IDEX Fellow (July Cohort, 2020) | Environmental Consultant (CDP, TCFD, IRM, GHG Protocol) | Nature Educator | Active Volunteer for Environmental Conservation Activities

Materiality map lays a strong foundation for enterprises planning their sustainability agenda. It aligns strategy with stakeholders’ expectations. 

5 Key components of Materiality Assessment process

Materiality assessments exercises are finding a mention consistently across every corporate sustainability report or ESG report today. At the same time, we have organizations that do not yet see why these exercises are significant to consider. To put it simply, materiality assessment is to sustainability initiatives what a strong foundation is to a building. Without either, it is a matter of time before things come down crashing.Having said that, we believe the materiality assessment exercises will deliver the desired results only if it is done right. Materiality assessment is an iterative process that helps organizations to identify environmental, social and governance issues that could affect their business as well as its stakeholders. The outcome of materiality assessment is the finalized list of material topics that will help companies align their business strategy and set targets to improve their business and sustainability performance. The success of a materiality assessment process is decided based on how well the company achieves its established goals, which is completely dependent on the sequential implementation of its key components.&nbsp;

To ensure consistency and reliability of materiality assessment process, it is required that you identify and consider those individuals or groups of stakeholders who do not have a direct relationship with the organization and are limited by the access to channels to express their viewpoints. <h1>Stakeholder Engagement</h1>&nbsp;The stakeholders are engaged multiple times during the whole materiality assessment process.Therefore, the type of stakeholders involved and their expertise, the engagement method and their roles and responsibilities decide the effectiveness of materiality assessment process. There are multiple methods to engage stakeholders at each step and the organization is required to use appropriate methods. Some of the examples of engagement are interviews, discussions, townhalls, surveys, workshops, campaigns etc. The primary objective of an engagement method is to ensure that it removes the language barrier, cultural differences, gender, and power imbalances for its effective engagement. <h1>Material Topics</h1>&nbsp;The following questions provide a necessary starting point to identify material topics.<ul><li>Why is it material? </li><li>Where does it occur in the value chain? </li><li>Is it a risk? </li><li>What type of risk is it?</li></ul>The organization is required to follow the principle of granularity to identify material topics. The granularity principle ensures that the material topics you identify are consistently at the same level i.e., they are either only board or narrow in nature.In addition to it, an organization is required to identify and differentiate material topics as sector-agnostic, sector-specific, industry-specific, and company-specific. Such level of classification can help the organization to finalize material topics based on their relevance and importance.&nbsp;

<h1>Materiality Map</h1>&nbsp;The materiality mapping exercise helps organizations to assess the potential and relative magnitude of impact of a material issue. The finalized material topics can be represented visually in the form of a materiality map. In its simplest and most popular form, the map is generated by plotting its impact on the business on horizontal axis and importance to the stakeholders on vertical axis. An organization is required to create a materiality map with the final list of material topics and share it with the leadership team. The position of the materiality topics on the materiality map guides the leadership team to take actions and align their business strategy accordingly.The success of materiality assessment process is dependent on these five key components. Companies are required to ensure that they understand and implement them in a right way. The significance of this exercise is obvious from the fact that the materiality mapping exercise and its outcome shapes the direction for the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-cso-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CSO’s sustainability agenda</a>.

Climate Care Maturity Model

Sus360° Compass

Driving Sustainability for corporates, schools, society | TEDx Speaker | Corporate Sustainability SME at Emeritus | ex-PwC, IBM |

The CFO's office has significant influence on the ESG roadmap. The financial decisions essentially drive the enterprise's ESG direction and pace.

Answering the top 5 sustainability questions from the CFO today

The CFO’s office has always been instrumental in driving strategic decisions and shaping corporate strategy. With Sustainability becoming front and centre in strategic dialogues, the CFO role has become even more compelling. This is relevant for companies equally, irrespective of whether they are adopting sustainability due to regulatory pressure or voluntary actions. For regulatory compliance, it has been considered that the CFO’s office is best suited for sustainability reporting (which in itself, has become significantly quantitative in nature). This is seen as a natural extension to the financial/annual/mainstream reporting, that has conventionally been under the CFO’s purview. The role becomes a lot more relevant when companies take up a 360-degree implementation of sustainability to make it a distinct business advantage.Through this blog, we delve into the mind of the CFO to understand the challenges that confront him/her today, while putting the sustainability strategy to implementation.&nbsp;

1.&nbsp;How do I bring financial and non-financial reporting together effectively for an integrated narrative?Financial reporting has been the mainstay of investor relations for a few decades now. These reports have included management commentary and financial statements to address the shareholder and investor community. With the transition being seen from capitalism to stakeholder capitalism, there is a growing demand for non-financial performance reports. At the same time, there is growing pressure from investors to publish ESG metrics. Addressing this requires a seamless amalgamation of financial and non-financial metrics to build an integrated narrative. This will make it easier for the reporting audience to comprehend the results of business operations (financial and impact) better.We suggest you work with your operational teams on the ground, to ensure that they understand the essence of their role in driving sustainability. In the process, it would be prudent to develop a relevant KPI matrix for your ongoing initiatives, and further, sensitize the on-ground teams towards it. Further, this KPI matrix should mandatorily consider the priorities that are material from both the financial and impact perspectives (also referred to as double materiality). 2.&nbsp;How do I bring prudence into our project investment decisions in alignment with their ESG impact?Financial decision making within an enterprise is a key function that comes under the purview of the CFO. During business operations, the business teams make tactical financial decisions that are relevant for the scenario at hand. These decisions are usually governed by the guidelines framed by the CFO’s office. At the same time, major decisions around CAPEX are under the direct ownership of the CFO’s office and this is where significant ESG considerations must be brought into screening.We suggest that ESG assessments are mandatorily done for larger projects. This needs due diligence on the near-term, medium-term and long-term analysis of the projects in the simulated future scenarios. Frameworks that identify the potential outputs, outcomes and impacts of every project, and assess them on both financial value and impact value, need to be framed. This should be additionally supported with Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks to guide the operational teams during the execution of the projects. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How can climate risks be analysed to identify their financial impact on our business? And mitigate them?Climate events and emergencies are far more frequent today. It is imperative that businesses have adequate understanding of the impacts these events have on their core operations. This requires adequate acknowledgement and analysis of climate risks, while ensuring that you are cognizant of the changing environment in the interim. Further, identifying and implementing appropriate risk mitigation measures will help deal with the potential impact in a effective and proactive manner.We suggest that climate risks be managed as part of the enterprise-wide risk management function, where it exists. Each climate risk needs appropriate analysis on its potential impact, frequency, and likelihood. An important suggestion would be for enterprises to identify both upside and downside risks, so that they do not lose sight of a potential opportunity relevant to its own nature of business. All of this calls for a comprehensive analysis including simulations (at minimum, for the most critical risks) in potential future scenarios (also called Scenario Analysis). 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I keep my organization constantly and consistently relevant to the investors during these evolving times?The investors’ toolkit has had a significant refresh in recent times. ESG performance criteria is topping their agenda, with each of them realising that it is imperative to generate long-term value while ensuring near-term stability. It is this renewed thinking that requires enterprises to demonstrate their ESG credentials transparently, to earn the attention of the investor community. The CFO’s office has to provide a comprehensive story of past ESG performance while clearly articulating the plans, policies, procedures in place for the consistency to continue in the future.With your investors becoming increasingly ESG-aware and ESG-mature, we suggest proactively assessing your own ESG performance. This will require adherence to two simple-yet-effective mantras.<ul><li>Have adequate measures in place to steer clear of any Greenwashing/ESG-washing, both intentional and unintentional.</li><li>Look beyond ESG from a compliance lens and demonstrate how ESG means business value and stakeholder value.</li></ul>&nbsp;5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As we transition to the low carbon economy, what financial levers can be leveraged to drive the mindset shift across the organization?As organizations progressively take up sustainability initiatives aligned with their vision, there is also a need to focus on driving a parallel behavioural shift across teams. There has to be significant top-down guidance across business functions to make this happen. From strategic to tactic decisions, this calls for a planned transition to embed sustainability in your corporate culture. While this may look like a typical HR responsibility, the CFO’s office can play a significant role in addressing this through the KPI framework mentioned earlier.We suggest that CFO’s office leverages financial levers like Internal Carbon Pricing (ICP), Carbon dividends, Green Finance etc to drive both individual and institutional behavioural shifts. ICP can be used effectively integrated into the budget cycle (planning, allotment, monitoring) to incentivise operations that are carbon-conscious and disincentivize those that aren’t. It must be acknowledged that implementing such financial levers requires a systemic and systematic analysis beforehand, to ensure that there are no loose ends. With the CFO expected to shoulder significant responsibility during business transition, it is imperative that appropriate support ecosystem is enabled. It is required to refresh the organization’s KPI frameworks, policies and procedures, to bring in sustainability relevant indicators. It is obvious that CFO’s success will drive value creation for a wider range of stakeholders, and in the process, help drive the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-ceo-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CEO’s agenda</a> and <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-cso-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CSO’s agenda</a> on sustainability. Watch this short video from&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OakJw72LIq2t4ym2VQTYipwYpHMwOdO&amp;si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sus360 Bytes</a>&nbsp;that summarises the CFO's Sustainability agenda.

The COO’s role requires outstanding organizational and leadership abilities. The sustainability strategy requires them to be applied in a new context.

Answering the top 5 sustainability questions from the COO today

People and Processes are at the heart of any enterprise-wide program and this is no different with the Sustainability agenda. It is the responsibility of the leadership team to drive the program in a manner that neither of them is impacted negatively. As the steward for operationalizing the business strategy, this responsibility sits squarely on the shoulders of the Chief Operations Officer (COO).From establishing the right policies to evolving the right KPI framework, From daily operational procedures to performance monitoring – there are multiple (and equally-significant) avenues to embed the sustainability agenda across the enterprise. For effective implementation of this complex program, a few important boxes need to be ticked.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I analyze the enterprise-wide impact of the corporate sustainability agenda on people and processes? With each passing day, one hears about businesses exploring possible avenues to green their product/service offerings. This could be by introducing a completely new line of offerings, by innovating greener variants of un-substitutable products, by revamping the existing business processes, and a lot more. From large behemoths to smaller enterprises, transitioning to a Low Carbon Economy carries significance to everyone. At the same time, these transitions cannot happen without a thorough understanding of their impact on the people involved across the operations.We propose a systems thinking approach should be taken to implement the sustainability roadmap, so that every potential change or rewiring exercise in this transitional journey is analysed thoroughly. Due consideration must be given to the multi-stakeholder, multi-dimensional and multi-year aspects of business transition to identify the impact they would have on people and processes. Further, aligning this analysis with business strategy is key. Establishing these safeguards upfront gives your business the best chance of winning the confidence of your teams, while lowering the resistance to change. 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How can I engage stakeholders - internal and external - continuously to build momentum? Enterprises today operate in a multi-stakeholder environment to manage their end-to-end operations. From employees across the hierarchy to partners across the value chain, it is important to have a constant awareness of their pulse. For businesses that intend to adopt Sustainability as a strategic imperative, the challenge of keeping everyone abreast and enthused is key. Catching them unaware about this transition will prove detrimental to the overall morale and the ongoing efforts, even if they were executed with the best of intentions.At the outset, we suggest that strong and active communication lines are established with your stakeholders. It is also important to give them enough avenues to participate in the various initiatives – from seeking ideas to implementing them, your people can bring a lot to the table. We propose educative, explorative, participative and communicative techniques are explored cohesively to aid the imperative shift in the enterprise culture as well. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I help my employees enhance their (relevant) sustainability knowledge and skills? Corporate sustainability initiatives hinge their chances of success heavily on the support and momentum from employees across the organization. This calls for every individual across the organization to be sensitized on the subject of sustainability. This includes the life of employees both at work and beyond it, and their incentive to progress towards becoming more sustainable.We believe this is an area that needs one to be contextual. We propose you draft your plans to achieve twin objectives:<ul><li>As an employee, each person has to relate to the subject of sustainability in his/her work environment.</li><li>As an individual, each person has to relate to the relevance of sustainability in their daily lives.</li></ul>This can be embedded into your employee learning plans, as organizations are expected to bridge the sustainability skill gap rather quickly. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What checks and balances should be in place to ensure that decarbonization initiatives do not disrupt ongoing operations?When business ambitions like Net Zero are put to action, it translates into a multi-year, multi-stakeholder program. All such programs are highly complex in nature considering the number of variables involved. Enterprises need to consider how this complex program is structured, from clear definition of the roles and responsibilities to managing and monitoring the risks and processes. At the same time, the practicalities of limited resources, inefficient practices and a high reliance on external expertise can compound the challenges.We suggest that you establish a strong set of guidance to ensure that the initiatives are executed effectively and efficiently. Some of the guidance techniques would be – calling out roles and responsibilities clearly, maintaining transparency in the program schedule, communicating regularly with involved parties, managing program risks diligently. It must be appreciated that long-running programs like these could be affected by external factors that are beyond your control (ex: regulatory changes). This requires you to manage the impact of these changes, such that the operational teams are supportive rather than resistive. 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I transition our corporate culture to embed sustainability into daily behavior and decisions?Every department – Manufacturing, Marketing, HR, Finance, Customer Service, R&amp;D, Legal and more - within the enterprise has to rewire and add sustainability into their DNA. Every individual must relate to the corporate sustainability roadmaps and initiatives. This is one subject that should not come across as something conceived in an ivory tower. It must be relatable to everyone because it impacts everyone – professionally and beyond. It is important to embed sustainability into the corporate culture by default.We suggest a continuous and ongoing sensitization to the subject is needed to ensure that this stays on top of the agenda, as teams and individuals get busy with their daily responsibilities. Walking the talk consistently is the best way to demonstrate what this means for the organization – the fact that it is a matter of principles. Techniques like gamification, hackathons, workshops should be explored to bring up the subject in a relatable way. It is all about leveraging the popular methods of people engagement, in a new way. It is a given that the COO’s role requires outstanding organizational and leadership abilities. With businesses making sustainability integral to their strategy, it is these abilities that will come to the fore and translate the strategy into action. In effect, the COO must succeed in this mission to help accomplish the CEO’s agenda and the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-cso-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CSO’s agenda</a>. A lot is riding on the COO.

