How to Implement Meaningful Sustainability

Realistic & Meaningful:On-Farm Sustainability

CAFA Workshop | Guelph, Ontario | May 2016

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

their own needs.”Gro Harlem Brundtland

Prime Minister, Norway (1981, 86-89, 90-96)World Commission on Environment & Development (1983-87)

Director-General, World Health Organization (1998-2003)

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“We live today in an age of sustainababble, a cacophonous

profusion of uses of the word sustainable to mean anything from

environmentally better to cool.”

Robert EngelmanWorld Resources Institute

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Sustainability may be defined as a values-laden umbrella concept

about the way in which the interface between environment & society

(including its institutions & individual members) is managed to ensure that human needs are

met without destroying the life supporting ecosystems on which we depend.

Wayne VisserThe Age of Responsibility

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Animal Welfare

Anti-corruptionCommunity Involvement & Philanthropy

Consumer Health, Safety, Privacy, or Support

Education or CultureEmployee Ethics

Employment Creation

Fair competition

Stakeho lder Dia logue Capacity-Building

Pollution Prevention

Clean Technology

Climate Change

Fair Taxation

Gender

Diversity & Non-discrimination

Sustainable Resource Use

Human Rights & Security

Intellectual Property & Access to Technology

Sustainabili ty Reporting

EnvironmentGovernance & Risk

Public Health

Fair Supplier Relations

Social En te rp r ise

Fair Marketing

Labour Practices

Political InvolvementSocial Di al og u e

Respons ible Inve stment

Social Development

Human DevelopmentWork Health & Safety

(Economic Inequality)

“Sustainability”

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Sustainability=

Systems Thinking

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Used with Permission

“Systems-level”

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The 7 Drivers for (Voluntary) Sustainability

1. Reduce Costs2. Conserve Resources3. Attract, Retain & Motivate Talent4. Satisfy Customer Needs5. Develop New Business Opportunities6. Attract Capital & Social Investment7. Legal Compliance & Legal Action/Activism

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Sustainability Plan 101

Set a Vision

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Building Sustainable Strategy

Used with Permission: www.the naturalstep.org

Evolve ProfitabilityExecute Process

Engage Stakeholders

1. Evaluate Vision

2. Materiality Analysis /

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets / Actions

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcomes

1. Vision

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

Used with Permission: www.the naturalstep.org

2. Materiality Analysis & Benchmarking• Materiality: What is relevant to your vision?• Benchmark: What can I realistically measure?• Have I considered all perspectives of my business (social, economic,

environmental)?• “On my farm, what wouldn’t I talk to a consumer about?”

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

3. Develop Targets & Actions

• Define goal with no unclear language• Who is involved? What is being accomplished? Where is ti being done? Why am I doing this?

Which resources do I need?

Specific

• Can I track progress and measure outcome?• How will I know I reach my goal?

Measurable

• Is it reasonably likely to be accomplished?

Attainable/Achievable

• Does it contribute to my Vision?

Relevant

• Does it have a time limit?

Timely

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

4. Implement Changes

“… Cultural change is what you get after you’ve put new

processes or structures in place

to tackle tough business

challenges like reworking an

outdated strategy or business

model.

The culture evolves as you do that important work.” Lorsch & McTague,Culture is Not the Culprit, HBR April 2016

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Determine Actions Needed

5. Determine 3Rs

6. Implement Changes

7. Measure Performance

8. Evaluate Outcome 9. Report

Don’t expect it to be natural or easy!

4. Implement Changes (cont’d)• Ask these questions of your day-to-day operations:

1. Is this action moving you toward or away from your sustainability vision?

2. Is this action allow you to be flexible in advancing your sustainability vision?

3. Will this action offer an adequate Return on Investment (economic, social, or environmental)?

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

5. Measure Performance

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

6. Evaluate Outcomes• How did the change affect your management system?• How did your ROI (Return on Investment) change and why?

– Process improvement– Lower input costs– More productive labour

• How did your SROI (Social Return on Investment) change and why?– Higher quality resources– Decreased risk due to severe storms– Stronger community relations improves client relations and sales

(SROI is an outcomes approach that puts monetary value on social and environmental benefits (“intangibles”) relative to a given amount of investment. For example, one might have a ration of $4 of value created for every $1 spent)

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

1. Re-evaluate Vision

1. Evaluate Vision2. Materiality Analysis &

Benchmarking

3. Develop Targets

4. Implement Changes

5. Measure Performance

6. Evaluate Outcome

1. Materiality: What is relevant to your vision?

2. Benchmark: What can I realistically measure?

3. Have I considered all perspectives of my business (social, economic, environmental)?

4. “On my farm, what wouldn’t I talk to a consumer about?”

Nick Bettsnicholas.betts@ontario.ca

@SustainingAglinkedin.com/in/nbetts

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