Engineering sustainability into our corporate DNA.

Is this even possible? For a long time, the notion of sustainability has sat alongside organizations much like corporate social responsibility/investment.

A final activity or afterthought before declaring year end financials (basically apportioning a percentage pre-profits towards these causes to keep stakeholders happy and look good).

"Something drastic has to change and that something has to involve the way we think and relate to others and to our natural environment." (Espinosa and Walker)

However, the idea of engineering sustainability into an organizations DNA has been growing traction, but the question is HOW?

At Adaptera we believe it starts with corporate level strategy development and advocate the integration of the well-known Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan & Norton) with the principles of the Five Capitals (Forum for the Future), thus starting the process of strategic planning from setting social, people, environmental, manufactured and financial related objectives (as may be applicable) that are aligned to the organizations vision and coupled with clear outcome and performance driven measurables that direct the management of ones customers, internal business processes and learning and growth perspectives.

This way, sustainability is driven from corporate level strategy through into operations and also offers organizations an easier way to report on integrated sustainability, whilst at the same time offering boards and stakeholders a more tangible way to hold organizations accountable.

Please visit our website: www.adaptera.co.za to see how we can support your organization in creating a sustainable strategy.