AMPACTcorp

Green Compass +

In many enterprises, EHS leaders are donning the ESG hat too. While this helps build the ESG function organically, the transition needs due attention.

Answering the top 4 sustainability questions from the EHS Head today

The significance of the EHS function cannot be emphasised enough, especially in the manufacturing industry. This has been an important role for many years in the corporate hierarchy to safeguard employee interest. The role primarily focuses on employee well-being, i.e health and safety. It is this proximity to social aspects that makes the EHS expert an obvious candidate for the emerging ESG roles within enterprises. While there is a dearth of skilled ESG professionals today, many companies have considered developing the required skills organically by upskilling their EHS experts. At the outset, this looks like a step in the right direction. A couple of key aspects need to be given due consideration:<ol><li>Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) has a significant focus on employees and their well-being, while Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) requires the people boundary to extend to both internal stakeholders (including employees) and external stakeholders (Investors, Suppliers, Partners, Civil Society, Consumers, Regulators, Dealers etc)</li><li>EHS and ESG have significantly varying scopes and purviews.</li></ol><ul><li>E in EHS talks significantly of managing air quality, particulate matter, waste etc. While this eventually would result in reduced carbon footprint, the focus is not on tracking the footprint across the value chain. To the contrary E in ESG talks about addressing the GHG footprint across the value chain.</li><li>The H and S of EHS focuses on occupational well-being of the workforce. This, of course, is a subset of the coverage of S in ESG. The reference to Social in ESG includes the well-being of all internal and external stakeholders</li><li>Finally, there is limited reference to governance aspects in EHS and hence the G in ESG is a new dimension to explore for the EHS expert.</li></ul> Considering these aspects, the EHS leaders are faced with a few pressing questions as they upskill themselves for the ESG roles within their respective organizations.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I gather the support of my stakeholders as we transition from the EHS agenda to the ESG agenda? In today’s business environment, profitability and health are tracked using a wide array of social and environmental indicators, alongside the financial parameters. There is a growing emphasis on gathering the pulse of internal and external stakeholders relevant to your organization. It is significant to consider their touchpoints across the entire value chain of business operations and engage with them appropriately. This is the only way you can generate avenues for stronger alignment with the diverse stakeholder groups.While your primary role requires you to stay focused on operational aspects of ongoing activities, you are also distinctly positioned with exclusive access to a diverse set of stakeholders across the value chain. As expectations from you to own the organization’s sustainability agenda grows, we suggest that you leverage this stakeholder access to your advantage. Alongside the conventional communications, you should explore engaging with the stakeholders using novel approaches like Design Thinking sessions. These can help them empathise and connect with your need/challenge/scenario better, and further generate ideas to address your broader sustainability agenda. Establishing stakeholder connect should involve a healthy mix of techniques that are educative, explorative, participative and communicative to ensure that any shift in the enterprise culture is received well.&nbsp;&nbsp;2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What checks and balances should be in place to ensure that we act responsibly? Acting responsibly has never been as significant as it is today. With growing scrutiny of enterprise actions from regulators, consumers, employees, investors etc, it has become imperative to address this strategically and operationally. It no longer suffices to say that a stakeholder-friendly enterprise action has been taken. It is important to call out the outputs, outcomes and impacts of such actions, while explicitly calling out the monitoring and evaluation frameworks used to track them. Challenges crop up when there is an insufficient assessment of impacts, poor program structuring, inefficient procedures or a combination of these factors. Poor knowledge of climate science and lack of alignment with global frameworks can work to compound the issue.We propose that every initiative taken to address ESG, is assessed comprehensively for its systemic impacts, both in the near-term and long term. We suggest chalking out detailed Monitoring &amp; Evaluation guides to ensure meaningful impact on the stakeholders and the planet. Finally, the teams executing the initiatives should be equipped with the right processes, methods and solutions to put the guidelines to action. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I ensure that we are covering all bases during this large-scale transition?As businesses are taking the inevitable transition to the low carbon economy, it is bound to bring in changes across various business functions. From roles being redefined to offerings being rewired, from corporate communications shifting tracks to supplier relationships taking a new meaning – these changes will need every leader in the organization to assess and align with the transition. This clearly isn’t a momentary shift but a gradual progression, involving scenarios where you will need to course-correct along the way. One needs to be well-prepared for the long run.We propose that you adopt a Systems Thinking approach to analyse every potential change or rewiring exercise in this transitional journey. This will help cut down the risks associated with the unpredictability of the transition. Due consideration must be given to the multi-stakeholder, multi-dimensional and multi-year aspects of business transition and accordingly plans must be drawn. Enterprises should adopt the Just Transition approach to ensure that both your internal and external stakeholders are not adversely impacted with the shift. Establishing these safeguards upfront gives your business the best chance of a successful transition to benefit from the low carbon economy. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What would give my enterprise the best chance of success for these complex initiatives?Enterprises today operate in a multi-stakeholder environment to manage their end-to-end operations. From employees across the hierarchy to partners across the value chain, it is important to have a constant awareness of their pulse. It is obvious that programs and initiatives under the ESG agenda are highly complex in nature. As you lead these enterprise-wide initiatives, you have to stay atop the principles of effective program management.We suggest that you establish a strong set of guidance to ensure that the initiatives are executed effectively and efficiently. Some of the guidance techniques would be – calling out roles and responsibilities clearly, maintaining transparency in the program schedule, communicating regularly with involved parties, managing program risks diligently. It must be appreciated that long-running programs like these could be affected by external factors that are beyond your control (ex: regulatory changes). This requires you to manage the impact of these changes, such that the operational teams are supportive rather than resistive. ﻿The transition for the EHS leaders into ESG leaders can be smoother if an enabling ecosystem is built around this. It must also be noted that EHS professionals have been in their roles for a significantly long duration and hence, will have to overcome the state of inertia. Considering the urgency around establishing the ESG function across enterprises, the EHS leader’s agenda requires significant attention. This agenda when addressed well will ensure a smoother transition as the Sustainability or ESG leader. As the EHS leaders find their foothold in this new role, their focus will shift to aspects relevant to the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-cso-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CSO’s agenda</a>.&nbsp; Watch this short video from&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OakJw72LIq2t4ym2VQTYipwYpHMwOdO&amp;si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sus360 Bytes</a>&nbsp;that summarises the EHS Head's sustainability agenda.

Sus360° Benchmarker

In many corporates, the Company Secretary's significant accountability for the annual reports has now extended to include Sustainability reports too.

Answering the top 5 sustainability questions from the Company Secretary today

For any enterprise to be able to demonstrate effective governance, regulatory compliance, transparency through regular reporting, the responsibilities lie with the leadership team. While such responsibilities can be jointly assigned to different individuals from the leadership team, the common role that traverses these responsibilities is that of the Company Secretary. The Company Secretary (CS) has the primary advisory role to ensure that the conduct of business is well within the set framework.With the increasing buzz around ESG in the leadership conversations, the expectations from the CS role are also undergoing a sea shift. It must be understood that the CS does not have a Sustainability or ESG background (typically!) and yet he/she is expected to shoulder a significant part of the responsibility along the Sustainability roadmap. This blog draws attention to the top-of-the-mind questions on the CS’s mind.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I gear my organization towards true and effective sustainability reports?Financial reporting has been the mainstay of investor relations for a few decades now. These reports have included management commentary and financial statements to address the shareholder and investor community. With the transition being seen from capitalism to stakeholder capitalism, there is a growing demand for non-financial performance reports. In India, SEBI has issued the BRSR mandate for top 1000 companies. At the same time, there is growing pressure from investors to publish ESG metrics. Addressing this requires a significant rigour in capturing quantitative data across the operations and reporting it.&nbsp;We suggest you work with your operational teams on the ground, to ensure that they understand the essence of their role in driving sustainability. In the process, it would be prudent to develop a relevant KPI matrix for your ongoing initiatives, and further, sensitize the on-ground teams towards it. Capturing these data points that uplink to your requirements on sustainability reporting will ease your organization’s compliance against the expectations like the BRSR. This will also prepare your team to gradually transition towards the imperative Integrated Reports for your organization.&nbsp; 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I ensure appropriate measurement and capture of non-financial indicators aligned with financial metrics?Today, financial management in enterprises is evolving into an avatar that requires additional wiring across operational numbers to add the greenline to the topline and bottomline. It needs to be ascertained that the data points required to connect the sustainability-centric greenline with the core financials are available. Such data points should evoke a significant level of confidence for the signatories of financial statements. It is only then that there will be the much-demanded marriage between the financial and non-financial metrics and commentary.We firmly see Integrated Reporting to be the way forward. However, one must understand that Integrated report goes way beyond gluing the financial/annual/mainstream report with the non-financial/sustainable/impact/ESG reports. The alignment should be implemented at various levels across the organization so that it helps evolve a true Integrated Report. The integrated reporting principles should be implemented in letter and spirit for you to publish your integrated reports with absolute confidence. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What checks and balances should be in place so that my organization steers clear of any intentional or unintentional greenwashing?Businesses have the onus to act responsibly and demonstrate their corporate citizenship credentials in true earnest. When it comes to ESG credentials, it calls for a healthy balance between Environmental aspects such as ecosystem restoration or emission reductions and social ones like gender parity and livelihoods. At the same time, it is important that businesses avoid greenwashing or good washing their impact, to earn brownie points with their stakeholders. There is a significant scrutiny of reported information and misleading guidance, even if unintentional, could result in significant reputational damage. Challenges crop up when there is an insufficient assessment of impacts, poor program structuring, inefficient procedures, or a combination of these factors.To allay these fears, we suggest significant prudence when selecting various initiatives to address carbon reduction and carbon removal, collectively geared towards carbon neutrality. Ensuring financial viability of these projects upfront, checking all the required clearances from various public authorities, stakeholder engagement at regular intervals to ensure their buy-in are all ways to ensure that the initiatives do not lose ground at any point. Every initiative should have its own detailed Monitoring &amp; Evaluation guide to ensure meaningful impact on planet and people. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I stay in control with the constantly-evolving ESG expectations from the regulatory bodies?Enterprises today operate in a multi-stakeholder environment to manage their end-to-end operations. From employees across the hierarchy to partners across the value chain, it is important to have a constant awareness of their pulse. At the same time, it is important for the enterprise to be in contact with regulatory and external bodies. Being proactive to regulatory moves rather than reactive helps in establishing plans and roadmaps that can stand the test of time.We suggest that you have a regular channel of communication with the authorities that matter for your business. While this be challenging to begin with, such communication channels are very helpful in guiding the sustainability strategy and thereby, the business strategy for your organization. We further believe that a thorough assessment of these regulatory changes has to be executed to spot potential risks or opportunities for your business. 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What sustainability standards and frameworks should I align my organization's efforts with?As organizations progressively take up sustainability initiatives aligned with their vision, there is also increasing scrutiny on the approach taken along the journey. It is imperative that the approach is based on a sound foundation of credible standards and frameworks, that have gained a wider acceptance across the world.We suggest a strong analysis of the globally recognized standards as they evolve and mature with each passing day. There is no alternative to staying abreast with these updates and announcements. It is important that every sustainability initiative is structured with thorough due diligence to ensure a wider acceptance of the outputs, outcomes, and impacts. This is achieved by drawing strong alignment of every initiative with ever-evolving norms, while accommodating the need to course-correct, if required. The CS is entrusted with significant responsibility for compliance with relevant legislation and regulation and keeping the leadership team informed of their legal responsibilities. Of late, a significant amount of effort from the CS goes towards shaping the enterprise’s sustainability reports or integrated reports. The CS role is also responsible to ward the enterprise of any potential legal or regulatory risks, lending the much needed support to the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-4-sustainability-questions-from-the-cro-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CRO’s agenda</a>.&nbsp; Watch this short video from&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OakJw72LIq2t4ym2VQTYipwYpHMwOdO&amp;si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sus360 Bytes</a>&nbsp;that summarises the Company Secretary's Sustainability agenda.

