ABSTRACT
To be successful, the sustainability roadmap adopted by businesses needs to be powered by data. A sustainability-oriented mindset is increasingly perceived as the driver behind a global economic transition. When data-enabled, the sustainability roadmap builds on transparent decision-making and actionable insights to deliver impact targets. The organizations in the fast lane have a common thread: They drive change from within by building a culture of accountability and risk-taking aligned with organizational purpose and mission. Their leadership teams have created an environment where data-enabled decisions drive alignment between short-term responses and long-term objectives: From operations, to finance, to corporate development and talent retention. In interviews with sustainability leaders, the author addresses the value of sustainability data in business innovation and the need for integrated reporting of E&S information along with traditional financial metrics. Their example underscores the value of embedding sustainability as an organizational driver into the enterprise value of a company: The need for boards to be educated on ESG topics and enhance governance to reflect sustainability risks and opportunities in the ordinary course of doing business. It brings forward the urgency of building analytical dashboards to inform decisions on clearly identified sustainability metrics that drive corporate strategy.
