ<strong>in</strong>es the<br />
organization’s direction through<br />
goals, objectives, values and/or<br />
missions. The strategy def<strong>in</strong>es<br />
the criteria <strong>for</strong> select<strong>in</strong>g an<br />
organizational structure and helps<br />
guide decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g. E.g.<br />
Mission and vision statements.<br />
Strategy<br />
Structure<br />
Rewards Processes<br />
1 Design<strong>in</strong>g Dynamic Organizations, Jay R. Galbraith, Amy Kates and Diane Downey 2001<br />
American Management Association United States ISBN 0814471196<br />
Structure – Determ<strong>in</strong>es<br />
where decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
authority lies with<strong>in</strong> the<br />
organization. E.g. Creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
an executive position with<br />
responsibility <strong>for</strong> CSR.<br />
Processes – The horizontal<br />
and vertical flow of <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation<br />
across the organization’s<br />
structure. Processes def<strong>in</strong>e<br />
how th<strong>in</strong>gs function <strong>in</strong> the<br />
context of a particular structure.<br />
E.g. Collect<strong>in</strong>g and report<strong>in</strong>g data<br />
on susta<strong>in</strong>ability per<strong>for</strong>mance.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 4
est practices <strong>for</strong> embedd<strong>in</strong>g<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong> organizational culture<br />
STRATEGY<br />
Strategy determ<strong>in</strong>es the organization’s direction through goals,<br />
objectives, values and/or missions. The strategy def<strong>in</strong>es the criteria <strong>for</strong><br />
select<strong>in</strong>g an organizational structure and helps guide decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Establish an agreed-upon def<strong>in</strong>ition of<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability that is relevant to your bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
and its success. Do not lock these discussions<br />
up <strong>in</strong> the C-Suite – garner feedback from <strong>in</strong>ternal<br />
and external stakeholders.<br />
• Once def<strong>in</strong>ed, <strong>in</strong>tegrate susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the corporate vision and l<strong>in</strong>k to your<br />
organization’s mission, values, corporate<br />
beliefs and goals. Be sure these reflect what<br />
your organization cares about. Translate this<br />
vision to every <strong>in</strong>dividual’s role <strong>in</strong> the organization<br />
– from the CEO to the mailroom – and allow<br />
them to use susta<strong>in</strong>ability as the enabler of other<br />
goals. Associate every activity with a timeframe.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Involve experts. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario <strong>in</strong>vited<br />
experts to speak about susta<strong>in</strong>ability to ignite and enable employees.<br />
• Understand the many faces of CSR. Farm Credit Canada<br />
emphasizes the need to enhance employee understand<strong>in</strong>g of CSR<br />
and how it encompasses dimensions beyond charitable giv<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
environmental efficiency.<br />
• Get your whole team onboard. Farm Credit Canada’s “Drive<br />
Away Hunger” campaign that collects food <strong>for</strong> food banks across<br />
the country <strong>in</strong>volves every member of the organization. Even<br />
executives drive tractors to pickup donations.<br />
• Put CSR on the charts. LoyaltyOne lists embedd<strong>in</strong>g susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
<strong>in</strong>to bus<strong>in</strong>ess practices among its Top 12 priorities, alongside<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g the company.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 5
STRATEGY<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Once def<strong>in</strong>ed, <strong>in</strong>tegrate susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
<strong>in</strong>to the corporate vision and l<strong>in</strong>k to your<br />
organization’s mission, values, corporate<br />
beliefs and goals. Be sure these reflect what<br />
your organization cares about. Translate this<br />
vision to every <strong>in</strong>dividual’s role <strong>in</strong> the organization<br />
– from the CEO to the mailroom – and allow<br />
them to use susta<strong>in</strong>ability as the enabler of other<br />
goals. Associate every activity with a timeframe.<br />
• Focus on develop<strong>in</strong>g your strengths.<br />
Understand that your organization has areas<br />
where it may lead, and others where it may lag.<br />
• Sell the strategy upward. Tie arguments<br />
to dollars. Understand and leverage the<br />
‘grassroots’ aspect of susta<strong>in</strong>ability, and let<br />
your employees drive change.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Walk the talk. Suncor Energy has <strong>in</strong>cluded susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>in</strong> its<br />
mission, vision and values statements as well as brand<strong>in</strong>g it as<br />
