Sustainability Roadmap for Startups - Green Plus

7
Longer Term, Intermediate Practices
PERFORMANCE
Plan & Document
‣ Develop additional planning documents to further to streamline operations and execution:
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o
o
a multi-year strategic plan
job descriptions
structured work plans for employees
‣ Track employee metrics that will help you manage risk and culture:
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o
o
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o
Manage Finances
number of injuries/safety-related incidents
retention/turnover
diversity
employee satisfaction
employee promotions
‣ Begin implementing more advanced financial practices to gain a strong grasp of finances:
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o
o
o
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Engage Stakeholders
review the previous year’s fiscal performance and deviations from budget
prepare a yearly operating budget projecting expenses and revenues before each new fiscal year
put a system in place to track accounts payable and accounts receivable
prepare a Balance Sheet financial statement
prepare a Profit and Loss financial statement
‣ Open lines of communication to gather feedback from external stakeholders like suppliers, business
partners, industry groups, customers, the government, and community members. Consider methods
such as surveys, suggestion boxes, online forums or annual meetings to develop an ongoing line of
communication. You might just gain insights that help you perform better and become more successful.
‣ Collaborate with external stakeholders to reduce your organization’s environmental impact or increase
its social/community impact. You might be surprised what you’re able to achieve by listening and
collaborating.
Manage Sustainability
‣ Develop a written sustainability plan outlining what you hope to achieve with regard to sustainability
outcomes (e.g. energy, waste, community impact), how you’ll know if you’ve succeeded, and a timeline
for the activities.
‣ Define a written purchasing policy to make commitments to certain kinds of products or services,
vendors, or practices when feasible. Consider the following qualities/practices:
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local vendors