How do you present your sustainability plan to your team?

To ensure that your plan is well-received and has a positive impact, you need to tailor your presentation to each group of employees. For example, you might give a technical presentation to the technical experts, a creative presentation to the creatives, and an executive presentation to the executives. Here are some tips: Do your research. Learn as much as you can about your audience's needs, interests, and concerns. Be empathetic. Put yourself in your audience's shoes and try to see things from their perspective. Be flexible. Be prepared to adjust your presentation based on your audience's feedback. By following these tips, you can "know your audience" and create a presentation that is well-received and has a positive impact.

As CEO / or COO of a company - presenting this kind of information hinges on 2 things: 1) Do I really buy into it - believe in it - or is it merely a marketing initiative wrapped in sustainability... So buy in. 2) Why do they care. I.e. how will it impact their roles, projects and workload - in a positive or negative way. Think through those - really think through them from their perspective. And then meet with a couple of core people on your team to see what you're missing, before you roll it out to everyone.

ESG is the work of the devil. I frankly have to say that I find the entire issue of "sustainability" to be a complete fraud on the American people. The only ones who benefit from Bidenomics attacks on fossil fuels are the Chinese Communist Party. China is building six times more new coal plants than other countries at the same time they are cornering the market on rare earth minerals needed for the west to build EV batteries. China builds coal fired plants for itself, and sells the west EV batteries, solar panels, and windmills. The stupidity of this should be obvious to everyone but the Democrat Party and its media allies call what I just said "misinformation" that should be censored.

The best way to present a sustainability plan is to empower stakeholders to understand they have a vested interest in what is being offered. The plan must address the "What's in it for me" elephant in the room. Start by demonstrating added value and elicit questions that lead towards achievable outcomes beyond the slide deck.

I’ve found it useful to convey cogently how sustainability will bolster net profits and streamline operations in the long run, particularly as concomitant climate catastrophes rack the globe. Doing so helps businesses realize that sustainability is smart for their bottom line and the planet we all share and love.

What’s in it for me with sustainability? If I can answer to this question by telling the audience about how sustainability creates value to the business, I can convince decision makers to act. Sustainability includes resilience. For example, can I continue operations despite adverse events if I invest in sustainability? If so, sustainability becomes a value creating asset.

In my experience, particularly as the official instructor of SHRM, sustainability is under CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) competency under Workplace module, when I facilitating this part, we should bear in mind that the sustainable enterprise takes the long view, aiming at creating a business model, policies, and practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. To be sustainable, an organization’s practices must be analyzed in terms of their social, environmental, and economic effects, or, as they are sometimes called, the 3 Ps—people, planet, and profits. This should be the crucial information to deliver to the whole team members.

Setting clear, ambitious, yet attainable sustainability goals aligned with your business vision is pivotal. It's not just about financial savings, increased productivity, risk reduction, and new opportunities. Also consider intangible gains like enhanced brand image and customer loyalty. Alignment with frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals fosters a global mindset, integrating your operations with larger societal and environmental goals. Avoid overly broad or unreachable targets that can undermine sustainability plans.

One thing I'd clearly say is that a sustainability plan is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have for any business that wants to thrive in the 21st century. By defining your goals and benefits, you can create a clear and compelling case for why sustainability matters to you and your stakeholders. You can also demonstrate how your plan will help you achieve your business objectives and create positive change in the world. A sustainability plan is not only good for the planet, but also good for your bottom line.

From my experience, presenting a sustainability plan to your team begins by defining clear and specific goals that are in line with our business vision and strategy. By illustrating the benefits of the plan, such as cost savings, increased productivity, risk reduction, and new opportunities, we can effectively engage our team members. Additionally, showcasing how the plan aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other relevant frameworks will emphasize its positive impact on both the environment and society, fostering enthusiasm and commitment among our stakeholders.

This is where it's KEY to meet with core team members well in advance. Get them to walk through all aspects of the plan with you to see what you're missing. As a former COO, and working with so many COOs globally, I've found that the Who, What, When, Where, Why & How of these initiatives are best worked out with a couple of core people. They always show me my blind spots. And I'd rather know in advance, so I can tweak the plan, versus in the moment while I'm presenting it at a roll out meeting.

I am fully agree with the above points and other contributors' perspective on it, just adding a few points as the prerequisite of challenges and solutions on verifying the broader range of sustainability stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, regulators, and local communities, in another word, whom are affected by the organization’s social, environmental, and economic impact.

Over the years, I've realised that implementing a sustainability plan is not without its challenges, but they are not insurmountable. By addressing the potential obstacles and risks, you can show that you are realistic and proactive in your approach. You can also learn from the experiences and successes of other organizations that have adopted sustainability practices and achieved positive results. By offering some practical and feasible solutions, you can show that you are committed and capable of making your sustainability plan a reality.