one of the organization’s pillars of corporate strategy. They are<br />
constantly ask<strong>in</strong>g themselves: Do we def<strong>in</strong>e susta<strong>in</strong>ability well<br />
enough? Does everyone have the same understand<strong>in</strong>g of<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability?<br />
• Include it <strong>in</strong> scorecards. Indigo has embedded CSR strategy<br />
<strong>in</strong>to its bus<strong>in</strong>ess plans, to the po<strong>in</strong>t where it is “baked <strong>in</strong>to”<br />
their scorecard.<br />
• Shift your th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g about your bus<strong>in</strong>ess model. Interface’s<br />
Evergreen program has offered customers the opportunity to lease<br />
carpet rather than buy. In the end, people just want their floors<br />
covered – and buy<strong>in</strong>g carpet clearly isn’t the only answer.<br />
• Know your strengths. Alterna Sav<strong>in</strong>gs developed a five-pillar<br />
CSR strategy. On two pillars (f<strong>in</strong>ancial literacy and philanthropy)<br />
Alterna per<strong>for</strong>ms well because of the alignment with core<br />
competencies. On others, they are now look<strong>in</strong>g at implement<strong>in</strong>g<br />
“good” practices rather than “best” practices to ensure<br />
executive support.<br />
• Make the <strong>in</strong>visible visible. University of Western Ontario<br />
students <strong>in</strong>vited passers-by to throw coffee cups <strong>in</strong>to a large<br />
conta<strong>in</strong>er <strong>in</strong> a public place. The volume of waste stacked at the<br />
end of the day was a powerful rem<strong>in</strong>der of the cumulative effect<br />
of unconscious actions.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 6
STRATEGY<br />
BEST PRACTICES EXAMPLES<br />
• Sell the strategy upward. Tie arguments<br />
to dollars. Understand and leverage the<br />
‘grassroots’ aspect of susta<strong>in</strong>ability, and let<br />
your employees drive change.<br />
• Use visual rem<strong>in</strong>ders. SC Johnson had waste baskets<br />
removed from offices, and recycl<strong>in</strong>g b<strong>in</strong>s placed down the<br />
hall. An <strong>in</strong>dividual’s waste was re<strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>ced by the physical act<br />
of discard<strong>in</strong>g it.<br />
• Create additional benefits. LoyaltyOne has a successful transit<br />
program through which 50% of staff buy passes. To address<br />
the new challenge of gett<strong>in</strong>g employees to client meet<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />
they implemented a susta<strong>in</strong>able fleet of Smart cars branded<br />
‘MyGreenPlanet’. Employees came to see driv<strong>in</strong>g the cars as<br />
an employment perk.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 7
STRUCTURE<br />
Structure determ<strong>in</strong>es where where decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
authority lie with<strong>in</strong> the organization.<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Make senior executives responsible.<br />
Establish a CSR executive who reports directly<br />
to the Board of Directors or CEO. Have this<br />
person work with a cross-functional CSR<br />
subcommittee that meets frequently. Empower<br />
employees to solve problems.<br />
• Establish accountability. Ensure ownership of<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability goals by encourag<strong>in</strong>g people to set<br />
their own targets and report regularly.<br />
• Don’t go it alone. Use partners and<br />
collaborators to leverage your capabilities<br />
or achieve greater outcomes.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Break down silos. Farm Credit Canada has an executive<br />
responsible <strong>for</strong> CSR, but leaders from across the organization<br />
‘own’ the per<strong>for</strong>mance metrics.<br />
• Recruit susta<strong>in</strong>ability champions. Establish <strong>in</strong> various roles<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability champions across the organization. Champions can<br />
be made through one-to-one conversations.<br />
• Colour your goals. Canada Post has its leaders <strong>in</strong> each unit agree<br />
to susta<strong>in</strong>ability objectives and <strong>for</strong>m the corporate dashboard <strong>for</strong><br />
each unit. At each meet<strong>in</strong>g, staff review the dashboards. They<br />
choose the colour to appear on their dashboard – green, yellow<br />
and red – with red send<strong>in</strong>g a clear message that action is required.<br />
• Institutionalize CSR <strong>in</strong> roles. Embed the component pieces of<br />
CSR <strong>in</strong>to the roles of employees rather than rely<strong>in</strong>g on the <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
people to be responsible <strong>for</strong> CSR.<br />
• F<strong>in</strong>d partners to help. Bullfrog Power has benefited from<br />
collaborat<strong>in</strong>g with NGOs and ENGOs.<br />
• Involve others who care. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of<br />
Ontario uses a Community Activation strategy to mobilize other<br />
organizations to help achieve their community health objectives.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 8
