When a client signs onto a project with me, they expect me to be informed and up to date with the happenings of the sustainability world. Thus, I make it my business to read books on sustainability and business, follow thought leaders on LinkedIn, attend conferences, and everything else that allows me to deliver a great product. I will admit, however, that so many resources can begin to blend together after a little while. How many times will I see the word ‘stakeholder’ before it loses all meaning?
Thus, a skill unto itself becomes picking through the resources available and deciding which one is applicable to a particular project. Being able to do this requires two things: knowledge of what frameworks, ideas, and solutions exist; and familiarity with the client and their strengths and challenges.
The most popular service that Spearpoint Strategies offers is the Sustainability Audit. This is a deep dive into a client’s status as a sustainable business and their next steps to become an impact leader. A key appeal of this audit is its use of third-party standards. By using B Lab, Project Drawdown, Future Fit, and other organizations, I can keep my clients engaged with resources and comparisons to other businesses, instead of giving them siloed results.
I also am a member of the Measure What Matters Committee for the New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. We review questions every year and look at both member interest and industry trends. We want to have a survey that produces helpful insights and covers all major sustainability topics without taking hours upon hours to complete.
Some prospective clients come to me knowing exactly which standard they want to use (the B Impact Assessment is a frequent request). Many, however, are coming to me because they don’t know what sustainability actually looks like in practice. I help them select the standard to meet, and then I help them meet it.
So, how do my clients and I decide on a project’s resources?
- Getting familiar with the client: How many employees are there? How many contractors? How does the team respond to qualitative vs. quantitative information? What industry are they in? How much familiarity do they have with sustainable business? What location are they in? What is their regulatory environment like? What do they want out of this process?
- Choosing from what exists:
- Select the frameworks most appropriate for the client’s profile. If there is an industry specific assessment or standard available, that is ideal. There may also be assessments more appropriate for their company size and geographic location. Matching company culture is also important. If I use an assessment that produces results important to me but meaningless to the client, that is a problem.
- Compare the utilization of these frameworks. Some are easier to adapt into a marketing campaign. Others work well with to set internal conversations. Others are geared towards shareholder and investment reporting.
- Talk to the client and present recommendations. Select what works best for this project right now.
You never have to just choose one. You can mix and match. Have a different focus for different subsidiaries and departments. This process can be additive, particularly as sustainability efforts grow and find success.