Today's business environment is witnessing extreme volatility and non-linearity. In this context, this blog addresses the CRO's sustainability agenda.

Answering the top 4 sustainability questions from the CRO today

Enterprises today are constantly on their toes to address potential impact due to extreme volatility in the business environment. This could be due to geopolitical shifts, regulatory changes, economic tremors and transitions, climate emergencies, demographic evolutions etc. Today’s BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible) world has brought sustainable businesses into the spotlight. The role at the heart of managing this dynamicity is that of the Chief Risk Officer.The CRO assesses and mitigates significant threats to an enterprise's capital and earnings. As businesses move from shareholder centricity to stakeholder centricity, this role is significant to manage healthy stakeholder equations too. This blog explores the 4 key questions that the CRO has on his/her mind.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What are the guidelines to ensure my organization’s transition towards the low carbon economy causes minimal stakeholder disruption?With business transitioning to the low carbon economy becoming inevitable, leadership teams are exploring every avenue for small shifts and bigger leaps to green their portfolio. From large behemoths to smaller enterprises, transitioning to a Green Economy carries significance for everyone. At the same time, these transitions cannot happen without a thorough understanding of their systemic impact. If not done right, they can potentially disrupt supply chains, operations, employee morale, stakeholder relationships, brand reputation and more.We suggest that the assessment of these transitions be done systematically and systemically, to ensure a complete analysis is done about the impact each of these could have on established operations and relationships. In most cases, these transitions would require a significant shift in the behaviors, skills, processes and procedures related to both internal and external stakeholders. The multi-stakeholder, multi-dimensional and multi-year aspects of business transition should be addressed through a planned execution of enterprise change management. This should be clubbed with an all-round assessment of the impact to identify the skills, processes and tools. Together, they will help manage the people aspects of major organizational changes.﻿2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I identify potential ESG risk factors that are unseen by&nbsp;any&nbsp;individual unit?Enterprise risk management has always played a significant role in ensuring business strategy and operations are firmly safeguarded. Over the last few years, climate-related and society-related risks have started acquiring a whole new meaning. Businesses have witnessed significant disruptions to operations across the supply chain, due to climate emergencies and the pandemic. It is no surprise that investor community is also channelising their inflows towards companies that have strong risk evaluations in place for ESG related challenges.We believe driving Climate Resilience needs a comprehensive approach including an all-round assessment of related risks and a strong alignment with Enterprise-wide risk management procedures. An all-round assessment of climate-related emergencies, that studies each risk to understand its impact, its likelihood and the time-horizon is key. It is equally significant to conduct such exercises using industry-accepted methods for Risk Management. We propose that you consider simulated exercises like Scenario Analysis to ensure you do not base your assessments purely based on past data of frequency and intensity. It is this all-round expertise to ESG risks that will help you identify, analyse and mitigate them, even before they disrupt business operations.&nbsp;3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I anticipate, analyse and manage potential risks to ensure my organization faces minimal financial impact due to non-financial factors?Financial metrics are the prime indicators of an organization’s business. They are also the key drivers for business decisions. Today (and swiftly so), ESG parameters are making their way up to be evenly placed alongside the financial parameters to shape corporate strategy direction. While this approach provides a balanced stakeholder-centric, it is important to tie the ESG-related information to financial performance across the enterprise. It is important for the greenline to align with the topline and bottomline.We propose that your enterprise evolves appropriate KPIs that align the non-financial indicators with your financial dashboards. Such KPIs should be at various levels – Leadership team, Business unit managers and Employees. Financial levers like carbon pricing and carbon dividends that could be used to manage behaviors across the operational teams, to drive your carbon footprint down, should be leveraged right. &nbsp;4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What checks and balances should be put in place to risks involved in complex ensure carbon reduction/removal initiatives is diligently handled?When business ambitions like Net Zero are put to action, it translates into a multi-year, multi-stakeholder program. All such programs are highly complex in nature considering the number of variables involved. Enterprises need to consider how this complex program is structured, from clear definition of the roles and responsibilities to managing and monitoring the risks and processes. At the same time, the practicalities of limited resources, inefficient practices and a high reliance on external expertise can compound the challenges.We suggest that you address the complexity in a systematic and simple manner. From program structuring to stakeholder alignment to responsibility mapping, everything needs to be approached with proper planning and structuring. As businesses transition, there will be a need to renew the workforce capabilities and capacities. You will need to have an appropriate plan to skill, reskill, upskill your teams. This will further increase your captive ability to manage the programs/projects in the long run, even if it requires you to rely on external professional support in the near term.&nbsp;It cannot be emphasised enough that the CRO’s role in managing these large-scale shifts in enterprise portfolios is crucial. When done right, professional risk management can also deliver competitive advantages. The CRO’s agenda is a must-have, alongside the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-ceo-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CEO’s agenda</a> and <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-cso-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CSO’s agenda</a> to ensure higher chances of successful transitions to the low carbon economy. Watch this short video from&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OakJw72LIq2t4ym2VQTYipwYpHMwOdO&amp;si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sus360 Bytes</a>&nbsp;that summarises the CRO's Sustainability agenda.

Chief Sustainability Officers have significant responsibilities as the primary change agents. This blog explores their outlook/challenges today..

Answering the top 5 sustainability questions from the CSO today

Any organization’s outlook on sustainability can be determined based on the importance they lend to sustainability conversations in the boardrooms. For such conversations to have enough credence, mature organizations have created the C-suite position of the CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer), whose primary mandate is corporate sustainability. This ensures undivided attention to the subject, while ensuring that sustainability stays on top of the strategic agenda too.The CSO’s office is responsible to steer the dialogue on sustainability across the various departments within the organization. It is also expected that the CSO and his/her team stay on top of the ever-evolving facets of sustainability relevant to the organization. These twin expectations are highly challenging to meet in the real environment. This blog explores the questions that top the CSO’s agenda today.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I gear all departments towards the priorities of sustainability disclosures and reporting?Sustainability reporting is becoming highly relevant for the private sector – both due to regulatory demands and voluntary disclosures. For these reports, capturing the true sense of the sustainability relevant across E, S and G dimensions and reporting them appropriately is key. In India, the BRSR template requires significant quantitative information alongside qualitative information. Reporting through the BRSR requires significant rigour across the organization in capturing data from the operations. Each department and the individuals working in them needs to be sensitized to this need.To begin with, we need to acknowledge that this is not a one-time action. We propose to begin with a thorough analysis of the recently conducted materiality assessment to ensure you have a pulse of your stakeholders. Further, we suggest that you draw your plan to build a sustainability culture across your team, to ensure that they understand the essence of their role in driving sustainability. In the process, we suggest that a custom-built KPI matrix is derived to tie individual performance with that of the corporate sustainability initiatives. For example, employee incentives can be tied to how they contribute towards the lowering of their department’s footprint during daily operations. It is equally important to sensitize the individuals towards this renewed outlook. Further, it is important to capture data points that uplink to your requirements on sustainability reporting, while gradually gaining in reporting maturity. Finally, we suggest you remain forward-looking in your approach for sustainability reporting. For instance, the imperative evolution of the BRSR into an Integrated report, would need enough preparation beforehand. 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I assess and analyse all ESG risks to recommend strategic shifts?It is a given that climate resilience has become one of the existential parameters for most businesses. In the last couple of years, as the world transitions from the VUCA state (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) to the BANI state (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear and Incomprehensible), managing risks has found a completely new meaning. At the same time, the intensity and frequency of climate emergencies has meant that climate resilience has jumped up on the pecking order of the boardroom agenda.We believe that driving Climate Resilience needs a comprehensive approach, including an all-round assessment of related risks. We suggest that climate-related risks assessment uses a 3-dimensional approach that studies each risk to understand its impact, its likelihood, and the time-horizon. This needs to be combined with industry-accepted methods for Risk Management. This rigour will help you drive your enterprise-wide resilience agenda with confidence, and help the executive leadership make well-informed decisions about the business roadmap. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I prepare the organization for the aggressive demands of SBT?Science Based Targets have had an evolution in 2022, as they mandated 1.5C aligned pathways with a clear requirement for the private sector to achieve Net Zero no later than 2050. While this came into effect from July 2022, leading organizations have already made commitments on these lines and declared their targets too. In addition, there is the fact that SBTs will now require to have a clear definition of both near-term goals and net zero goals. Further, depending on the sector you belong to, you would have to set sector-specific targets along with the cross-sector targets that are universally applicable. This complex-but-comprehensive requirement is the need of the day, considering the IPCC's Code Red alert that came few months back.It is imperative that your organization align with this updated SBTi framework. This will require a planned roadmap to arrive at the targets, and an equally strong execution to achieve the targets. The approach to determine your SBTs needs to be methodical so that you are assured of meeting them from the word go. It is equally important to have clear monitoring and evaluation (M&amp;E) framework that guides the impact, outcome and outputs of each sustainability initiative, leading up to the achievement of SBTs. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How can my organization steer direction and shape discourse within the broader ecosystem?With the world looking for answers to address the climate crisis, a significant part of the onus lies with the corporate leaders of today. It is essential to set one's own house in order about ESG and in the process, develop the ability to be the beacon of light for the other constituents of your ecosystem - suppliers, dealers, peers, regulatory bodies etc. As an example, mature industry leaders are stepping up and leading coalitions, pledges, public policy discourse etc that will eventually benefit the industry which is looking for strong stewards who walk the talk.We believe this level of maturity requires strong planning, execution and evaluation of your organization’s climate care initiatives. It is important to baseline your maturity today and plan your immediate actions in a phased manner. While aiming for climate care leadership, you must be able to think long-term while acting near-term. One must also consider globally-recognized standards, frameworks and best practices, so that your word of advice to your stakeholders denotes credibility, as much as experience. 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In today's harmonizing space of sustainability standards and frameworks, what should my organization align with?As organizations progressively take up sustainability initiatives aligned with their vision, there is also increasing scrutiny on the approach taken along the journey. It is imperative that the approach is based on a sound foundation of credible standards and frameworks, that have gained a wider acceptance across the world. At the same time, there are ongoing efforts to consolidate sustainability reporting through the development of a global baseline by ISSB. The ISSB brings together established names like SASB, CDSB, IIRC into its fold while working closely with TCFD and GRI. In the coming months and years, one will witness the evolution of this global baseline and hopefully its open adoption in jurisdictions across the world.We strongly suggest that you be continuously abreast of the trajectory adopted by globally recognized standards, frameworks, mission programs. You should be thoroughly aware of the dynamicity associated with these standards as they evolve and mature with each passing day. There is no alternative. It is important that every sustainability initiative is structured with thorough due diligence to ensure a wider acceptance of the outputs, outcomes and impacts. This can be achieved by drawing strong alignment of every initiative with ever-evolving norms, while accommodating the need to course-correct, if required. The CSO’s role is that of a primary change agent to drive corporate sustainability and hence, the expectations are also significantly high. The CSO is expected to be the orchestrator to ensure that all the department teams align themselves on the sustainability imperative. For businesses that acknowledge the need to move away from BAU (Business as Usual) scenarios, the CSO’s role is a must-have. Alongside the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-ceo-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CEO’s agenda</a>, these two executives have the strongest opportunity to promote climate stewardship across their ecosystem. Watch this short video from&nbsp;<a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OakJw72LIq2t4ym2VQTYipwYpHMwOdO&amp;si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sus360 Bytes</a>&nbsp;that summarises the CSO's Sustainability agenda.

The CEO is responsible to create value for its stakeholders consistently. This blog explores the questions/topics that demand the CEO's attention.