PEOPLE<br />
People <strong>in</strong>cludes <strong>in</strong>fluenc<strong>in</strong>g and build<strong>in</strong>g the organization’s human resources<br />
through recruitment, promotion, rotation, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and development.<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Know your audience. When you communicate<br />
goals, consider how they sound to different<br />
audiences <strong>in</strong>side organization.<br />
• Develop teachers and associates and<br />
leverage grassroots energy. As people tend<br />
to support what they help create, leverage<br />
grassroots energy already <strong>in</strong> your organization.<br />
Identify champions across the organization rather<br />
than establish<strong>in</strong>g a broad, unwieldy bureaucracy.<br />
• Engage employees. Ensure basic concerns<br />
like pay, work-life balance, work<strong>in</strong>g environment,<br />
etc. are addressed and then broaden to other<br />
issues. Ensure your managers are effective. Hire,<br />
promote and reward <strong>for</strong> fit <strong>in</strong> your organization.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Use positive fram<strong>in</strong>g. Instead of “susta<strong>in</strong>ability” or “responsibility”,<br />
Industry Canada uses the term “responsible competitiveness”.<br />
• Understand that motivation matters. When Intact F<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
Corporation communicated CSR objectives to its executives, they<br />
discovered that some members were <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> the bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
case <strong>for</strong> CSR and so were more <strong>in</strong>terested because it was<br />
“the right th<strong>in</strong>g to do.”<br />
• Generate ideas. Pemb<strong>in</strong>a’s consult<strong>in</strong>g service engages every<br />
s<strong>in</strong>gle employee on susta<strong>in</strong>ability and gets their ideas on the table.<br />
This exercise builds <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>ternal tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g component as a side benefit.<br />
• Encourage employees to step up. Loyalty One fosters a Volunteer<br />
Committee composed of employees who drive grassroots activities.<br />
• Understand your dependence on one another. One of Suncor<br />
Energy’s ma<strong>in</strong> risks to its susta<strong>in</strong>ability mission is fail<strong>in</strong>g to per<strong>for</strong>m<br />
<strong>in</strong> the field. The only way to per<strong>for</strong>m consistently is to have every<br />
employee aligned, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> better decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
• Learn from differences. A healthy debate over susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
goals is not a bad th<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> an organization. Anonymous onl<strong>in</strong>e<br />
feedback mechanisms are used by multiple organizations to allow<br />
employees to voice their concerns.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 9
REWARDS<br />
Rewards <strong>in</strong>fluence the motivation of organization members to<br />
align employees’ goals with those of the organization.<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Create small <strong>in</strong>centives that magnify to big<br />
changes. Incentives do not always need to be<br />
monetary – sometimes the ear of senior<br />
management is enough.<br />
• L<strong>in</strong>k compensation to CSR per<strong>for</strong>mance.<br />
Once someth<strong>in</strong>g is built <strong>in</strong>to the bonus structure,<br />
it’s amaz<strong>in</strong>g how fast it gets <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to<br />
everyday bus<strong>in</strong>ess. Where possible, <strong>in</strong>cent longterm<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g at all levels.<br />
• Celebrate successes. Set regular<br />
opportunities to reflect on priorities.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Support new projects. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of<br />
Ontario’s Community Activation Fund hands out small grants to<br />
allow people to build someth<strong>in</strong>g susta<strong>in</strong>able. The prizes have been<br />
enabl<strong>in</strong>g and motivat<strong>in</strong>g, and recipients derive not only monetary<br />
benefits but legitimacy from the prize.<br />
• Celebrate ideas. Cameco hosted an <strong>in</strong>ternal trade show dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Environmental Leadership Week featur<strong>in</strong>g workshops on usta<strong>in</strong>ability.<br />
The top three ideas from these workshops were chosen and honoured<br />
by the Environmental Leadership Team and <strong>in</strong>dustry experts.<br />
• Offer <strong>in</strong>centives. Initially, GlaxoSmithKl<strong>in</strong>e set targets <strong>for</strong> energy<br />
consumption. General consensus at the site level was: “we’re lean,<br />
we can’t do it”. But once a 5% reduction was mandated and l<strong>in</strong>ked<br />
to bonuses, the site assigned technical resources to the goal and<br />
