Should we just shut up and get on with it?Should we just shut up and get on with it?Should we just shut up and get on with it?Should we just shut up and get on with it?
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Liza Freudmann
Sustainability Adviser

Should we just shut up and get on with it?

 
 
Should we just shut up and get on with it?
 
 

As businesses we know that we must act now to change the way to we do things to drive a future-proof sustainable model. But then, is it right for us to talk about it and to take a role in educating consumers on sustainability?

And how do we ensure it’s as much for the greater good as it is for making ourselves look better?

We need to think about our role and our responsibility as businesses – we absolutely have a part to play, and consumers expect us to be changing and evolving. There is a fine line, however, between transparency and self-aggrandisement, so we need to pitch it right and be humble. Thinking about articulating a specific customer benefit, or an environmental one that will benefit all, should be a consideration in our strategy. As is a way to facilitate wider behavioural change.

We know that society faces a huge flow of information right now – sustainability and climate change are front of mind with media warnings and government debates around what is to be done and how. How on earth can the average consumer navigate it all, let alone take in any of the (sometimes conflicting) information available?

And for the most part we are not well placed to land complex detail and theory to consumers, who often just want to transact with us, for goodness sake! Most consumers don’t want to be lectured on the state of the world by the chocolate bar they’ve just bought.

Of course, we need to ensure our messaging lands in the right way. It’s not just about what they want to hear from us, it’s the where and the when. Consider where we have the time, space and importantly, permission, to tell more of a story – provided, of course it’s one with which consumers want to engage. If we are to play a role here, we need to make that limited time we have with our consumers work hard, without making it feel hard for them.

Some considerations:

  1. Think: is this something that is credible for me to talk about, and: will consumers be interested?
  2. Are you behaving in the most transparent way you can?
  3. Consumers are becoming pretty cynical around brands shouting sustainability, and for the most part will call greenwash if they see it – avoid!
  4. Sustainability comms should come from a place of education and driving change – not just to sell stuff.
  5. Can you help consumers find easy, cost-effective ways to make a difference too?
  6. Remember - consumers don’t mind being taken on a journey – we don’t have to be perfect, but we do have to be seen to be trying

And yes, sharing what we’re doing in the sustainability space can help differentiate us and give us competitive advantage, so of course it’s not entirely altruistic. But an educated consumer will be more likely start to change their own behaviour and in turn will expect better from other brands they interact with, so surely, it’s a bit of a win-win?

 
 
Support Global Goals and improve business performance
 

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      Share

      What is this?

      Sharing your sustainability progress isn’t only a way to engage staff, customers and suppliers. It can be a powerful PR tool. It can help you stay one step ahead of your legal requirements. And it can help you with other ESG ratings like CDP, EcoVadis and Support the Goals. We’ll help you spread the word about the good you do.

      Sustainability reporting

      Our standalone Reporting service gives you a comprehensive 20-page (approx.) report to share with staff, customers, investors and the press. Comprising your priority goals, commitments, case studies and more, and designed to match your corporate branding, it’s the simplest way to bring all your sustainability work together.

      Find out more

       

      Measure

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      You’ll want to measure the results of your actions to assess progress towards your commitments. But what should you measure and how should you do it? When you don’t have the in-house tools, capabilities or expertise, we do.

      Our support package can help

      It’s not always easy to measure the impact of sustainability actions. There’s a clear formula for carbon reporting, for example, but how do you assess social impact? Where should the data come from? What are the accepted reporting standards? And how should you display your results to ensure people understand it? We and our partners can help you measure the impact of the actions you take.

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      Act

      What is this?

      You take the next steps on your sustainability journey. We’ll provide the guide and the map.

      Our support package can help

      It’s not easy figuring out where to go next on your sustainability journey, or how to get there.

      With a TBL support package, you get the expertise, the tools and the guide, and you follow a road we’ve already travelled – many times. It makes setting a direction easier. You follow established best practice so there are fewer dead ends. And with our tracking tool, you’ll always have a clear view of progress made and next steps.

      Find out more

       

      Commit

      What is this?

      Once you’ve identified the sustainability goals that matter most to you, you’ll want to do something about them.

      Commit is about setting measurable targets for meeting your highest priority goals. It’s about making the credible, impactful, achievable commitments everyone can buy into. And it’s about agreeing governance, so the right people are accountable for achieving the commitments you agree.

      What might this look like?

      For example:

      • Gender Equality (Goal 5): 50/50 gender split at board level by 2025
      • Affordable and Clean Energy (Goal 7): Use only clean energy to power offices by 2030
      • Climate Action (Goal 13): Net zero across the value chain by 2035

      Our support package can help

      A TBL support package gives you access to expert advice that can help you set environmental and social commitments including net zero and science based targets.

      Find out more

      Employee Engagement

      If we want a more sustainable world, everyone needs to get involved. That includes your employees. Our experts help you do that in a way that builds understanding and encourages involvement.