Answering the top 5 sustainability questions from the CEO today

In any organization, those charged with governance and management carry significant responsibility. This remains relevant irrespective of whether they are leaders in the private sector or public sector, a multinational corporation or an SME. With sustainability increasingly becoming central to business strategy, the leadership team needs to bring the right perspective on the subject for informed decision making. These decisions, such as market entry, product/service redesign, newer offerings etc further drive the strategic direction of the organization.Considering this imperative, the CEO is tasked with the responsibility to create value for its stakeholders consistently over time and minimize value erosion. Through this blog, let us explore the questions/topics that are demand the highest attention from the CEO today. In the process, we propose how these needs/challenges should be addressed.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I gear my organization for the green economy?With each passing day, one hears about businesses exploring possible avenues to green their product/service offerings. This could be by introducing a completely new line of offerings, by innovating greener variants of products that are not substitutable, by revamping the existing business processes, and a lot more. From <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/green-energy-business-to-outshine-existing-ones-in-5-7-years-mukesh-ambani/articleshow/93418504.cms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">large behemoths</a> to smaller enterprises, transitioning to a Green Economy carries significance to everyone. At the same time, these transitions cannot happen without a thorough understanding of their systemic impact.We propose a Systems Thinking approach to ensure that every potential change or rewiring exercise in this transitional journey is thoroughly analysed. The execution models should consider the multi-stakeholder, multi-dimensional and multi-year aspects of business transition and accordingly determine the roadmap. Due consideration should be given to Just Transition to ensure that both the internal and external stakeholders are not adversely impacted with the shift. Establishing these safeguards upfront gives your business the best chance of a successful transition to benefit from the Green Economy. 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I integrate financial and non-financial performance seamlessly?Businesses have long held profit-making as the north star to determine their strategic and tactic moves. This will continue to be the primary driver, while the ESG parameters gradually gain more significance. The time has come for the talk about triple bottomline to be put to action. The greenline has to align with the topline and bottomline and can no longer be seen in isolation.We propose that appropriate KPIs that align the non-financial indicators with your financial dashboards are evolved. Further, it is important to identify financial levers like carbon pricing and carbon dividends that could be used to manage behaviours across the operational teams, to drive your carbon footprint down. This needs to be combined with efforts to develop an integrated message for your stakeholders about the financial and non-financial performance of your organization. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I make informed decisions on ESG, that matter to my organization?With the agenda of Corporate Sustainability acquiring strategic significance, it requires clear direction from the top leadership. It requires a strong alignment with performance goals of the organization and the associated KPIs of the leadership team. This absolute commitment and clarity from the board and leadership team is the only way to drive the alignment and shift across the hierarchy. While this is no debate on the need, today's Board and Leadership teams are, in most cases, not equipped with the right information on Climate science within that core group. There are several facets of sustainability that require multi-dimensional oversight, contextualised application and limited reliable expertise just makes it tough.We propose to bring in strong representation of ESG/Climate Change/Sustainability knowledge on the governance and executive management teams. This could be a leadership hire, an independent director, or an external advisory.&nbsp;The bottom line is a strong acknowledgement that the Board and Leadership teams provides direction in the value creation process and this needs to be comprehensively informed for the current times. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I cushion my business performance from climate risks?Enterprise risk management has always played a significant role in ensuring business strategy and operations are firmly safeguarded. Over the last few years, climate-related risks have started acquiring a whole new meaning. Businesses have witnessed significant disruptions to operations across the supply chain, due to climate emergencies and the pandemic. It is no surprise that investor community is also channelising their inflows towards companies that have strong risk evaluations in place for ESG related challenges.We believe driving Climate Resilience needs a comprehensive approach including an all-round assessment of related risks and a strong alignment with Enterprise-wide risk management procedures. We propose that climate-related risks assessment uses a 3-dimensional approach that studies each risk to understand its impact, its likelihood, and the time-horizon. This needs to be combined with industry-accepted methods for Risk Management. Further, conducting Scenario analysis helps ensure that you do not base our assessments purely based on past data of frequency and intensity. 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I shape direction for climate care within my ecosystem and industry?With the world looking for answers to address the climate crisis, a significant part of the onus lies with the corporate leaders of today. They must establish the right governance procedures and policies to ensure that they do not let the immediacy of addressing the issue overpower the efficacy of planned solutions. Your organization can be a true Climate care beacon of light for all stakeholders, only if you your approach passes through the governance test, i.e. no intentional or unintentional greenwashing or goodwashing.We believe this level of maturity requires strong planning, execution, and evaluation of the climate care initiatives. To make this happen, organizations need to assess their maturity today before planning their roadmap. This needs to be done with due consideration to globally recognized standards, frameworks, and best practices. Such roadmaps should be phased and progressive, gearing you up as the Influencer within your operational ecosystem and the industry. With the CEO holding the steering wheel, his actions determine how the team across the hierarchy and the stakeholders in the ecosystem approach Sustainability. At the same time, he is highly dependent on his peers and the team to implement the strategic directive. For relatively smaller companies that may not have an exclusive office for the Chief Sustainability Officer, the CEO’s agenda should also encompass the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/answering-the-top-5-sustainability-questions-from-the-cso-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">CSO’s agenda</a> for a holistic coverage.&nbsp; Watch this short video from <a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OakJw72LIq2t4ym2VQTYipwYpHMwOdO&amp;si=EMSIkaIECMiOmarE6JChQQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sus360 Bytes</a> that summarises the CEO's Sustainability agenda.

As companies begin their sustainability journey, they need to learn, understand the subject the right way to improve their sustainability quotient.

5 effective ways to understand Sustainability and ESG 

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Develop a general understanding of Sustainability, ESG and Net Zero</h2> Sustainability, ESG and Net Zero are commonly referred terms within the Corporate sustainability space. Understanding these terminologies is essentially the starting point for initiating one’s sustainability journey. The concepts are wide-ranging and hence a significant amount of time needs to be spent by the ESG/Sustainability teams to explore through Analyst reports, Research papers, UN publications etc.Below sections provide a general understanding of sustainability, to help you get started. Transitioning businesses, a path towards sustainable developmentThe current way of our life is threatening not only for our survival, but for all our future generations too.&nbsp;The ever-increasing use of fossil fuels, industrialized forms of agriculture, our lifestyle practices to name a few are degrading our ecosystems and their functioning. This course of action is referred to as Business as Usual (BAU); it is unsustainable in the longer run. A new pathway called the Sustainable Development pathway emerged with an objective to meet the needs of present generation without compromising the aspirations of generations to come. Various developmental solutions and approaches started to emerge to aid this transition of economy from BAU to SD. Solutions like alternative fuels, renewable energy products, biodegradable alternatives, circular models etc. are emerging with an objective to do no net harm and conservation of the environment.&nbsp;Businesses too have taken up the path towards achieving sustainability by aligning their business strategy with this transition. Emerging responsible business practicesMost businesses today practice the shareholder capitalism model, wherein the businesses focus primarily on investor returns. The success of a business is measured based on the maximization of value to its shareholders. Over the last decade, we are observing a shift in the landscape among leading enterprises from shareholder capitalism to stakeholder capitalism. While there is a long way to go to make this integral to the enterprise-wide DNA, these businesses have started considering the importance of stakeholders and their potential to create value together in the long-term. Stakeholders for a typical business could be customers, suppliers, employees, communities, civil society, regulators etc.Stakeholder Capitalism refers to inclusion and engagement, while planning corporate sustainability strategy, can be taken up in the following fashion.<ul><li>Identify relevant stakeholders who are directly or indirectly impacted by your business</li><li>Engage the stakeholders and listen to their legitimate needs and demands</li><li>Consider their needs and demands while planning business strategy</li></ul> <h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Improve sector-specific understanding of sustainability</h2>&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C</a> (SR15) by IPCC in 2018, revealed that to avoid climate-related catastrophes, the global temperate rise should be limited to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. In addition to this, the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sixth Assessment Report by IPCC</a> in 2021 showed that climate change is already affecting the earth’s ecosystems and it could be observed in the form of increased incidence of extreme weather, worsened droughts, forest fires and so on. Not every industry is impacted by climate change equally, for example industries like agriculture, fishing, mining, and tourism are highly dependent on nature and they are highly affected in case of degradation/damage of nature. In addition to it, not every industry can effect change to the reverse the trend, at the same scale or in the same manner. In effect, not all sustainability issues are equally important for each industry category.With the known knowledge of the sector to which your enterprise belongs, it is important to identify what sustainability could mean for your industry and act accordingly. You should collect your industry-specific information regarding sustainability from specific guidance issued by recognized bodies like SASB, SBT, CDP, TCFD etc. You should also gather knowledge of the latest GreenTech, CleanTech, ClimateTech advancements relevant to your sector from peer conversations or even by participating in dialogues held by relevant industry bodies.Explore <a href="https://www.sasb.org/find-your-industry/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">SASB’s Sustainable Industry Classification System</a> (SICS) for a recognized reference point for all types of industries. Some industries are responsible for a large proportion of the overall emissions like the Energy Generation, Airlines, Oil and Gas. At the same time, there are industries that are classified under the “hard-to-abate” category. These industries are limited by today’s advancement of technology and hence have limited potential to avoid/reduce their operational emissions; Ex: Cement, Steel, Airlines etc. And further, there are industries that are significantly service oriented and sustainability for them is about being aware of the intangibles as much as the tangibles. <h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Understand local regulations</h2>&nbsp;It is known that businesses need to be vigilant of the local regulations applicable to their industry’s functioning in the geographies that they operate. Most leading economies have announced a slew of directives, standards, regulations in the last 18 months on Sustainability and ESG. In fact, these regulations are volatile and dynamic and are emerging with time. It is important for the Sustainability/ESG teams of your enterprise to always stay on top of these.For example, the BRSR (Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting) is a major milestone in India's regulatory landscape and is mandatory from FY22-23. It puts India on par with other major economies that have proposed similar sustainability reporting regulations for their jurisdictions, in the last year or so - EU (EFRAG ESRS), US (SEC), Singapore (SGX), UK (SDR) and of course the much-anticipated global baseline from ISSB (IFRS).Apart from these, there could be regulations that are applicable to certain industries in your geography too. These could be environmental (EPR on E-waste, Plastic Waste etc), social (CSR), governance (Ethical practices) etc. These must be addressed in tandem with the emerging Sustainability Reporting regulations mentioned earlier. <h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Explore the multi-dimensional nature of sustainability</h2>&nbsp;One of the traps that most nascent enterprises fall into, is to approach Sustainability within a limited view. In some cases, it is viewed uni-dimensionally. Businesses have to realise that the subject of Sustainability/ESG is wide-ranging. Multiple aspects need to be understood and balanced to ensure “true” impact eventually. Businesses should adopt a systems thinking approach to balance their actions related to sustainability/ESG and at the same time, meet the expectations of stakeholders.&nbsp;E is the environmental criteria within ESG, that looks at how an organization utilizes the energy, discharges its waste, manages its carbon emissions, and the resources it requires to operate. S is the social criteria, that looks at the relationship between the organization, its people, and the communities where it is located. It includes activities like diversity and inclusion, labor relations, and community programs. G stands for&nbsp;governance, that looks at internal processes and controls followed by the organization to govern themselves. The governance aspect helps in taking effective decisions, complying with law, and meeting the needs of external stakeholders.The ESG are the three separate systems within which an organization operates, and these systems are interdependent and interlinked, where an action (or inaction) in one will affect the other. Understanding this multidimensional aspect of sustainability is essential. Companies adopting sustainability strategy with better understanding of its multi-dimensionality nature, exhibit reduced downside risk, higher value creation, increased equity returns, and improved credit ratings.&nbsp;<h2>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;Study relevant global sustainability standards, frameworks and programs</h2>&nbsp;As sustainability reporting gains significance, businesses are required to publicly report on environmental, social, and governance impacts based on their organization’s actions and functioning. The sustainability references like the established CDP, GRI, SBT, SASB, IR, TCFD or the emerging ISSB, TNFD require companies to identify material topics through stakeholder engagement that are relevant to the business as well as its stakeholders.It is important to understand each of them and explore the best way to apply them to your business. With this wide range of available guidance, it is important to be prudent in your selection to ensure that your available resources are used most effectively. It needs to be understood that not every sustainability reference has the same objective, i.e. some are aimed at making sustainability commitments and contributing towards them, some focus on verification and certifications, some take a disclosure and reporting approach and there are others who help earn recognition for all your hard work. You need to draw a fine balance between these varying objectives and prioritize your chosen sustainability standards, frameworks or programs. Companies that follow the 5 ways described above, can understand sustainability, ESG and Net zero in a better way. They&nbsp;can use such knowledge to <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/6-steps-to-plan-your-sustainability,-esg,-net-zero-strategies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">come up with a sustainability plan</a> with short, medium, and long-term goals and start their sustainability journey.&nbsp;

Well-planned is half-done. This is very significant when it comes to long-term ambitions associated with Sustainability, ESG and Net Zero. 