reached their target. In 2009, the organization reduced energy<br />
consumption by 11%.<br />
• Recognize achievement. Fairmont has a long-stand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Environmental Hotel of the Year competition. While prizes (<strong>in</strong> the<br />
<strong>for</strong>m of donations to charitable organizations) are awarded, it’s really<br />
about the recognition – a company announcement by the CEO to<br />
launch the <strong>in</strong>itiative and participation is very high. The evaluation<br />
criteria each year change to align with Fairmont’s current strategic<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability priorities.<br />
<strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> Practices Your Future Employees Will Demand 10
PROCESSES<br />
Processes are the horizontal and vertical flow of <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation across<br />
the organization’s structure. Processes def<strong>in</strong>e how th<strong>in</strong>gs function <strong>in</strong><br />
the context of a particular structure.<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Ask yourself big – and tough – questions<br />
now. Start talk<strong>in</strong>g about what you want your<br />
organization to be <strong>in</strong> 10-20 years, and what role<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability plays. Th<strong>in</strong>k beyond your product<br />
to what value you’re provid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>for</strong> customers. Do<br />
it today - nobody gets to be a leader by wait<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
and you can always adjust.<br />
• Publish targets to the outside world.<br />
Committ<strong>in</strong>g publicly is a powerful motivator.<br />
• Communicate authentically to all parties.<br />
Internally communicate the f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs to<br />
employees; external communications with<br />
stakeholders (suppliers, customers, etc.). Also<br />
understand how susta<strong>in</strong>ability speaks to the heart<br />
as well as the m<strong>in</strong>d.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Tell them you’ll do it. Canada Post publicly committed<br />
to reduce its carbon footpr<strong>in</strong>t by 20% by 2020.<br />
• Open the l<strong>in</strong>es of communication. Farm Credit Canada<br />
established an onl<strong>in</strong>e Vision Panel which allowed customers<br />
and non-customers to comment on what they do/do not<br />
like about the organization’s ef<strong>for</strong>ts.<br />
• Br<strong>in</strong>g all parties together. As part of InterfaceFLOR Canada’s<br />
strategy, they convene <strong>in</strong>terdiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary and cross functional<br />
teams to collaborate and communicate on susta<strong>in</strong>ability.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 11
PROCESSES<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
• Build on what already exists. There are many<br />
frameworks, best practices and even <strong>in</strong>ternal<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess processes that can be leveraged to<br />
drive susta<strong>in</strong>ability objectives with<strong>in</strong> your<br />
organization.<br />
• Understand how competition can motivate<br />
<strong>in</strong>novation and problem-solv<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
EXAMPLES<br />
• Start with someth<strong>in</strong>g familiar. When discuss<strong>in</strong>g<br />
metrics, report<strong>in</strong>g, measurements, peer comparisons and<br />
benchmark<strong>in</strong>g, GTAA suggests tak<strong>in</strong>g ISO or GRI’s report<strong>in</strong>g<br />
framework as a start<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t to build a customized mechanism<br />
to measure susta<strong>in</strong>ability s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>in</strong>dustry-specific metrics don’t<br />
exist. Use what you know and don’t wait <strong>for</strong> perfection or you<br />
will never even start!<br />
• Identify and leverage exist<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess processes.<br />
When Suncor Energy realized that IT processes were a<br />
driver <strong>for</strong> organizational behaviour they tied susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
to their IT processes.<br />
• Create a safe place <strong>for</strong> bold ideas. This is where <strong>in</strong>novation<br />
enters the picture. After low-hang<strong>in</strong>g fruit were picked and<br />
<strong>in</strong>centives were <strong>in</strong> place, The Pemb<strong>in</strong>a Institute moved to<br />
establish processes and structures <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>novation <strong>in</strong> the<br />
company. The organization set itself up <strong>for</strong> access<strong>in</strong>g new<br />
ideas and implement<strong>in</strong>g the best ones.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 12
Develop<strong>in</strong>g Your Action plan<br />
• Learn from others. Use the practices and examples <strong>in</strong> this<br />
report <strong>for</strong> benchmark<strong>in</strong>g, suggestions, or <strong>in</strong>spiration.<br />
• F<strong>in</strong>d your fit. Identify your strengths and weaknesses across<br />
