On the face of it, setting ambitious business sustainability targetslooks great – it shows commitment to building a better world anddelivering customer and stakeholder goals. However, companiesneed to think very hard about how they set, communicate, deliver

and report on these targets.

This is especially important now that mandatory carbon reporting ishere. All too often, instead of one harmonised system whichefficiently coordinates and reports, companies rely on ad hoc,

disjointed processes that suck in scarce resources which could bebetter spent on performance delivery.

Jonathan Churchman-DaviesManaging Consultant, Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Dodgy CorporateSustainability Targets:

A Symptom of Trouble toCome

It’s no surprise that the best way to set a business sustainabilitytarget that can be delivered is from basic planning data. The

process should start by listing specific company activities and theassociated sustainability issues. This list will include resourcesconsumed, interested and affected stakeholders, wastes

generated, impacts and exposure to risk. Following on, issues canthen be prioritised and linked to improvement plans. Well-formulated plans will include specific delivery targets.

The Importance of BeingTargeted

The last thing to mention is how to communicate your businesssustainability targets. While targets should reflect reality, theyshould also be living numbers. They should be plotted into thefuture, with an actual performance updated at least yearly. Theyshould include commentary on successes and failures. Whyfailures? Because honest descriptions of failures and corrective

actions are powerful evidence of an in-depth and ethical approach.

At the end of the day, isn’t that what your clients and stakeholderswant?

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