6 steps to plan your Sustainability, ESG, Net Zero Strategies

As enterprises start aligning themselves with Sustainability, they should do it in a manner that gives them the best chance of success. This success should find relevance in the minds of their stakeholders. While achieving these ambitions and making them relevant for their stakeholders could look goliath-like, it is important to draw plans that are modular, phased and progressive.Enterprises do not achieve their Sustainability goals in a single leap; rather it takes multiple planned steps to get there. It is in this context that one needs to identify the right steps to take to reach the milestones along with roadmap, while keeping a firm eye on the end goal. We break the Planning phase into 6 steps, that will guide you.

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Identify the relevance of Sustainability for your enterprise</h2>Today, Sustainability has wide-ranging interpretations - Environment, Social, Governance, Financial – with each of them being relevant in the general sense. It is important to appreciate Sustainability from 3 lenses before drawing out the most relevant definition of Sustainability in your context. The 3 lenses are Sector Agnostic, Sector Specific and Entity-Specific. It is only when one looks at these 3 lenses will one be able to identify what is material for their enterprise. Our <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/5-effective-ways-to-understand-sustainability-and-esg-" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">previous blog</a> talked about how one could understand Sustainability before embarking on the journey.In order to identify relevance of Sustainability for your enterprise through the 3 lenses approach, it is important to identify key stakeholders for your business. Follow this up with a materiality assessment exercise to narrow down and prioritize the most material (i.e important) topics for your key stakeholders.&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Baseline your ESG heatmap</h2>With the material topics identified, draw an assessment of your current performance against these. This is the opportunity to go granular on each identified topic and break them down into actionable items. For each actionable item, it is important to gather different voices to avoid bias in this baseline assessment. It would be ideal to have inputs from all your key stakeholders. At minimum, it should have the voice of the Senior Leadership across business functions – CEO, COO, CRO, CHRO, CFO, CMO, CSO, CSR Head, CTO etc.Further, this step is also an opportunity to assess and arrive at your enterprise’s GHG emissions baseline across the operations. This will help in the further steps when targets and milestones will be determined.Once these varying points of view have been identified and mapped, categorize the actionable items on a ESG heatmap to identify the ones that require priority attention over the others.&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Align with Sustainability Standards, Frameworks, Regulations</h2>With the completion of the baseline exercise and the identification of prioritized actions, explore how they align with recognized standards relevant to your business. While some of these could be regulatory like the BRSR, there is significant evolution and maturity in voluntary standards today; Ex: GRI, CDP, TCFD, IIRC, SASB etc.It is important to also draw a sense of how your identified actions would help you get closer to the requirements of these standards, even if that was not your primary intent. For example, you may have decided to focus on Sustainability because of a regulation like BRSR in India. However, these regulations have drawn significantly from the mature global standards. So, in the process of ensuring BRSR compliance, you would have already made a strong case for your readiness for recognized global standards. Such readiness could give you a head start against your local and global competitors. It is this perspective that helps you have maximize your gains for the same effort.&nbsp;<h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Assess Risks and Opportunities</h2>Changes in the external environment are inevitable. In fact, changes are far more frequent, now than ever – Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal (PESTEL). The frequency of climate emergencies has also increased, causing disruptions in business operations across the value chain. The reality of the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world today is that constant, unpredictable changes are on the rise. At the same time, there is a growing scrutiny of business approach to risk management.As an enterprise looking to adopt ESG (and even otherwise), please do consider Risk Identification, Analysis and Mitigation in your plans. The significance of every risk varies depending on the sector-specific and entity-specific parameters. It is important to assess each risk on its Level of Impact on your business, Likelihood of Occurrence and anticipated Time Horizon. A thorough comparative analysis of all risks would help determine the risks that need your prioritized attention.A similar exercise should be considered to identify potential opportunities arising out of the changes in the external environment. The bottom line here is that not every external change has negative repercussions. Depending on the nature of your business, there is a potential for identification of opportunities arising out of these external factors. Drawing a parallel with Risk Analysis approach, each opportunity needs to be analysed on its Level of Benefit, Likelihood of Occurrence and Time Horizon.&nbsp;<h2>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Set targets and define roadmap with milestones</h2>With all the analysis conducted in the previous steps, it is important to arrive at the enterprise’s appetite for Sustainability actions. It is obvious that every action identified will require considerable resources – time, financial, human, intellectual etc. It is, therefore, important to identify the actions along a roadmap, i.e. what should be taken up in the near term, medium term and long term? At the same time, one must be considerate of the fact that it is expected that companies are determining reduced emissions using the 1.5°C trajectory. The Sustainability, ESG, Net Zero targets could be determined based on the above exercise. A long-term ambition needs to be drafted for communicating with your stakeholders. This long-term ambition needs to be broken down into smaller milestones for close monitoring of actual achievements to stay on course on the 1.5°C trajectory. It is important that your enterprise understands that achieving Climate Care and ESG maturity is progressive, and it requires considerable time. While setting out on the Sustainability roadmap, it is important to assess yourself against the global best practices and apply them judiciously in your actions. <h2>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Identify initiatives to reach the milestones</h2>With the target and milestones identified, it is important to narrow down the specific projects/initiatives that will be taken up by your team A novel approach to identify these projects/initiatives is to engage your employees in a Design Thinking session. This approach brings in perspectives from employees across the hierarchy based on their operational experiences, and therefore brings out ideas that, when executed right, have the highest chance of success. Importantly, your employees also build a stronger connect with the organization’s push for Sustainability. This inclusive approach drives Sustainability culture across your workforce and brings down any potential internal resistance to change.Another rule to be considered while identifying the projects/initiatives is that one should keep inadvertent greenwashing at bay. One of the key principles to adhere to is Mitigation Hierarchy. This states that any emission reduction approaches by an enterprise should sequentially avoid, reduce, remove and lastly offset. The idea is to get one’s own house in order before embarking on green projects outside.Further, each identified initiative needs to be thoroughly studied for the expected outputs, outcomes and impacts after its implementation. A strong Monitoring and Evaluation (M&amp;E) framework must be defined, and all involved stakeholders should have thoroughly understood it.&nbsp;With these 6 steps done right, you have built the right platform for a confident take-off on your Sustainability journey. All that you are left to do is to put the plan to action and <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/5-best-practices-while-pursuing-sustainability-roadmaps" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">pursue your Sustainability, ESG, Net Zero roadmap</a>.

When rubber meets the road, the effectiveness of the plan will come to the fore. It is important to execute right and demonstrate desired results.

5 best practices while pursuing sustainability roadmaps

Enterprises that have planned out their Sustainability strategy will be keen to progress into implementation to witness some of the desired results. While this is an encouraging sign, pursuing the sustainability roadmaps should be done with thorough due diligence for each project/initiative. At the outset, it must be understood that implementation of Sustainability Roadmaps is complex due to more reasons than one <ul><li>Multiple stakeholders involved at various junctures of the program</li><li>Multi-dimensional approach required for 360-degree approach to Sustainability</li><li>Multi-year program considering the broad scope of Sustainability roadmaps</li></ul> In complex programs like these, a wrong step could have wide-ranging repercussions. In order to avoid those unpleasant situations, we detail our 5 best practices that you need to have in your armoury for a successful implementation of the program.

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Take a Planned, Phased and Progressive approach</h2>The 3Ps mentioned here are the mantras for a well-structured sustainability roadmap. A significant part of this would be already addressed during the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/6-steps-to-plan-your-sustainability,-esg,-net-zero-strategies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">planning of the Sustainability Roadmap</a>. It only needs to be emphasised a lot more during the implementation. Let us understand what a Phased approach looks like.&nbsp;a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Phased Emissions - Scope 1, Scope 2 and then Scope 3It is common understanding that Scope 3 emissions are a tough nut to crack. This is because of the dependency on external stakeholders across your value chain to work with you on your Sustainability Roadmap. This involves significant effort and hence should be considered only after you have done a GHG Inventory and Emissions calculation for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The data inputs required for Scope 1 and 2 should be available well within your reach. So, tackle this first and demonstrate results. This could give you the required experience and confidence to approach your external stakeholders for addressing Scope 3 emissions.b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Phased Mitigation HierarchyRight alongside the phasing of emissions comes the phasing as per the Mitigation Hierarchy. To begin with, focus on projects that help your enterprise Avoid and Reduce emissions across the value chain. These projects should sit on the top priority list and the results from these projects should help arrive at the residual emissions that are unavoidable. It is this outstanding or residual emissions that should then be neutralized through Removal and Offset initiatives. Companies should follow the mitigation hierarchy to steer clear of Greenwashing.c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Phased Stakeholder OnboardingIn a multi-stakeholder program, it is important to build a stakeholder matrix (Power vs Interest) and identify the key stakeholders through such an exercise. In a phased manner, onboard the key stakeholders on your Sustainability Roadmap by delivering outcomes that matter to them. Gradually, onboard the other stakeholders and gain their confidence too.d.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Phased Standards/Frameworks AdoptionThe Sustainability and ESG space is occupied by multitude of standards, frameworks, programs and regulations. While each has its own merit, it is not easy for the enterprise implementing the sustainability roadmap to align with all of them. It is important to identify the ones that you want to align with initially and leverage this work to gradually align with the other standards. For example, SBT commitments could be declared with the SBTi, early in the roadmap. As one progresses towards the targets, it provides enough credible evidence to demonstrate on Sustainability Reporting standards like the CDP.&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Measure, monitor and evaluate the project implementation regularly</h2>The success of the sustainability roadmap will depend solely on the results achieved through the implementation of projects/initiatives. It is important that each project has its clearly documented Monitoring and Evaluation (M&amp;E) framework. This framework should identify the outputs, outcomes and impact expected from the project. Such a framework should have a multi-dimensional perspective to give enough consideration to People and Planet implications.With such a framework in place, it is important to have the implementation team constantly measure the progress to confirm adherence to timelines. This further helps monitor the health of the project and contributes to the health of the overall program. Further, this should help in evaluation of the project results against the documented outputs, outcomes and impacts in the M&amp;E framework.It is important to consider the measurement, monitoring and evaluation as integral to the ongoing project management activities. These should not be left for the fag-end of the projects, to give the project team enough opportunity for course corrections, where required.&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communicate regularly with stakeholders about the program</h2>In any complex program, communication with stakeholders is key. They need to be constantly briefed on the progress achieved and importantly, they need to gain confidence with each passing milestone. The nature and style of communication could vary depending on the stakeholders under considerationa.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Submit regular reports for third-party validation and verificationThese could be for validation of SBT progress by SBTi, assurance of your program results by Audit/Assurance organization etc. In cases where your projects are registered for carbon credits, the DOE (Designated Operational Entity) would need regular communication in pre-defined formats.b.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communicate with external stakeholdersThese communications could be with regulatory authorities where one needs to submit reports cyclically in a standard template. The external stakeholders would also involve your value chain participants. It helps to keep them aware so that they could anticipate any potential change coming their way and prepare for it before-hand.c.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communicate with internal stakeholdersThe internal stakeholder mix includes Senior Leadership, Mid-management and Employees. Your internal communication channels could be leveraged well to establish a stronger connect across the hierarchy with the Sustainability agenda of the enterprise. <h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay continuously vigilant of the evolving regulatory landscape</h2>While Sustainability Roadmaps are long running, it must be remembered that the regulatory landscape on Sustainability is a state of flux too. Depending on the geographical territories in which you operate, you have to keep a constant eye on the applicable regulations. In the coming years, a significant number of regulatory norms will be announced across leading global economies. There could be potential situations where a new regulation requires you to course-correct your Sustainability roadmap or maybe an ongoing project in the roadmap.<h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Don’t lose sight of your employees’ alignment with your Sustainability agenda</h2>This is key to ensure the success and longevity of the change you are bringing in through the Sustainability roadmap. It is a given that the implementation initiatives will aim to achieve the desired results to demonstrate success, given the extensive focus and momentum in their favour from the senior leadership. Post implementation, there are strong chances that the success diminishes and, in a few cases, reverses itself because of the dimming spotlight on the project. While one could keep dedicating resources to ensure that the successful results are not lost over time, there is a better way to achieve the same results. The answer lies in leveraging the might and strength of your people – your workforce.Your people should be sensitized about Sustainability in a manner that they establish a stronger connect with the projects/initiatives taken up by the enterprise. A few ideas to make this work in the real world:<ul><li>Involve them in the ideation of Sustainability projects/initiatives</li><li>Generate avenues for them to participate and contribute towards the implementation activities</li><li>Provide opportunities for them to narrate their stories and experiences with the projects/initiatives</li><li>and more….</li></ul> These employee engagement approaches should be identified and such that they generate a behavioural shift within each individual. While it looks like a tall order, the results from this are most effective in ensuring that the change is long-lasting and sustainable.These best practices are no silver bullets but are ways to ensure that the initial legs of your roadmap implementation are smoother. It sets an ideal platform for you to <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/3-catalysts-to-scale-up-the-impact-of-your-sustainability-initiatives" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">scale up your impact</a> as you progress further and further on your Sustainability roadmap.