the five areas and prioritize your objectives and activities.<br />
• Understand the challenges. Compet<strong>in</strong>g resource demands,<br />
the need to ga<strong>in</strong> support at the executive level, and the tension<br />
between growth (of sales, revenues, etc) and susta<strong>in</strong>ability may<br />
all represent hurdles with<strong>in</strong> your organization.<br />
• Engage and collaborate to <strong>in</strong>novate. Leverage the “grassroots”<br />
energy of the movement. Take advantage of opportunities <strong>for</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>novation and collaboration to meet your susta<strong>in</strong>ability objectives.<br />
• Act now rather than later. Don’t expect perfection the first time.<br />
Sometimes, “good” practices are good enough. Overcome any<br />
<strong>in</strong>ertia and take the first steps – you will learn along the way.<br />
• Stay <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>med. Get the latest knowledge on culture and other<br />
areas of bus<strong>in</strong>ess susta<strong>in</strong>ability by subscrib<strong>in</strong>g to the <strong>Network</strong> <strong>for</strong><br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong>’s newsletter: <strong>in</strong>fo@nbs.net and CBSR’s<br />
newsletter at cbsr.ca/newlstter-signup.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 13
Acknowledgements<br />
The practices and examples <strong>in</strong> this report emerged from the workshop<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong>to Corporate <strong>Culture</strong>s, presented February<br />
23 <strong>in</strong> Toronto, Ontario by the <strong>Network</strong> <strong>for</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> and<br />
Canadian Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>for</strong> Social Responsibility.<br />
We would like to thank Industry Canada <strong>for</strong> their support of this workshop.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> Corporate <strong>Culture</strong>, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the l<strong>in</strong>k between<br />
employee engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility, is one of four<br />
CBSR research topics <strong>for</strong> 2010. To access CBSR research visit<br />
cbsr.ca/resources.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> Corporate <strong>Culture</strong> is one of seven Knowledge<br />
Priorities <strong>for</strong> 2010 identified by the <strong>Network</strong>s’ council of susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />
executives from lead<strong>in</strong>g Canadian organizations.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 14
Leadership Council Members<br />
The <strong>Network</strong> was created with generous fund<strong>in</strong>g from its<br />
Leadership Council members, the Social Sciences and<br />
Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Richard Ivey<br />
School of Bus<strong>in</strong>ess, and the University of Western Ontario.<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 15
About the <strong>Network</strong><br />
The <strong>Network</strong> enables bus<strong>in</strong>ess susta<strong>in</strong>ability by foster<strong>in</strong>g<br />
collaboration between <strong>in</strong>dustry and academia. It reaches 500<br />
researchers and more than 1,000 managers <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong><br />
susta<strong>in</strong>able developement, social responsibliity and green<br />
management. Its objectives are to build community,<br />
exchange knowledge and spur <strong>in</strong>novation. Visit www.nbs.net.<br />
About Canadian Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>for</strong> Social Responsibility<br />
Founded <strong>in</strong> 1995, Canadian Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>for</strong> Social Responsibility<br />
(CBSR) is a bus<strong>in</strong>ess-led non-profit learn<strong>in</strong>g organization and<br />
consultancy that mobilizes Canadian companies to make powerful<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess decisions that improve per<strong>for</strong>mance and contribute to a<br />
better world. A globally recognized source of CSR <strong>in</strong> Canada, we<br />
offer practical CSR tools and research and learn<strong>in</strong>g events,<br />
programs and solutions to advance company practice.<br />
Contact<br />
<strong>Network</strong> <strong>for</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong><br />
Richard ivey School of Bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
University of Western Ontario<br />
1151 Richmond Street N.<br />
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3K7<br />
<strong>in</strong>fo@nbs.net<br />
www.nbs.net<br />
Contact<br />
Canadian Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>for</strong><br />
Social Responsibility<br />
300 – 360 Bay Street<br />
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2V6<br />
<strong>in</strong>fo@cbsr.ca<br />
www.cbsr.ca<br />
<strong>Embedd<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Susta<strong>in</strong>ability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Organizational</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 16