CSR management

Three words stand out for me in this round up of stories: Ecosystem, Innovation and Collaboration. GRI, UNEP and CREM have released a publication looking at how companies can report performance on ecosystem services; the WEF is looking at the sustainable competitiveness of countries; Nike and the European Union highlight the importance of innovation and collaboration on the sustainability path.

The new buzz word for sustainability, “ecosystem” is bundling up issues of climate change, water scarcity, resource use, and telling us: the ecosystem doesn’t operate in silos, and neither do our businesses.

It’s so obvious. And yet somehow, so easily missed. We don’t just impact upon the environment; we are reliant upon it. And we need to understand this impact and this reliance throughout the value chain.

Every congratulation to PepsiCo Frito-Lay’s manufacturing facility and the achievements of its “near net zero” vision. However in the context of the other stories here (dare I say it…?) this now seems a bit old-hat. Not in the achievements themselves – which are considerable – but in the focus. The focus is on a silo: the environmental footprint of a facility.

What about the steady flow of resources passing through that facility, from upstream to downstream, which have no place in the footprint of the facility itself? How can we be sure there will be a sustainable supply of potatoes? What happens to all those little plastic packets that so usefully package up Frito-Lays?

We are one part of the ecosystem network, not apart from it. And we need to build a meaningful vision to encompass that.

It’s all so simple really… identify a vision and meaningful targets on ecosystem services; place importance upon, and direct resources towards, innovation; and don’t work in silos – neither in what you focus on, nor in how you work towards those goals.

Well, it’s simple to write, anyway.

But the fact is, the integration of all of these themes into business is what is setting the leaders apart from the crowd. And it is what will stand them in good stead in future.

Tara James is a Consultant at Corporate Citizenship. Contact her on tara.james@corporate-citizenship.com to discuss community giving and LBG.