The importance of a Sustainability Strategy

Having or not having a Sustainability strategy, that is the question.
Today we can see many companies working, dealing, implementing different actions and processes around sustainability issues, but very few can say that have a real sustainability strategy.
In a simple way, a sustainability strategy is a process that involves mainly a lot of planning. But it can't be a real strategy if it isn't integrated in the company's strategy, into the whole picture. If it isn't planned following the company's strategy it's only a side project, a little more than that, maybe.
To have a sustainability strategy that works you need to have it integrated into the core business strategy, in line with the business model. You can have your company very committed with sustainability, but commitments are not enough. You'll need actions, but very good oriented actions.
We can look at this issue on two sides:
1. You'll need top management support and through this support a budget enough to implement your actions. 
2. You'll need your strategy to work, for the company's success but also for your own. 
For point 1, to develop a sustainability strategy is already hard enough for itself, but if you don't have a good and solid strategy to show your board, the C-suites, your management, it gets even harder. There are common mistakes that can be easily avoided. One that stands out is that in the beginning sustainability issues are not easily understood by the majority, so you'll have to be really good in preparing, documenting, and thinking in the whole story from the very beginning. And of course, without full understanding, don't expect to have full funds from your board.  
For point 2, following what's been explain, if you need the strategy to work, you'll have to work it hard, because it's far from simply planning a strategic plan, thinking and drawing a strategy. If you need that your sustainability activities have success, you'll need to plan well, you'll need a solid strategy. As it is hard, starting from a good plan to implement a strategy is good way to do, but it's only half of the way. Start to look for points in common between sustainability issues and strategy, looking for ways to tie it together in a natural way. Link sustainability to opportunities, to developing opportunities, opportunities to make it better. And for last find ways integrate all this into competitive advantages.
More to say, but in another post.

For all this, in my opinion, you'll need marketing. A very good marketing plan, working external dimension, but with a special focus on internal dimension.

The Obvious Revolution

Orex SM