What if your sustainability initiatives could achieve higher impact for the same effort with some practical interventions during the implementation?

3 catalysts to scale up the impact of your sustainability initiatives

The Sustainability Roadmap that your organization is pursuing will ideally be planned to gradually grow in outcomes achieved and stakeholders impacted. Over the years, this natural progression should help your enterprise step up on the Sustainability maturity barometer. However, to scale up the impact across all stakeholders and make it long-lasting, one needs to consider a few catalysts in the mix.In an <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/5-best-practices-while-pursuing-sustainability-roadmaps" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">earlier blog</a>, we had highlighted the best practices to be considered while pursuing your sustainability roadmap. The catalysts that we mention in this blog go in tandem with the pursuit of the Sustainability roadmap. If used effectively, they are sure shot ways to scale up the impact across your internal and external stakeholders.

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Driving and embedding Sustainability Culture within the organization</h2>Employees are key to the success of any enterprise initiative and the Sustainability program is no exception. Whether it is about Sustainability shifts that are core to the daily operations (Ex: Introduction of an Internal Carbon Price) or the ones that are relevant from an individual lifestyle perspective, there is an ample need to drive behavioural change. Cracking the code for this behavioural change is tough but once done, it has the highest catalytic potential among all available options. We propose to take your employees through a simple Learn-Act-Achieve-Celebrate approach. With each stage in this approach, there is a potential to introduce novel engagement techniques and build on it.

These techniques are wide-ranging – Awareness workshops, Skilling sessions, Design Thinking sessions, Gamification, Remuneration Incentives, Communication, Project participation, Rewards and Recognition and more. The idea is to identify the right touchpoints to highlight the significance of Sustainability for the Individual and the Institution.As these techniques are put to action, the organization will see a gradual shift towards Sustainability culture within the organization. If leveraged right, they will help embed Sustainability into your organization’s DNA. This will further drive collective, cohesive efforts from your employees towards the enterprise’s Sustainability roadmap.&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Extending Sustainability to your Value Chain</h2>This catalyst banks on your deeper established relationships with your external partners to bring down your emissions footprint. While this primarily has an impact on the Environmental dimension, it could be extended to the Social dimension too. In the context of the value chain, the Environmental dimension is significant and needs due consideration due to a few facts.&nbsp;FACT 1 – For enterprises in most industries, a significant 60-70% of the GHG footprint they are responsible for comes from the value chain operations.FACT 2 - No company will ever be able to achieve Net Zero, if it hasn't worked with their Supply Chain partners to address their operational footprint.FACT 3 - Larger companies have started engaging with their supply chain partners and incentivising them to address end-to-end footprint.&nbsp;Clearly, scaling up of your sustainability impact can happen through a deeper engagement with your supply chain partners. This has to be approached with thorough due diligence so that is it least disruptive to ongoing operations. It must be acknowledged that most supply chain players are Small and Medium Enterprises. There needs to be sufficient sensitization to the context of the SME supplier, which is significantly different from that of your own. A few approaches that have worked well while engaging the suppliers.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Generate an incentive mechanism to recognize the efforts of your supply chain partners to reduce their footprint. An example is <a href="https://www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com/climate/project-gigaton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Project Gigaton</a> by Walmart for their suppliers through which Walmart recognizes star performers as <a href="https://walmartsustainabilityhub.emissionscalculators.walmart.com/main/recognition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Giga Gurus and Sparking Change</a> suppliers. The aim is to reduce or avoid one billion metric tons (a gigaton) of greenhouse gases from the global value chain by 2030.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Educate them about potential incentives and government policies that they could leverage to transition to the green economy. A collation of such incentives has been curated and made available in our whitepaper titled <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Resources/sustainability-spotlight-on-smes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sustainability Spotlight on SMEs</a>.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Establish Green Procurement Policy for your enterprise and support your suppliers to meet the criteria outlined in the policy. A detailed study of the Green Procurement Policies of leading companies has been annexed in the <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Resources/sustainability-spotlight-on-smes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Sustainability Spotlight on SMEs</a> whitepaper.&nbsp;Considering the complexities involved in dealing with the Supply Chain partners, one must attempt this only after avoiding/reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions thoroughly.&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Report cohesively and consistently to all your stakeholders</h2>While 2 key stakeholders, i.e employees and supplier chain partners, were the focus of the 2 catalytic forces described earlier, this one addresses the broader stakeholder ecosystem – Investors, Consumers, Community, Auditors, Civil Society, Shareholders, Regulators etc. These stakeholders are highly reliant on the communication they have with you to understand your sustainability actions. It is important to acknowledge that they are key to the acceleration of your sustainability initiatives. If they do not see eye to eye with your claim to sustainability, like in the case of Greenwashing, these external stakeholders can also thwart your sustainability agenda.It is important to keep your stakeholders informed and updated about the latest progress of your sustainability actions. In this day and age, effective communication is no longer optional. If you do not communicate well about yourself, there is a good chance that somebody else will do that for you – unasked and uncontrolled. So, it always helps to keep “communicating right” on the top of your agenda.The most sought-after communication materials from enterprises, by the external stakeholders, are their management reports, sustainability reports and regulatory submissions. Today’s informed stakeholder looks to see if and how your management summary, financial statements and sustainability disclosures are singing the same tune. This consistency and cohesiveness is key to steer clear of greenwashing, which has become a subject of significant scrutiny. In fact, corporate disclosures are progressing towards Integrated Reporting – the coming together of management reports and sustainability reports. When done right, this reporting helps address all the tangibles and intangibles in a truly holistic manner. The challenge lies in drafting such communications right.This clarity in communication will go a long way in helping scale up the impact of various sustainability initiatives. It will ensure you have the backing of your stakeholders which is key to gain and maintain momentum, for any long-duration complex engagements. Sustainability roadmaps are no exception.&nbsp;When leveraged right, these 3 catalysts will ensure you have the right results throughout your sustainability journey through the support of your entire stakeholder mix. With this, you should <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/7-questions-you-should-ask-yourself-while-preparing-your-sustainability-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">have all the right answers to the questions as you draft your sustainability reports</a>.&nbsp;

Any reporting compliance is not just about “doing it” but about “doing it right”. So, how to approach sustainability reporting exercise correctly?

7 Questions you should ask yourself while preparing your Sustainability Report

Sustainability Reporting has started becoming a norm across multiple leading economies. From SGX in Singapore to SEBI in India, from EFRAG in Europe to SEC in the US - this year has seen a series of announcements about Sustainability reporting becoming mainstream for companies within their jurisdiction. With each such announcement, companies will start reporting their sustainability actions and results in the prescribed formats, as applicable. It is important to understand and appreciate that different geographies are at varying levels of maturity, and this will reflect in the expectations laid out by the regulatory authorities in each geography.At the same time, there is work happening at ISSB (under IFRS) to develop a global baseline of Sustainability Reporting. IFRS has, for long been the torchbearer of financial reporting and has issued appropriate guidance through the IASB. It is in this context that the work currently underway by ISSB gains significance. With the IASB and ISSB working cohesively, we anticipate an integrated framework that drives both Sustainability and Management reporting cohesively. While this will take 3-5yrs to fruition, one has already been noticing every well-researched guidance on Sustainability reporting advocating for conformance to Integrated Reporting principles.With the known fact that integrated principles are the north star for effective sustainability reporting, this blog highlights the 7 questions to ask while preparing your sustainability report today. These questions are based on the principles laid out by the IIRC.

Checklist for Sustainability and ESG reporting

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How do I demonstrate Strategic focus and future orientation?</h2>It is important to highlight the business strategy and roadmap, and demonstrate its alignment with sustainability across the business. This is where management commentary in the report needs to highlight the details significant for its stakeholders. Some of the highlights to consider are as below: <ul><li>Describe organization’s strategy of creating value in the short, medium, and long-term</li><li>Describe the use of Capitals (Financial, Manufactured, Intellectual, Human, Social &amp; Relational and Natural Capitals)</li><li>Describe the effect/impact on Capitals</li><li>Establish relationship between past and future performance</li><li>Determine future directions</li><li>Highlight significant risks, opportunities, and dependencies</li></ul>&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Is the report ensuring Connectivity of information across all disclosures?</h2>Key stakeholders tend to understand the company’s performance by comparing data – both within the report and across reports. The information across a financial report, management report and sustainability report for the same period should be easy to connect and comprehend. Correlations can also be drawn between 2 different datasets to identify potential dependencies. For example, company sales data vs emissions footprint across geographies will help correlate how higher sales volume intensifies the footprint. Some of the highlights to consider are as below:&nbsp;<ul><li>Link organization’s&nbsp;activities with dynamic and systemic interactions</li><li>Analyse organization’s activities from past to present period</li><li>Describe interdependencies and trade-offs between Capitals</li><li>Ensure that the information reported (internally or externally) is consistent</li><li>Ensure that the information provided is logically structured and well presented</li><li>Ensure that the information provided is written clear, understandable, and jargon-free</li></ul>&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How am I representing my stakeholder relationships in the report?</h2>The Sustainability report is meant to address a wider audience, unlike the Annual report, which primarily focuses on shareholders. As part of the planning exercises for your sustainability roadmap and initiatives identification, you should have drawn out the stakeholder matrix for your organization. Your Sustainability report should address, at minimum, the requirements of your key stakeholders relevant for your organization. Some of the highlights to consider are as below:&nbsp;<ul><li>Describe the nature of the organization’s relationships with its key stakeholders</li><li>Describe the types of stakeholder engagement</li><li>Disclose stakeholder’s&nbsp;legitimate needs and interests transparently</li><li>Highlight how you have incorporated their legitimate needs and interests</li></ul> <h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Am I disclosing information based on the identified material topics for my business?</h2>Materiality assessment is a key activity that should have been done during the planning stages along your sustainability journey, to identify topics that are considered significant by your stakeholders. As an enterprise progresses further to draft the sustainability report, it is important to highlight the material topics for your business and ensure that relevant information related to all material topics is disclosed. This helps your stakeholders gather all relevant information and draw their prudent analysis of your sustainability actions. Some of the highlights to consider are as below: <ul><li>Identify relevant matters i.e., identify risks, opportunities and outcomes that materially affect the organization’s ability to create value</li><li>Evaluate the importance of relevant matters</li><li>Describe how you prioritize matters</li><li>Determine the information to disclose</li><li>Disclose both financial and other information</li></ul>&nbsp;<h2>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Is the commentary documented in the report concise and easy to comprehend?</h2>With the details that need to be mentioned in the sustainability report, there is a general tendency to overload the report with extensive commentary. It must be appreciated that the readers of these reports could be looking for different pieces of information, based on what they consider key. The report should be structured in a concise manner so that the reader can find relevant information with minimal browsing. Some of the highlights to consider are as below:&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Provide sufficient context for understanding organization’s strategy, governance, performance, and prospects·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ensure balancing information between conciseness, completeness, and comparability·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Limit repetition by following logical structure and cross-referencing·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Express concepts clearly with limited number of words·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Use plain language and avoid jargons or technical terminologies·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid highly generic disclosures&nbsp;<h2>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Is the information presented in the report reliable &amp; complete?</h2>The sustainability report should reflect transparency throughout its length. It must be drafted with information that can be trusted by the reader and should help draw an informed analysis for further decision making. It is such reliable data points that builds confidence amongst the stakeholder community and beats down any apprehensions of greenwashing or goodwashing. Some of the highlights to consider are as below:&nbsp;<ul><li>Include all material information i.e., both positive and negative</li><li>Avoid materiality errors</li><li>Ensure the disclosed information is not slanted, manipulated, weighted, emphasized, de-emphasized, offset</li><li>Maintain an audit trail</li><li>Ensure the estimates are clearly communicated</li><li>Ensure the extent of information disclosed is sufficient to determine completeness</li></ul>&nbsp;<h2>7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Does the report demonstrate consistency and comparability across all the published information?</h2>Finally, the report must help in highlighting not just the final numbers but also how the numbers were arrived at. If the enterprise has arrived at the numbers while being consistent over the years with the methods adopted for measurement, it helps draw comparison across time periods. Trends can be reliably identified by comparing past data with the current data and projections. Some of the highlights to consider are as below:&nbsp;<ul><li>Ensure reporting policies are consistently followed</li><li>Ensure same KPIs are consistently used throughout</li><li>Benchmark data i.e., industry or regional benchmark</li><li>Present information in the form of ratios to ensure comparability</li><li>Report commonly used quantitative indicators</li></ul> These questions form the broad basis for efficient and effective sustainability reporting. They should help report all the extensive efforts by your Sustainability/ESG teams with confidence to your stakeholders.&nbsp;

Sustainability Education | ESG for Schools and Corporates | Climate Education and Footprint reduction for Schools | SME in the Climate Science Field

How would you define Sustainability? This one question can be answered in different ways. So, how do you get your students started on this topic.

