The strategy through which a company offers its goods and services in a way that is both environmentally and economically sustainable is called corporate sustainability.

Sustainable businesses commit to properly managing natural resources, investing in the planet's long-term welfare, and treating all people engaged in the business process equally by executing a corporate sustainability strategy.

Through a thorough understanding of the environmental and social context in which they conduct business, sustainable companies determine their activities, behavior, products, and services. As a result, it operates under well-understood environmental and social constraints and reflects societal needs. It also ensures a neutral or positive impact on the environment and society.

Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability are buzzwords in the business world, and while they appear to be synonymous, they are not; in reality, corporate sustainability falls under the umbrella of corporate social responsibility (CSR). While corporate sustainability refers to a strategy or plan for achieving company goals in an environmentally responsible manner, corporate social responsibility is a broader concept. CSR is a form of self-regulation approach used by businesses to guarantee that all efforts are made to have a beneficial influence via their actions. It is frequently focused on what a firm has previously accomplished in terms of sustainability initiatives.

Today, the notion of CSR and sustainable development are fully integrated, there will be no long-term economic success without both social advancement and environmental stewardship. Corporate social and environmental initiatives will not be sustained if there is no economic balance in the organization, just as economic development cannot exist without social and environmental equivalents.

For everyone who wants to make a move toward more sustainable corporate behavior, corporate strategy is a must-focus area. Investment drivers will just focus on limited financial performance, not reflect and reward sustainability activities, if a company's strategy does not contain, or represent, a company's commitment to delivering more sustainable business practices, or adapt to the demands and intents of society.

Steps To Create a Sustainability Strategy

Four key steps to creating a corporate sustainability strategy

1. Identify Critical Focus Areas for Long-Term Success

A sustainability strategy should be customized to the future trends, difficulties, and opportunities that organizations in their sector face. To assist establish the overall strategy, examine factors including firm size, industry, geography, and operations. Materiality analysis assists in identifying and prioritizing the company's and stakeholders' most critical goals.

Human rights and labor concerns, for example, may be especially important to companies in the fashion sector. Construction businesses, on the other hand, may place a greater emphasis on talent and growth in the face of a talent war.

2. Develop A Clear Vision for Company's Future

It is critical to have a long-term strategy for sustainability. It establishes a course for the company's long-term development and progress, aiding strategy's success even in case of change of management or change in economic conditions.

Companies might possibly align to all of the SDGs (Sustainability Development Goals), but the materiality matrix will be helpful in prioritizing them. Aligning with SDGs will pave the way for a transformation to a sustainable company. This would assist a corporation in separating itself from industry difficulties such as labor exploitation and inefficient production.

3. Convert The Vision into Executable Goals and KPIs.

The next stage is to determine what has to be done in order to bring the future vision to life. The vision will be turned into concrete goals. The S.M.A.R.T. goal framework is commonly advised for developing targets.

•    Specific – e.g. 60 percent reduction in carbon emissions from employee commute

•    Measurable – e.g. Employee commuting surveys can help achieve this aim.

•    Attainable – e.g. It may be accomplished by incentivizing employees to ride bikes to work, take public transportation, or carpool.

•    Relevant – e.g. Employee commuting is responsible for a large portion of Scope 3 emissions.

•    Time-Bound – e.g. targeted achievement by 2033

4. Strategy Implementation

Strategy implementation will be one of the most important phases. Targets will be turned into actions, and milestones for achieving them will be established. It may be revisited and improved on a regular basis.

It will be critical to involve your stakeholders in the development of your company's new sustainability strategy. The three essential stakeholders - consumers, investors, and employees - should be the primary emphasis. Customers, for example, will be interested in aims and goals related to the long-term viability of the items they buy.

It will be critical to communicate both the positive and negative aspects of the situation. Show where you still have work to do, not just what is presently doing well.

Most Sustainable Companies 2021

Below are corporate sustainability examples from the top sustainable companies in 2021.

Schneider Electric

Recognized as the world's most sustainable company, Schneider Electric has an expedient and continuous commitment to ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance challenges. By focusing on creative and renewable technologies, Schneider Electric is helping to reduce CO2 emissions and the rise of the Earth's temperature.

Ørsted

Ørsted was voted the world's second most sustainable company. It is also renowned as one of the top renewable energy developers,  transitioned its operations from fossil fuels to renewable energy and has set a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2025.

Banco do Brasil

The company, which was founded 212 years ago, seeks to be inclusive and digitally altar society by offering internet access and supporting education through encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.

McCormick & Company

The packaged and processed foods company in the United States has risen 16 spots to its highest place since the index's inception five years ago. The firm has committed to sustainable sourcing to help farmers in over 80 countries, as well as investing in farming communities in Madagascar, India, and Indonesia, as part of its commitment to improving the planet.