Your partners are resistant to sustainability goals. How will you navigate their pushback?

Well, if you wish to be leader in this field, you need to be patient, be an educator, open-minded, but most importantly have an understanding of the consequences of not doing anything at this stage. This can be communicated to your team, simultaneously easing their concerns that you need to understand. You know your teams strengths - thus, align those to the goals, if there is a need for more education - seek that for members of the group. Do not take a major step, take baby steps that will assist you to learn throughout the projects, thus, leading to better outcomes for everyone, and not alienating your team members in the process. Thus, in summary, be transparent, and honest with your team members,this can be achieved by understanding.

Navigating resistance to sustainability goals with partners requires a collaborative and informed approach. Start by identifying and understanding their concerns through open dialogue, which can help address specific fears and misconceptions. For example, showcase case studies where sustainability led to cost savings and market growth, aligning these benefits with their interests. Implementing pilot projects can provide tangible evidence of positive outcomes. Continuous dialogue and shared goals reinforce commitment, ensuring partners see sustainability as integral to mutual success. By emphasizing shared value and providing tailored support, resistance can be mitigated and collaboration fostered.

Begin by actively listening to your partners' concerns about adopting sustainability goals. Identify the specific issues they are worried about, such as costs, disruptions to business operations, or lack of expertise. Understanding their perspective is the first step in addressing their resistance. Example: A manufacturing partner may be concerned that implementing new sustainable processes will be too costly and disrupt production. By acknowledging these concerns, you can tailor your approach to offer solutions that minimize disruption and highlight potential long-term cost savings.

Lead by Example: We need Demonstrate our commitment towards sustainability through our actions. Showing how it positively impacts our life and encourage them to join us.

Provide your partners with comprehensive information about the benefits of sustainability, not just for the environment but for business as well. Share case studies, research findings, and success stories that demonstrate the positive impact of sustainability on profitability, brand reputation, and customer loyalty. Example: Educate partners on how companies like Unilever have successfully integrated sustainability into their business model, leading to cost savings, innovation, and a stronger market position.

This step is the key. For instance if you want Suppliers to help you meet your sustainability goals - a few things need to happen a) Communicate and engage to ensure they are clear about your goals and how their contribution is a vital input b) Try to use procurement as a vehicle to incentivise. For instance if they go below a certain product carbon footprint threshold give them better payment terms (and vice versa) c) Take some hard decisions if needed to signal to other partners. For partners that are repeatedly not meeting the bar, find alternatives even if it means near term business disruption. This will signal that you are willing to take hard decisions and will drive partners to change behaviour

In order to align interest with stakeholders regarding sustainability related goals, there are always a few steps I recommend taking: 1. Legal: what are a companies legal requirements related to sustainability and what is upcoming regulation that may affect a business (such as Digital Product Passport and Disclosure requirements). 2. Simulate the impact of including sustainability in a companies strategy, including for costs-benefits (what is the ROI), peer-pressure (what are competitors doing), reputation (how would bad press impact the business), customer expectations (what do customers expect). The latter could be displayed in for example a digital twins, where different scenarios can be simulated.

Show your partners how sustainability goals can align with their business interests. Emphasize how sustainable practices can lead to operational efficiencies, open up new markets, and meet the demands of consumers and regulators. Example: Highlight how the adoption of renewable energy sources can reduce long-term energy costs and protect against volatile fossil fuel prices, aligning with the partner's interest in cost reduction.

Demonstrating the economic and reputational value of sustainability goals is crucial. These goals should align with the company's purpose, mission, and vision, using relevant indicators tied to daily tasks. Collaborative goal-setting enhances cross-functional communication and commitment. Additionally, sustainability goals bolster organizational resilience and risk mitigation, preparing the company for future challenges. Employee involvement in defining these goals can boost commitment, transforming initial resistance into proactive engagement.

Education and knowledge around sustainability are key. Before making any investments, it is indeed important to make a tailored plan where different possible sustainable actions can be displayed. Moreover, would include the business implications of not including sustainability in the strategy (legal implications, reputation, expectations of customers). Furthermore, depending on the type of business and type of customer I always recommend to do a peer-analysis in order to have a good understanding on what the competition is doing, in order to stay ahead of the curve.

Offer resources and support to help your partners transition to more sustainable practices. This could include sharing expertise, providing training, or helping to secure funding for sustainability initiatives. Example: If a partner is concerned about the upfront investment in sustainable technology, you could help them explore grants, subsidies, or financing options that are available for sustainability projects.

Propose starting with small-scale pilot projects to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of sustainability initiatives. This allows partners to see tangible results without committing to a full-scale rollout initially. Example: Implement a pilot project for energy-efficient lighting in one of the partner's facilities. The success of this project can showcase the potential energy savings and serve as a model for broader implementation.

Maintain an open and ongoing dialogue with your partners about sustainability. Regular communication can help address concerns as they arise and keep partners informed about the progress and benefits of sustainability efforts. Example: Set up regular meetings or workshops with partners to discuss sustainability goals, share updates on industry trends, and collaboratively review the outcomes of any sustainability initiatives.

It is always important to note that sustainability may have a different impact on different sectors, and in some cases it will become mandatory (legally or customer demand) e.g.: i. e-commerce will be affected by regulation as in the EU certain type of packaging will be banned and a Digital Product Passport will become mandatory. Non-compliance could have a huge impact on a business and may even lead to not being allowed to participate in the EU market. ii. customers may demand a sustainability strategy and proven implementation from a customer, e.g. Google demanding hardware manufacturing suppliers to commit to achieving a 100% renewable energy match by 2029. It is not solely about internal factors but also external factors.

Consider the broader context in which your partners operate, including market pressures, regulatory environments, and industry standards. Use this understanding to present sustainability as a strategic imperative rather than an optional add-on. Example: Explain how competitors are gaining market share by marketing their sustainable products and how regulations are increasingly favoring sustainable practices, making it clear that sustainability is becoming a business necessity.