Chapter 2: patterns of frontrunners 2
Chapter 3: the quest for purpose 4
Chapter 4: focusing on materialities that matter 5
Chapter 5: sustainable development goals 7
Chapter 6: ESG ratings and the stock markets 8
Chapter 7: investors’ perspectives on sustainability 9
Chapter 8: encouraging a culture of sustainability 10
Chapter 10: toward a circular economy 12
Chapter 13: embedding sustainability into the business core 12
, Chapter 1: introduction
- Implementation of CS programmes has been slow, sloppy, and ineffective
- Board of directors and CEOs should be the first to direct sustainability efforts
- Vectoring = effective combination of direction and speed which generates impact in
sustainability programmes
- Materialities = specific sustainability issues
Vectoring
- Vectoring = effective combination of direction and speed, which generates impact in
sustainability programs
- Diagnostic tool and prescriptive method
- Uses
- Designing and executing new sustainability programmes
- Embedding SDGs into core strategy
- Assessing impact of sustainability programme on competitiveness and
valuation
- Objective → provide clear, potent framework that offers directions for executives to
help shift companies from integrated reporting to integrated sustainability thinking
Chapter 2: patterns of frontrunners
Cost of noncompliance keeps increasing (ex. Volkswagen emission scandal)
Why are some companies more aggressive than others?
- Basic financial self-interest vs greater belief of doing good for society is doing good
business
Vectoring
Vectoring step 1: getting the bearings right
- Less is more in selecting objectives
- Shareholders react positively when companies deliver on key sustainability issues
- Focus is key to proper implementation
Vectoring step 2: accelerating execution
- Deliver value through reputation, cost reduction, and growth
- Reporting trap → focus too much on reporting activities instead of doing sustainability
- Eco-efficiency = good indicator of maturity of execution of sustainability programmes
- Direct benefits of sustainability programmes can be found in reductions in waste,
energy, water, and natural resources → leads to lower costs
The business case for sustainability