Creating a Culture of Sustainability -- A Research Initiative
A new research project by James L. Miles Sr. seeks to help companies chart their course toward sustainability -- and invites firms to share their views about awareness, perception and commitment to sustainable business practices and what motivates companies to pursue them.
Going "green" is more than a cliché, marketing tool or buzzword for companies significantly enjoying its business benefits. It is the integration of triple bottom line sustainable business practices into your daily operating culture that result in an ongoing competitive advantage.
Imagine each employee in your organization focused on the bottom line by consistently considering ways to generate less waste, use less energy, improve performance and have a positive social impact internally and externally. This is a great way to create ongoing or "sustainable" business success.
Business sustainability creates a culture of innovative sustainable practices at every level of the business enterprise from the small entrepreneur to the largest multinational firm. The corporate team that has developed a culture of sustainability will have introduced new operating practices, product enhancements, costs savings, customer service improvements, increased market share, improved workplace conditions and even enhanced shareholder value.
The 21st century global marketplace not only admires this type of business behavior, it is beginning to require it from those reaping the rewards of market success and industry leadership. The benefit of operating this way is, at times, referred to as the "sustainability premium."
The Research Initiative
The Climate for Sustainability Project is a research initiative that helps management teams drive the adoption and integration of sustainable business practices within their organizations. It enables management to strategically use measured indicators to reveal their specific business culture needs as the organization moves toward triple bottom line business sustainability. Triple bottom line refers to the alignment of people, planet and profit considerations in the planning and achievement of overall business goals and objectives.
The Climate for Sustainability Project uses a 30-minute, multiple choice, online survey identifying the following three sustainable business measurement dimensions:
• The existing level of awareness with regard to environmental concerns and sustainability in general,
• Values that drive behavior to include the difference between a focus on the self and a focus on others and society,
• The degree to which sustainability concerns are an important element of organizational decision making and action, and whether the organization promotes sustainability oriented behaviors and activities.
The Climate for Sustainability Project results will provide key insights into:
• Strengths and weaknesses for each of the above sustainable business dimensions,
• The development of an effective and efficient sustainability training program,
• The link between a climate for sustainability and employee performance, productivity as well as employee attitudes,
• The appropriate allocation of resources for maximum return on investment.
Participation in The Climate for Sustainability Project is free to the first 100 companies. There is no size or revenue restrictions, all industries and sectors are welcomed.
The following are participation guidelines:
• Regular participation only requires five (5) people from the company taking the online, multiple choice survey. One of the five should be a manager/supervisor.
• Participating companies in this category will receive a copy of the general study results
• Full participation requires having representatives from each department and two to three corporate leaders (executives/managers) take the online, multiple choice survey.
• Participating companies in this category will receive a copy of the general study results as well as a company specific baseline report.
Note: ALL individual and company specific survey responses are confidential and will only be reported as part of the overall results
To participate in this landmark study and help make our business community more sustainable, contact James L. Miles Sr. at 877-777-4469 or [email protected].
James L. Miles Sr., Ph.D., is the director of sustainability adoption at Sphinx Enterprises Ltd. His positions over a 20-year span range from U.S. Marine, information systems analyst and corporate manager to chief operating officer and organizational sustainability consultant. His management portfolio has included the design and launch of regional collaboratives. He also has successfully led business performance and supplier development projects, faith-based community economic development reorganizations and triple bottom line, sustainability initiatives.
