An SAP Insights survey finds that businesses that make sustainability part of their strategy have more revenue and profits than those that take a reactive view. Learn more lessons from the Resolutes in our full report: https://sap.to/6059RBsYh
When it comes to sustainability, there are two types of businesses: reactive and resolute.
In reactive businesses, sustainability is driven by external forces rather than internal strategy. Reactive businesses do what they need to do when they are told to do it – specifically, by customers and investors, according to an SAP Insights survey.
Resolute businesses, which represent 12% of respondents in the survey, are taking more action on sustainability than everyone else, and their efforts are more likely to have positive effects on the business.
But what really makes these businesses – which we’ve termed the Resolutes – stand apart is their strong belief that sustainability is directly tied to business competitiveness.
When something affects competitiveness, it becomes strategic. And when something becomes strategic, companies approach it with more rigor and discipline. They invest in it. And they measure it. They expect to get results, and they expect those results to contribute to their bottom line.
In fact, the Resolutes are more likely than everyone else to expect a quick return on their sustainability investments. They also report higher revenue growth than other respondents in the survey and say they are more profitable.
How do they do it? They are more likely than everyone else to be using sustainability as a tool for process improvement and supply chain visibility. But if there’s a (not so) secret sauce to their discipline, it’s their greater satisfaction with their sustainability data.
Let’s look at the Resolutes in more detail to see what makes them successful.