Challenges in sustainability planning often spur innovation. Budget constraints can be mitigated via green tech and sustainability grants. Resource limitations necessitate efficiency, advocating for a circular economy. Stakeholder resistance signals the need for inclusive dialogue, training, and incentive schemes. Case studies inspire, but building a culture of sustainability ensures long-term success. Collaborative partnerships extend the reach and impact of initiatives. Challenges are opportunities - meet them head-on with problem-solving tenacity.

Our IT organization just launched a “Green IT” initiative today, consisting of a full-day in person workshop with our Chief Sustainability Officer launching the discussion. Following that, several collaborative breakout sessions were offered, including a climate fresco exercise. Statistics were presented on the environmental impact of our digital footprint (hardware, electricity, etc.), and our plans for reducing our digital footprint going forward. Participants in the workshop were nominated by their CIOs, and will collaborate on work streams within the initiative to challenge ourselves with measurable KPIs to reduce our digital footprint.

You are going to be driving a cultural transformation. Consequently, meaningful engagement of each team across the organisation and of stakeholders and investors is going to be imperative. Seek their views, concerns and suggestions from the outset and throughout implementation and operation of the sustainability strategy through new communication structures and channels.

I totally agree with this! Your presentation is not only a chance to inform your team, but also to involve and empower them. By engaging your team, you can create a sense of ownership and commitment among them, and foster a culture of sustainability in your organization. You can also leverage their skills, talents, and ideas to enhance your sustainability plan and make it more effective and innovative. By engaging your team, you can make your sustainability plan a collaborative and rewarding journey.

Your team are the subject matter experts who deal with customers, internal or external, concerns. They can provide valuable feedback that can direct your sales delivery.

A presentation should transform into a conversation. Cultivate an environment where your team feels welcome to question, comment, and contribute. Involve them in your sustainability plan - assign roles, set and track goals, form committees. Recognize their efforts, celebrate victories together. By creating an inclusive dialogue, you empower team members to take ownership and actively participate in shaping the future of your organization.

Sustainability is the tip of the iceberg. Planning traditionally includes Vision, Mission, Goals, Objectives, Tasks, and Benchmarks that provide both measurements and follow-up information. However, there needs to be a process involved with the planning categories that involves and engages team members. This requires a common language for initiating, analyzing and reporting. Team members can be creative and innovative, but they need to be able to do the knowledge sharing that provides for a sustainable project.

One thing you must be reminded of is that your presentation is not the end, but the beginning of your sustainability plan. By following up and following through, you can ensure that your plan is executed and evaluated properly, and that you achieve your goals and benefits. You can also maintain and strengthen your relationship with your team and other stakeholders, and demonstrate your accountability and credibility. By following up and following through, you can make your sustainability plan a lasting and successful endeavor.

Execution is key to any sustainability plan. Following up with your team after the presentation provides clarity and fosters their commitment. Monitoring implementation and outcomes ensures the plan's effectiveness. Regular communication keeps the team updated and promotes a feedback culture for continuous improvement. It's also crucial to report the plan's status and results to senior management and stakeholders, demonstrating its impact and value. Achieving sustainability isn't a one-time task, but a commitment to consistent follow-ups and follow-throughs.

It’s written into my business plan, integrated into my core values, and drilled in during pre-project briefings. Just one way we close the circuit

Cui bono? Who benefits from all these ESG and sustainability programs? The colleges who are turning out worthless degrees to add dead weight ESG bureaucrats to every big company? Foreign businesses who reap much of the rewards of U.S. spending on climate change? Lead editorial in today's Wall Street Journal reads, "Foreign Firms Get Most U.S. Climate Incentives." Many green-energy projects boosted by tax breaks involve Asian Companies, writes the WSJ. The Inflation Reduction Act spurred nearly $110 billion in U.S. clean energy projects. Companies based overseas, largely from South Korea, Japan and China account for 60% of that spending. Wake up, green-energy is a scam. Your degrees in ESG are worthless.

When I was facilitating sustainability under CSR (as SHRM's official instructor), we usually put another emphasis on talking about the concept of a triple bottom line applies the 3 Ps principle of sustainability (people, planet, profits), arguing that the environmental and social costs and benefits generated by an organization should be considered as well. By measuring such “hidden” costs, a more accurate and complete account is given of an organization’s total value.（from Triple Bottom Line by Andrew Savitz). As HR professionals particularly BPs, could support in all these factors by means of change management, communications, employee engagement, various of policies (DE&I, privacy, human rights), safety regulations, etc.

I think it’s so important to get your buying to ensure they are committed to the task. Front line teammates often has good ideas as well how to move the needle even further. Including those teammates in conversations to ensure they are heard can also contribute to culture.

I believe giving a free speech to each team member in the group about sustainability is very essential because this topic has an impact on everyone for sure. New ideas and approaches will come from the team and most important it will show the team that the management is really serious to make a difference on the topic. This will also help to create buy-in inside the organization.