      We will:

      • Help your employees understand how to be more sustainable at work and at home
      • Help your people understand their personal carbon footprint, your sustainability strategy and the personal difference they can make; and
      • Make it easy to visualise and update progress, with apps and dashboards that help you review and document your actions simply

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Identify

      What is this?

      How do you know which sustainability/ESG issues to target, and which to tackle first? Identify is about exploring the issues that matter most to your organisation and finding where your actions can make the biggest impact.

      How we’ll support you

      Our lively half-day workshop explores the issues through the lens of the Global Goals. You’ll end the session with a clear, visual presentation of low, medium and high priority sustainability goals, and get clear guidance on what to do next.

      Find out more

       

      Employee Engagement

      If we want a more sustainable world, everyone needs to get involved. That includes your employees. Our experts help you do that in a way that builds understanding and encourages involvement.

      We will:

        • Help your employees understand how to be more sustainable at work and at home
        • Help your people understand their personal carbon footprint, your sustainability strategy and the personal difference they can make; and
        • Make it easy to visualise and update progress, with apps and dashboards that help you review and document your actions simply

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Circular Economy

      A circular economy model designs out waste from your business, keeping products and materials in use. Operating a circular economy model can cut costs. Many organisations are now using it to create entirely new revenue streams.

      Our experts will show you how, by adapting your processes, you can be part of the circular economy – and do it in a way that’s the right ‘fit’ for your organisation.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Policies & Standards

      For compliance. To meet the standards of a ratings agency. Or simply to be a responsible business. When you need the right sustainability policies and standards, we’ll help you develop ones that are engaging, easy to understand and relevant to your business.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Training

      If we’re to create a more sustainable world, everyone needs the skills and understanding to be able to play their part.

      Every day, our advisers are helping senior teams understand sustainability within their organisation. They’re teaching suppliers to buy more sustainably or building the skills of new in-house sustainability managers. And they’re helping your employees become more carbon literate so they understand what carbon is and the personal difference they can make in work and at home.

      Build the skills and understanding of your people.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Reporting & Frameworks

      Reporting the environmental and social impact of your business is an essential part of governance, openness and transparency, but with so many frameworks, it can be difficult to know which should demand your focus.

      Our experts will help you meet the mandatory requirements of regulatory frameworks like SECR. They’ll help you prepare for soon-to-be-mandatory frameworks such as the Task Force on Climate-related Finance Disclosure (TCFD).

      And when you’re exploring new, voluntary accreditations with ESG, DJSI or Sustainalytics, or want to improve your ranking with a supply chain framework such as EcoVadis or Support the Goals, they’ll help you choose the framework best suited to your business, boost your rating and gain the badges.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Science-based Targets

      Setting science-based emissions reduction targets consistent with Paris agreement-aligned pathways is how your organisation moves closer to net zero. We’ll help you establish your current baseline, then help you set the targets (including Scope 3) that give your actions direction and purpose.

      And as always with our experts, we’ll make the journey easy.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Carbon Reporting

      For any large organisation, reporting your Scope 1 & 2 emissions is a regulatory requirement. You meet that requirement by making a Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) statement part of your annual report.

      Our experts can help you with that – and they can help you go further. Our simple, powerful dashboards will make understanding your carbon footprint easy (whether you’re required to report on it or not). And when you want to take the next step in understanding your indirect (Scope 3) emissions, we’ll help you do that too.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Sustainable Materials

      Increasingly, your clients and customers demand sustainability not just from the way you operate but from the materials you use.

      Our experts in materials and packaging help you understand how sustainable your existing products are. Then we recommend alternatives that deliver improved sustainability whilst protecting production costs and product quality, and keeping customers happy.

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Circular Economy

      A circular economy model designs out waste from your business, keeping products and materials in use. Operating a circular economy model can cut costs. Many organisations are now using it to create entirely new revenue streams.

      Our experts will show you how, by adapting your processes, you can be part of the circular economy – and do it in a way that’s the right ‘fit’ for your organisation.

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Sustainable Materials

      Increasingly, your clients and customers demand sustainability not just from the way you operate but from the materials you use.

      Our experts in materials and packaging help you understand how sustainable your existing products are. Then we recommend alternatives that deliver improved sustainability whilst protecting production costs and product quality, and keeping customers happy.

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Science-based Targets

      Setting science-based emissions reduction targets consistent with Paris agreement-aligned pathways is how your organisation moves closer to net zero. We’ll help you establish your current baseline, then help you set the targets (including Scope 3) that give your actions direction and purpose.

      And as always with our experts, we’ll make the journey easy.

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Carbon Reporting

      For any large organisation, reporting your Scope 1 & 2 emissions is a regulatory requirement. You meet that requirement by making a Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) statement part of your annual report.

