States Ethical Corporation’s global community

Ethical Corporation’s newly published State of Sustainability 2015 Report found that nearly 69% of corporate CEOs are convinced of the value of sustainability. Just shy of 9% said no their CEO isn’t convinced and a further 22% said they weren’t sure.

This is a significant finding as direction, culture and drive comes from the CEO. If the top-level isn’t committed then the company will struggle to make significant gains in becoming a responsible and sustainable business.

The #ECSOS report, the first of its kind, interviewed and surveyed nearly 1,500 professionals within the Ethical Corporation community. It features responses from around the globe from professionals working within brands and NGOs to academia and governments.

Just fewer than 90% of all corporate respondents stated that sustainability is becoming an increasingly important part of business strategy.

This could imply an even higher percentage of CEOs are convinced of the value of sustainability, however a lack of internal communication prevents staff from knowing this. It’s plain to see that sustainability is becoming more central to a company’s strategy, and this will continue as consumer demands, regulatory requirements and employee expectations increase.

The increasing seriousness with which boardrooms treat sustainability is also reflected from our respondents on reporting lines. Nearly half (48%) of our corporate respondents said the sustainability team reports to the board or directly to the CEO (29%).

Not only do CEOs see the value and need for a strategic approach to sustainability, they also feel it’s an area of business that requires direct input and understanding. Sustainability, maybe exclusively within the world of business, has a profound effect on all areas of business from

consumer perceptions and supplier relationships to employee motivation and R&D savings. The cross-functional importance and effect of sustainability could explain why CEOs have the reporting lines, to ensure sustainability information is embedded into strategic decision making.

The State of Sustainability Report 2015 gives a strong indication that sustainability has and will continue to have an increasingly important part to play in how businesses operate.

The full report can be accessed here

 

#ECSOS  CEO sustainability  state of sustainability  sustainability 2015 

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