Sustainability Strategy: Development and Implementation
Sustainability is a business risk. Like any business risk, sustainability needs to be managed to minimise financial, reputational and legal impacts, and maximise the business opportunities it presents. At Paia we help companies assess these risks and opportunities and develop a strategy to manage them. For most companies this starts with an understanding of how sustainability could affect, or benefit, their business and moves onto developing a management strategy that builds on existing business practices.
Every company is unique. Our approach is to work closely with clients to analyse and understand their current business practices, corporate culture and how best to plan and manage sustainability within their individual organisation.
In our view there is no single best way to implement sustainability within a business; it depends on a great number of variables such as programmes that are already in place, the culture of the company and the way in which sustainability related issues are already being addressed within that company. Some companies have established environmental, safety, HSE and/or supplier management systems in place. Others are starting with a blank sheet. As a result, we work alongside our clients to develop a management strategy, and detailed implementation plan, that provides targeted solutions and meets their needs.
Companies that have grasped sustainability at the strategic level have come to realise that rather than be a cost, sustainability actually offers many business opportunities. Climate change, and the related carbon management sector, is a prime example. Most companies that have strategically assessed the risks and opportunities posed by climate change to their business have found many opportunities, either through new business streams, reduced costs or market differentiation. The same can be said for many other aspects under the sustainability umbrella.
We specialise in helping companies identify, and realise, these business opportunities by taking a strategic approach to sustainability.
