Why sustainability isn't just for green companies

By now, we all understand the importance of investing in sustainable business practices. What was once considered a company mission to do social good is now a business imperative.

The proof is easy to see. There are a lot of thriving industries that are economically viable – and at the same time, they’re doing good for the world. Take solar and wind energy, for example. Those industries are among the fastest growing and contributing to an expected $2.15 trillion global renewable energy market by 2025.

This opportunity to do good isn’t reserved for green companies. We’re increasingly seeing this today in the way the public and private sectors are coming together to leverage the greater visibility of public platforms and resources of private companies. In fact, total sustainability investments across sectors and industry types actually exceed some of the fastest growing sustainability markets. Today, total sustainable investments now top $30 trillion – up 68% since 2014 and tenfold since 2004.

After studying the impact of these efforts, we know investment opportunity in sustainability is only growing bigger. The projects and programmes being led by individual businesses are moving the needle. This is especially true when you combine sustainability investments with the unique products or services of your business, the talents of your people and the capabilities of your customers and partners. I call this your company “secret sauce.” By bringing these resources together, today’s businesses have made significant progress in recovering materials, cleaning oceans and reducing our footprint.

And companies have brought that success to life by forming:

This is important work, and our entire stakeholder community wants to see us win. Our customers, employees and investors all expect us to be committed and deliver results. This is likely why many employees are more engaged when they’re driving positive change. The expectation for businesses to leverage their resources also helps explain why 81% of global consumers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment.

When it comes to investing in sustainable business practices, opportunities are vast. Take e-waste, for example. Approximately 50 million tons of electronic scrap are produced each year, but only 20% is recycled, according to a PACE report, by the United Nations E-waste Coalition. This problem is growing at rates that are hard to keep up with – by 2050, the amount of e-waste will more than double to 120 million tons, making it the fastest growing material stream in the world.

So, where should companies start, and where should we hold them responsible to deliver?

No one person or organization has all the answers. As we seek solutions, we should commit to transparency and open dialogue, because candid discussion and knowledge-sharing will hold us accountable and help us reach solutions.

The impact we’ve already made tells us there is great promise in the work we’ve already done. Our ongoing and collective investments will continue to power progress for years to come.