Sustainability is a concept that must be addressed in modern business, and especially in Norway, this concept has received much attention. However, as a management consultant, I have noticed a worrying trend through many conversations and collaborations with business leaders. Too many view sustainability solely as a reporting process that can be quantified through systems instead of recognising it as a foundation for strategic management. This perspective on sustainability is relevant to the companies themselves and extends to the perception of the role of sustainability leaders.
Breaking Down Misconceptions About Sustainability and Certifications
Since 2013, I have been involved in working with various certifications, including Breeam, Eco-Lighthouse (Miljøfyrtårn), and a range of ISO certifications, including ISO 14002, 4001, 45001, and 26001, among others. My approach to these certifications has always been to view them as more than just reporting mechanisms. Instead, I see them as strategic tools that can help drive the organisation’s growth. Beyond pure bureaucracy, these certifications can serve as signposts leading an organisation towards the future rather than formalities that must be completed and reported.
Sustainability has become an increasingly important focus area for companies. However, there needs to be more understanding that certifications like Eco-Lighthouse and ISO 14002 are primarily reporting and control mechanisms rather than tools to promote sustainable practice. As someone who has worked closely with both of these since 2013, I see it necessary to clarify and rectify this misunderstanding.
Sustainability is more than just certifications and reporting. It’s about creating a foundation for driving the business forward in an economically viable way while taking into account the needs of society and the environment. It’s about integrating these principles into the core of the business strategy and using them as a guide for decision-making and innovation. As leaders, we must ensure that this perspective is understood and implemented.
The Misunderstanding of the Role of Certifications and Reporting
Reporting is undoubtedly an integrated part of the process when it comes to certifications, but to reduce their significance to just this aspect would be to simplify and trivialise a concept that requires much more thorough reflection and active action.
These certifications are not just paperwork. Signposts are designed to guide an organisation towards more sustainable and responsible practices. They should serve as essential tools in the company’s strategic development, and this is where their actual value lies.
Viewing these certifications as reporting mechanisms, one needs to catch up on their core function: management parameters that can steer an organisation’s strategic development. This aspect requires not only filling out forms and reports but also reflecting on the organisation’s current practices, identifying areas for improvement, and initiating actions to achieve these improvements.
Understanding that reporting is just the tip of the iceberg regarding certifications is essential. The central part, which lies beneath the surface, involves deep reflection, concrete actions, and a committed effort to achieve the sustainable goals that the certifications represent. With this understanding, companies can fully exploit the potential of credentials and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Eco-Lighthouse: More Than Just a Certification
Eco-Lighthouse is Norway’s most recognised and widespread certification for businesses wanting to document their environmental efforts and demonstrate their social responsibility. However, it goes far beyond being just a badge or an emblem; it represents a pathway to continuous improvement, strategic development, and sustainable operations.
To achieve this certification, a business must comprehensively analyse its internal processes. This includes, but is not limited to, energy consumption, waste management, transportation needs, procurement, and supply chains. This thorough examination provides a detailed picture of the business’s environmental footprint and identifies both strengths and weaknesses in its sustainable practices.
The results of this analysis then form the basis for strategic measures designed to drive the business in a more sustainable direction. This could include reducing energy consumption, optimising resource utilisation, minimising waste, and promoting a more sustainable procurement regime.
Therefore, the Eco-Lighthouse certification symbolises a business’s environmental commitment and is a profound tool for continuous improvement and sustainable development. By viewing the Eco-Lighthouse as more than just a badge, companies can leverage its potential as a tool for change and contribute to shaping a more sustainable future.
For instance, ISO 14002: More than environmental reporting – it’s a Strategic Guide
ISO 14002 is an internationally recognised framework for environmental management systems. But it’s much more than just a reporting tool. Instead, it is a strategic guide that systematically helps organisations identify, manage, monitor, and control their environmental-related issues.
ISO 14002 involves setting goals aligned with international and national environmental legislation and the business’s objectives. This ensures that environmental management is integrated into the business’s overarching strategy and becomes integral to daily operations. This framework allows companies to understand their environmental impact and takes it further by requiring them to set realistic, measurable ecological goals.
The framework emphasises continuous improvement and requires that organisations regularly assess and adjust their environmental management plans to ensure they meet their goals and commitments. ISO 14002 also involves effectively communicating environmental issues to all stakeholders, from employees to customers to suppliers, and demonstrating compliance through independent audits.
By adhering to ISO 14002, organisations can ensure they operate in an environmentally friendly manner, reduce their ecological footprint, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and enhance their reputation among customers, suppliers, and the community. Thus, ISO 14002 is more than just a certification; it’s a comprehensive approach to building sustainability into the organisation’s DNA, pervading from strategy to daily operations. By leveraging the full potential of ISO 14002, businesses can demonstrate environmental responsibility, drive significant change in their process, and contribute to a more sustainable world.
Strategic Sustainability: Far More Than Just Reporting
Environmental certifications represent a genuine commitment to conducting a sustainable business. They serve as reporting tools and strategic instruments that help companies to assess, analyse, and design action plans for sustainable growth. Unfortunately, these certifications are often underestimated, and reduced to mere paperwork, rather than recognising their strategic importance.
Businesses must realise the value these certifications can add strategically and keep them from a reporting task. When used with intention, they can promote genuine sustainability and drive the business towards long-lasting success and innovation. With my experience as a consultant, I see a future where sustainability is at the heart of strategic thinking, with these certifications serving as the key to unlocking this potential.
Sustainability is about balancing economic growth, social responsibility, and environmental preservation. It’s about looking beyond short-term gains and focusing on the long-term, positive impact on society and the planet. By reducing sustainability to a reporting exercise, we miss the opportunity for real change.
There is a growing trend to appoint sustainability leaders in organisations. But far too often, their role must be understood, confined to filling out forms and reports. In reality, sustainability leadership is about understanding sustainability goals at a deep level and translating these goals into concrete, strategic actions that can drive the business in a more sustainable direction.
This requires more than just knowledge of sustainability; it requires strategic thinking, leadership skills, and the ability to inspire and motivate a team to implement and live by sustainability principles. This is where real change can happen.
As a consultant, I see challenges and opportunities in correcting this misunderstanding. It starts with education and dialogue and requires that we view sustainability as an integrated part of the business’s core mission.
When businesses start viewing sustainability as a strategic factor for business management, they can begin to leverage the full potential of sustainability leaders, thereby integrating sustainability deeply into their strategy and culture.
In a time when climate change and social inequality are more pressing than ever, we can’t afford to reduce sustainability to a badge or a report. We must understand, live, and promote it with full conviction to build a more sustainable future for us all.