      Our experts can help you with that – and they can help you go further. Our simple, powerful dashboards will make understanding your carbon footprint easy (whether you’re required to report on it or not). And when you want to take the next step in understanding your indirect (Scope 3) emissions, we’ll help you do that too.

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Reporting & Frameworks

      Reporting the environmental and social impact of your business is an essential part of governance, openness and transparency, but with so many frameworks, it can be difficult to know which should demand your focus.

      Our experts will help you meet the mandatory requirements of regulatory frameworks like SECR. They’ll help you prepare for soon-to-be-mandatory frameworks such as the Task Force on Climate-related Finance Disclosure (TCFD).

      And when you’re exploring new, voluntary accreditations with ESG, DJSI or Sustainalytics, or want to improve your ranking with a supply chain framework such as EcoVadis or Support the Goals, they’ll help you choose the framework best suited to your business, boost your rating and gain the badges.

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Training

      If we’re to create a more sustainable world, everyone needs the skills and understanding to be able to play their part.

      Every day, our advisers are helping senior teams understand sustainability within their organisation. They’re teaching suppliers to buy more sustainably or building the skills of new in-house sustainability managers. And they’re helping your employees become more carbon literate so they understand what carbon is and the personal difference they can make in work and at home.

      Build the skills and understanding of your people.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Strategy Development

      You know you need a sustainability strategy – but what next? What’s right for the size and nature of your business? And how can you ensure it drives the right actions?

      We’ll help you set a strategy that’s robust and comprehensive because it uses the Global Goals as a framework. And we’ll ensure it’s a good ‘fit’ for your organisation, helping you align people, planet and profit.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Policies & Standards

      For compliance. To meet the standards of a ratings agency. Or simply to show you’re a responsible business. When you need the right sustainability policies and standards, we’ll help you develop ones that are engaging, easy to understand and relevant to your business.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Social Impact

      Your social impact is the effect your organisation has on people and communities as a result of its activities and policies.

      You’ll already be doing good things in your community. Measuring the effect of your charitable work, volunteering, community outreach projects and more is important because it’s how you explain the difference you’ve made to your employees, customers and investors.

      We help you understand how to measure and improve your social impact.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Supply Chain

      Almost 90% of your environmental and social impact exists not in your operations, but in the goods and services you buy from your suppliers. So if you want to make a real impact with your sustainability efforts, your supply chain needs to be involved. Our advisers can help. They will:

      • Help you understand more about your supply chain and the risks and opportunities it presents
      • Profile and assess suppliers so you have a baseline from which to work and can measure improvement
      • Work with you to develop supplier codes of conduct to compel your supply chain to support your sustainability efforts
      • Educate your suppliers on ways to improve

      Talk to a TBL expert

      Marketing & Communications

      You’ve done great things. Now you need to share them. Communicating your successes is a powerful PR boost for your brand. It’s often a simple way to improve your ratings framework score. And it can help others to understand the importance of the work you’re doing and inspire them to get involved.

      Our brand, marketing and communications specialists will help you spread the word with a standalone sustainability report that brings all your ESG efforts together in one document. In addition, we can help you with:

      • Formal sustainability reporting
      • Video content
      • Dedicated web page development
      • Social media
      • Building sustainability into your brand

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Strategy Development

      You know you need a sustainability strategy – but what next? What’s right for the size and nature of your business? And how can you ensure it drives the right actions?

      We’ll help you set a strategy that’s robust and comprehensive because it uses the Global Goals as a framework. And we’ll ensure it’s a good ‘fit’ for your organisation, helping you align people, planet and profit.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Social Impact

      Your social impact is the effect your organisation has on people and communities as a result of its activities and policies.

      You’ll already be doing good things in your community. Measuring the effect of your charitable work, volunteering, community outreach projects and more is important because it’s how you explain the difference you’ve made to your employees, customers and investors.

      We help you understand how to measure and improve your social impact.

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Supply Chain

      Almost 90% of your environmental and social impact exists not in your operations, but in the goods and services you buy from your suppliers. So if you want to make a real impact with your sustainability efforts, your supply chain needs to be involved. Our advisers can help. They will:

      • Help you understand more about your supply chain and the risks and opportunities it presents
      • Profile and assess suppliers so you have a baseline from which to work and can measure improvement
      • Work with you to develop supplier codes of conduct to compel your supply chain to support your sustainability efforts
      • Educate your suppliers on ways to improve

      Talk to a TBL expert

       

      Marketing & Communications

      You’ve done great things. Now you need to share them. Communicating your successes is a powerful PR boost for your brand. It’s often a simple way to improve your ratings framework score. And it can help others to understand the importance of the work you’re doing and inspire them to get involved.

      Our brand, marketing and communications specialists will help you spread the word with a standalone sustainability report that brings all your ESG efforts together in one document. In addition, we can help you with:

      • Formal sustainability reporting
      • Video content
      • Dedicated web page development
      • Social media
      • Building sustainability into your brand

      Talk to a TBL expert