6 ways to get your students started with sustainability

&nbsp;“The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs”, is the definition of Sustainability provided by the UN, and the one most commonly used to introduce the concept of Sustainability and Sustainable development in today’s day.Sustainability is three pronged; with Environmental, Social &amp; Economic dimensions. All three stress upon the fact that all resources, be it monetary or planetary, can and will be depleted linearly with their continued usage and must be used in a responsible and conscious manner.&nbsp;The usage of terms like “Sustainability” and “Sustainable Development Goals” have increased manifold over the past decade, mostly owing to the recent realization and awareness associated with resource depletion and environmental degradation, both byproducts of the Industrial revolution and the population explosion that accompanied it. People today are much more aware and choose to be more eco-friendly. International Organizations and Governments have also been promoting the introduction of sustainability into the daily proceedings of organizations and into the lives of every individual, by increasing the visibility and underlining the importance of the <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">17 United Nations SDGs</a>. <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">The Paris Agreement</a>, an international treaty which aims to limit the increase in global temperatures, has strengthened the accountability of countries to reduce their emissions and adopt greener practices.The decade from 2021-2030 is called the ‘Decade of Action’. Immediate climate action needs to be undertaken in this period to address global warming urgently. Alongside these, initiatives should also be taken to help build foundational behavioral changes amongst the people. We must educate and encourage all individuals to make conscious choices today, mitigate the ill-effects of the past, and ensure a livable planet for the future.

How would Schools Introduce Sustainability Education to students seamlessly?&nbsp;<h2>1. Provide Resources for Self-exploration</h2>Sustainable living is being constantly brought-up during conversations in today’s day and age. However, it needs to be recognized that not many children (and adults too) understand what it truly means, both in the theoretical sense and in terms of their future. The best way to introduce students to the concept of sustainability and to ensure that they truly understand its significance is by encouraging them to explore it themselves, rewarding and fueling their curiosity while providing them with tools and content to pique their interest. This could range from sharing short stories, video clips or even podcasts that could be of interest to them.&nbsp;<h2>2. Make Sustainability Fun!</h2>It is essential for students to understand the looming threat that climate change poses to their future, whilst also having the necessary guidance to know what should be done at their end to mitigate it and how they can do it. However, it is very crucial that this sustainability education is provided to students in a light and interactive manner. They must be provided with the confidence that they have the necessary information to act themselves rather than be filled with dread at the idea of saving the planet. Sustainability should be introduced to them in an easily digestible and fun way so they will be more inclined to imbibe it easily and effortlessly into their lives. This could be done by rewarding their actions and conscious behavior through gamification, apps, or simply giving them the opportunity to witness how their changes impact the bigger picture.&nbsp;<h2>3. Project-based learning</h2>It is a well- established fact that students learn and understand better when presented with visual aids, activities, projects and hands-on learning approaches. Schools can take advantage of these techniques to help impart sustainability education to students and to ensure that the lessons they are being taught drive home. At Quest conducted a Summer Program for students of classes 5-10 called <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6938497605064617984" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Summer, Naturally! 2022</a> which aimed to introduce and educate students on the importance of SDG#12, ‘Responsible Production &amp; Consumption’ and it wound up being an enormous success. We received testimony from multiple teachers stating that the students remained much more responsive and interactive through the length of the program and participated with unwavering enthusiasm.Moreover, project and activity-based learning tends to add an element of fun to the doom and gloom that generally surrounds the topics of climate change and environmental degradation!&nbsp;<h2>4. Guidance based on Learning inclination</h2>It is very natural for different children to have different subject-based interests. It is the duty of the adults to impart sufficient knowledge and to enable kids to grow their understanding in whichever area of interest they desire to. To ensure that all young learners are processing and understanding what they are taught regarding sustainability in schools, it is paramount that schools and teachers keep track of all students and their developments &amp; achievements. This additionally provides staff the opportunity to identify which subjects are student-favorites and which subjects need to be taught using a different approach. &nbsp;<h2>5. Ensure a 360° understanding of Sustainability</h2>Sustainability is multi-faceted and an introduction of the concept to young minds should always be holistic. This could range from gardening, waste management, travel, shopping choices, biodiversity, energy consumption, waste management, healthy eating etc. Each of these subjects is equally significant and should not be left out. Any Sustainability lessons must also consider the 3 obvious physical spaces where every student spends their day – school, home and outdoors.Sustainability education must also be imparted in a holistic manner, utilizing traditional modes of teaching inside the classrooms in addition to activity and project based or experiential learning outside the classroom. You could read our blog on ‘<a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/4-essentials-of-holistic-sustainability-education-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">4 essentials of holistic sustainability education today</a>’ to understand more. &nbsp;<h2>6. Demonstrate behavior for students to mimic</h2>Schools should start setting examples for students and ensuring their campuses are as sustainable as they possibly can be to help act as a living lab showcasing sustainability to their students. Staff could introduce concepts related to minimalism and the 4Rs in their classrooms, Schools could opt for electric modes of transport and utilize renewable energy sources to power their operations. Additionally, you could check out our blog-post on ‘<a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/3-building-blocks-for-a-carbon-neutral-school-campus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">How to make School campuses Carbon Neutral</a>’.&nbsp;The Educational System today is nothing like what it was a decade ago. Learning is aimed to be made more inclusive and holistic, including a multitude of skills outside of what is being taught in the classroom. This is endorsed by the <a href="https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">National Education Policy of 2020</a> in India.&nbsp;Children, unlike full-grown adults, have a totally different perspective and are definitely more in-touch with the natural world. It is up to us to provide them with more opportunities to observe and act accordingly. We need to emphasize their role in climate change mitigation, in a positive and non-threatening manner. But we need them to realize that their future rests on everyone’s daily actions, in the present. We must enable them to develop their ecological identity strongly during their growth years. Where better to do this than at schools - a place where young curious minds spend a majority of their time and are most impressionable?

Sustainability in a Box

Junior Green Compass +

Sustainability learning for your students has to be effectively structured and delivered. This will ensure that the lessons are thoroughly ingrained.

4 essentials of holistic sustainability education today

We start on the premise that sustainability is a heavy subject, and we often find grown-ups struggling to understand it. So, how do we expect school students to understand it and importantly, put it into practice? If that thought crosses your mind, you may be underestimating the smartness of young minds today. We have umpteen examples of how teenage kids are voicing their opinion on social topics. In fact, they articulate it much better because they clearly know that the stakes are much higher for them and strongly relate to the importance of securing a better tomorrow for themselves. This needs to be strengthened further through an ideal mix of right techniques, a mature ecosystem and efficient mentorship for these smart young minds. School managements have a significant role to play in equipping their students with the right environment to drive behavioral changes in their formative years. During their developmental years, children’s bright, vibrant minds must be harnessed to develop a strong ecological identity.This blog outlines an ideal ecosystem for Sustainability Education at our schools today, to equip our young learners, the citizens of tomorrow with the necessary tools and knowledge to shape in them the sense of responsibility towards protecting the future of our planet. Such a holistic ecosystem for the new-age student is made up of 4 components.

Classroom Learning Experiential Learning Project-based Learning Digital Learning

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Classroom Learning</h2>Some schools have already taken a lead and are teaching their students about the significance of climate change and global warming. The significance of getting young minds to think about these serious changes in the environment has been noted by the United Nations too. <a href="https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">The World’s Largest Lesson</a>&nbsp;initiative by the UN helps students learn about this subject in the classroom environment through appealing infographics, comic strips, quizzes, video content and poster designs. It appreciates that kids learn better through these techniques than monologue delivery in a classroom setup.It must be emphasised that such learning cannot be sporadic and through one-time interventions. It is important to seamlessly blend it with the core curriculum learning and deliver it in a planned, phased manner throughout the academic year. While Sustainability Education may not be a mandate in the education boards’ curriculum, it is significant from an all-round student development perspective. It is significant that students understand the implications of the individual actions they practice and see around them, through interactive engagement.&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Experiential Learning</h2>This is a known learning approach in most schools. When it comes to Climate Education, it has been observed that Experiential Learning is a powerful complement to the classroom learning approach. It can take many avatars and here are a few examples for you to consider for your school students depending on their age bracket - Farm Visits, Playful Learning, Nature Walks, Hands-on Composting, Field visit to a recycling center, Experiencing a zero-waste store etc. The common theme with each of these experiential learning approaches is that they ensure that the young minds get a very hands-on experience with various facets of sustainability and nature.Experiential learning techniques can also be leveraged to develop mentorship skills within students, especially among the high school students. These age-appropriate experiences help students develop a greater awareness of the world around them. Further, with appropriate support system at schools these students are well-prepared to ideate and shape ideas that could develop into tomorrow’s solutions.&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Project-based Learning</h2>This component within the sustainability education ecosystem is one of the most engaging one. It supports the other components that take an academic year approach to learning, with projects that engage students for shorter durations, with a specific purpose. The variety of such projects could be fairly wide and each project would provide ample opportunities for teachers and students to explore the subject together.At Quest conducted a summer program based on the project-based learning principles. The program was called Summer Naturally, and had the objective to educate students on SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) in an extremely explorative way. The results across students between Class 5 – Class 10, demonstrated how effective this learning technique is.Schools that are aiming for <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/3-building-blocks-for-a-carbon-neutral-school-campus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Green Campus or Carbon Neutral Campus</a>, would be executing multiple projects in their campuses related to Solar Energy, Water Management, Green Zones, Waste Management etc. It is during the execution of these projects that the schools should consider involving students and teachers as volunteers/observers.&nbsp;<h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Digital Learning</h2>In this age of modern education, tech-based methods are commonplace. The students find it easier to learn through digital channels, if they are structured well. Schools must explore ways to leverage digital learning for Sustainability education. This could be achieved in multiple ways.Firstly, engaging learning content can be easily rendered through the digital channel for a better understanding. Such content helps students appreciate the facets of the planet that they would not be exposed to, in their daily lives. It is this overall understanding of the world that shapes them into informed changemakers of tomorrow.Further, digital learning methods can also be leveraged to help the students track their own sustainability actions. It is well understood that the sustainability journey is a very long one and it always helps an individual to keep track of the journey timeline over days, weeks, months and years. A sustainability journal for each student, along with planned interventions like classroom learning, experiential learning and project-based learning, will keep them enthused and excited about how far they have come.Finally, technology can be leveraged to build a sense of community and camaraderie among students. They should have constant visibility into how far they have come together as a group. Recognizing and rewarding journey milestones, could be an encouraging factor. One must explore gamification techniques, through digital badges, leader boards, peer-group analysis etc to make sustainability fun for the students.&nbsp;With a 360 degree approach to Sustainability education, you are assured of your students picking up the most relevant life and learning skills effortlessly. Each individual has multiple interconnected avenues to explore the subject and depending on his/her interest, an appropriate journey shall be taken. Schools can plan the role of an ideal enabler and with a structured approach like the one detailed above, the learning will be natural and organic.

AMPACTedu

School campuses can be excellent opportunities for both the school management and the students to demonstrate sustainability.

3 building blocks for a Carbon Neutral School campus

Children need to establish a deeper connect with their surroundings and nature, and what better place to initiate this than at schools, a place where the young minds of tomorrow spend a majority of their time in? Schools provide the perfect setting for students to expand their ecological identity, to establish the connect with their environment to ensure that they grow up to be eco-conscious adults. Climate Education plays an irreplaceable role in the development of environmentally responsible future generations, as seen in our <a href="https://atquest.in/GreenWall/Blogs/6-ways-to-get-your-students-started-with-sustainability" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">earlier blogpost</a>.Schools act as the perfect systems to involve and influence children, along with their parents and teachers, plus any of the others who may have contact with these students through activities like mentorship. Schools have paramount scope to change the way students perceive Sustainability and a very significant role to play to encourage the proper, sustainable use of natural resources. School can imbibe Sustainability in real time in 3 broad areas.

Infrastructure, Operations and Education at schools

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sustainable Infrastructure</h2>This includes the school buildings and school campuses. In the context of carbon emissions, there are 2 broad categories that are relevant for schools – embodied carbon emissions and operational carbon emissions. The conversation on sustainable infrastructure deals with the embodied carbon emissions, which essentially refers to all the carbon footprint that gets embedded in the way the campus has been built. From the material that went into the construction of the buildings to the way the school has considered natural ventilation over artificial lighting and cooling, the embodied carbon emissions are significant.&nbsp;For schools that are constructing new physical spaces, they have an opportunity to bring these aspects into consideration and be conscious while making the decisions. This is the ideal time to decide right to avoid embodied emissions, wherever the opportunity exists.&nbsp;It is obvious that existing campuses will not be able to do much about the core construction material that has gone into building their campus. Yet, they can still address the secondary aspects that embellish the building infrastructure – energy infrastructure, cooling setup, water infrastructure etc. The principles of green buildings from recognized authorities like <a href="https://www.grihaindia.org/griha-existing-day-school" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">GRIHA for Existing Day Schools</a> should be considered.&nbsp;Schools must start opting for greener buildings, using sustainable and environmentally responsible construction material, include better and greener planning, switch over to using renewable sources of energy like Solar to produce electricity and recycle and repurpose rainwater by installing Rainwater harvesting structures on campus. These are some of the ways in which schools can implement Sustainable Infrastructure.&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sustainability in Operations</h2>While the embodied emissions are factored in during the construction or installation phase, operational emissions occur all through the life of the building. Sustainability in terms of the operations of the school could include practices and policies that help in the reduction of waste and the utilization of resources like water and energy in the most efficient way possible. It could also include proper waste management, segregation, disposal and repurposing.&nbsp;This is where the concept of the Green School campus takes prominence.A ‘Green School’ is a resource-efficient school campus that very efficiently uses and manages their air, energy, water, food, land and other resources whilst minimizing waste, thereby providing a healthier environment for students to grow up in, as compared to a conventional school campus. At the same time, a ‘Carbon Neutral School’ is one that is not only fully aware of its Carbon footprint, the amount of carbon being emitted directly on campus, indirectly via its operations, purchased energy, and travel, but also the one that is able to completely reduce or offset its carbon emissions over time. Carbon Neutral Schools set Science Based Targets &amp; follow certain pre-ascertained protocols to manage, report and reduce their carbon footprint. &nbsp;While it is challenging for schools to achieve ‘Carbon Neutral’ Status off the bat, the start to transforming their school campus into a ‘Green School Campus’, is a more realistic and quickly achievable goal. This could, in turn, help students experience sustainability personally. Schools should consider regular checkpoints during operations to ensure that they remain sustainable in the long run. They should consider a frequent audit exercise, like the one managed by the <a href="https://www.greenschoolsprogramme.org/schools/gsp-audit/what-is-the-gsp-audit/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Green Schools Program by CSE</a>. <h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sustainability Education</h2>This is not only directed towards the students but also for every other individual involved in the school system: be it parents, teachers or other members of the school staff. It is crucial that this information and education is imparted in an understandable and earnest way, emphasizing “WHY” these actions need to be followed, these changes need to be made and how it will help impact the school environment, the students and even the planet in a positive manner. This will ensure that the people involved will be more likely to stick to any changes being implemented.&nbsp;When imparted to the students, this information should be made as interactive, light and fun as possible while being factual and honest. It should complement the existing syllabus to make it easily understandable. This additionally makes teachers better equipped and the students more involved and helps kindle their interest whilst making them more responsible, building a sense of leadership and ensuring that tomorrow’s changemakers are on the right track.&nbsp;Combined with the conventional learning which can be obtained through a traditional school education, this helps students develop holistically and garner 21st century skills, as proposed by the <a href="https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">NEP</a> (National Educational Policy 2020) - in India. Schools have the opportunity to transform their campuses into ‘Living Labs’ of Sustainability. They could show students, first-hand, what it would look like if an entire environment is made completely sustainable and eco-friendly. Schools can reimagine their premises as playgrounds that provide students with the tools and setting to propagate ideas, develop and hone new essential skills, and practice sustainability.

Teachers should be well-equipped to impart education that helps students develop 21st century skills. Can sustainability education for teachers help?

10 techniques to upskill your teachers for Sustainability Education 

The schools of today are consciously upgrading and rewriting their syllabus and educational structure to keep up with the evolving requirements of today’s children. Students’ evolving minds require constant nurturing and tools to help them develop into well-equipped adults, confident and informed enough to take on any problems that may come their way.&nbsp;Teachers must also constantly stay on top of the school’s and the student’s requirements to impart the best possible Sustainability education to students. It is a known fact that teachers have a very important role to play in delivering an effective learning experience for the students. The profile of the new-age teacher is holistic, and goes beyond pure subject expertise. NEP 2020 expects the teaching community to impart Life skills and Learning skills, apart from Literacy skills – together, they constitute 21st century skills.Taking a cue from this ever-evolving expectations from teachers, we have lined up 10 techniques to upskill your teachers, while imparting Sustainability Education to your students. These techniques have been categorized based on a typical human’s learning journey on any new subject, i.e Learn-Act-Achieve-Celebrate.

Sustainability journey through Learn, Act, Achieve, Celebrate

<h2>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Educative Techniques</h2>&nbsp;Sustainability Awareness WorkshopsConduct interactive, fun demo sessions for the teachers, explaining various aspects of sustainability – composting, gardening, health hacks, kitchen hacks, travel hacks etc. It is important for them to understand the various facets of sustainability themselves and start practicing/exploring some of them first-hand.&nbsp;Skilling SessionsTeachers have a strong sense of understanding of what works best for their students. On a new subject like sustainability, they would need to appropriately reskill or upskill themselves. Schools should facilitate such learning programs to help them be effective mentors. These sessions should consider equipping teachers with the right tools, content for effective delivery of sustainability education to their students.&nbsp;<h2>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Participative Techniques</h2>&nbsp;Ideation and IntrapreneurshipAs mentioned earlier, teacher’s have the best pulse of every student and every batch. They have better understanding of what would best suit their students. For a novel concept like sustainability, it would be appropriate to engage teachers in the design of the right pedagogy for students. This should be done using novel methods like Design Thinking to evolve ideas that are student-centric.&nbsp;VolunteeringEvery human learns best when he/she puts the lessons learnt to practice. Teachers should be provided opportunities to volunteer in campus-wide initiatives for green projects. They should be encouraged to participate in them and have a first-hand exposure to various real implementations like rainwater harvesting, solar energy production, organic gardening, composting etc. Switchover alternativesEncourage teachers to identify and use eco-friendly alternatives during their work at school, wherever possible. Switching over to eco-friendly options may seem tough to begin with but these are beneficial in the longer run. This need not be only at school but could be from their life outside school too. As an example, teachers may consider going plastic-free at their homes and this would find its way into how they manage waste within the school premises too.&nbsp;<h2>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Explorative Techniques</h2>&nbsp;Journey MilestonesHuman behaviour is driven by the encouragement they receive for their daily actions. Along the sustainability journey of the teachers, the school authorities should create opportunities for recognizing milestones. As mentioned earlier, Sustainability journey is a long one but with milestones along the journey, one feels encouraged to keep going.&nbsp;Behavioural ShiftsTeachers should be encouraged to go for behavioural shifts, not just at school. This could be at their homes or within their communities. Providing appropriate guidance on how to transition in a planned and phased manner will help them adopt behavioural changes with ease. It is important to enable this journey for them so that there are no reasons for giving up along the way. Impact AwarenessIt is important to provide teachers ample avenues to understand the impact of their individual sustainability actions. At the same time, they need to be educated about the impact of the sustainability initiatives within their school premises. It is only when they are aware of the impact that these individual and institutional changes are bringing about, will they be able to instruct their students appropriately on Sustainability. <h2>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communicative Techniques</h2>&nbsp;Internal and External BroadcastsIt is important to publish the results of the sustainability journeys taken up by the teachers for the broader audience – students, school management, parents and relevant authorities too. Such communications will encourage the teachers to stay on the pursuit for sustainability education. These broadcasts can happen on the school’s website, newsletters, official social media channels etc.&nbsp;Rewarding RightExceptional performances by teachers who have continuously traversed their sustainability journeys need to be identified. Such top performers need to be rewarded for their exceptional commitment. They have prepared themselves in the best possible manner to impart sustainability education further, and this will benefit the school and students immensely. A balanced mix of these techniques should be ideally used by school authorities to equip their teachers to deliver 21st century skills. This will further result in effective and efficient delivery of holistic education to the young learners.

Sustainable Development | ESG | Development Professional

Urban lifestyles could be fairly complex and challenging to make sustainability integral to it. It requires one to find the right guidance.

5 Tested Hacks to a Truly Sustainable Lifestyle

Green Compass

Today’s youngsters are a lot more curious than ever. They only need to be guided right and they will work their way.

4 Practical Tips for Young Minds to Go Green

Today’s children and youth are the leaders of tomorrow. This blog is for you all, the younger population, who are keen on taking charge for a sustainable future. It is crucial for you to understand the fact that the way you live your day-to-day life today can determine the future of our planet. Your sustainable practices today are not only going to prove rewarding for your future and the planet, but even for the future generations. Since right now the world is facing a climate crisis as never before, your contribution towards tackling it is of utmost importance. Here are some steps which you can follow to start living a sustainable lifestyle today.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Connect with nature around you</h2>Start observing the natural elements around you and try to understand the purpose of their existence. You can even dig deeper and research about certain species of plants or birds which you often find in your surroundings. This will help you develop an understanding of different facets of the local biodiversity. Your research will also help you understand the kinds of resources nature provides us. A few great ways to connect with nature are to go out on nature walks, farm experiences, gardening, biodiversity park visits etc. The more you indulge in the varying aspects of nature, the more you will learn and relate to the flora and fauna around you. This process helps you develop your ecological identity. <h2>2. Indulge in Sustainable activities</h2>Observe the things you do and use in your daily lives and think of their alternative options that are sustainable. Pick an area or a few areas of interest and start working towards it. Some things you can indulge in are: <ul><li>﻿Segregating solid and wet waste in your homes</li><li>Learning about composting</li><li>Become conscious consumers and shoppers</li><li>Keep your diet healthy and obtain your resources from local food markets</li><li>Keep a check on the energy consumption in your homes and schools</li><li>Make other children aware about sustainable living</li><li>Join groups and communities that work towards this cause.</li><li>Be a part of tree plantation drives</li></ul> Being a part of such activities will increase your knowledge and interest in different areas of sustainability. Once you identify the types of eco-friendly and sustainable activities you enjoy doing, continue doing it and make it a part of your daily routine until it becomes a habit.&nbsp; <h2>3. Stay curious</h2>As children, inquisitiveness and curiosity comes naturally to you! Keep questioning why things are a certain way in nature – How important are honeybees for the food on your plate? Why are sparrows not found in cities any longer? Try to keep yourself up-to-date about the latest developments, inventions and ideas regarding sustainable living. You may find relevant information on social media platforms, newspapers, online blogs, and videos. You could also ask elders at your home, your community or your school, and maybe, you will get them thinking too.Keeping yourself well-informed will help you get creative with your activities. If your activities have the potential to show tangible results, you should keep a track of the results and even share it with the people around you. During the process, you might also realize your interest in other eco-friendly activities that you can incorporate into your daily routine.&nbsp; <h2>4. Celebrate your little milestones</h2>Making changes to your lifestyle to suit today’s needs is a bold and a generous step you take towards sustainable development. It is important to celebrate the little wins in the process. When you set goals and achieve them, rewarding yourselves will keep you motivated to continue your sustainable activities. Here are a few ways in which you can reward yourself: <ul><li>Find a way to track your sustainability journey and identify milestones along the journey that makes you feel proud. </li><li>Have friendly competitions with your friends who are also inclined towards green activities</li><li>Share what you learn with your family and relatives. This way, you are sharing your knowledge with the group of people who are older than you, thus also making the elders more environmentally conscious and aware.</li></ul>﻿You are the future of the planet, and the way you lead your lives today, treat nature, spread awareness and be mindful of your daily activities, is going to have a powerful impact in the future. Now is the time to start living a sustainable lifestyle and contributing your bit towards this cause.&nbsp;

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