For companies considering setting up a sustainability program, Andrew Arnold, senior consultant at sustainability specialist at Soquel, Calif.-based SureHarvest, has a few recommendations.
- First, approach sustainability as an integral part of business strategy and planning process, Arnold said.
- Second, begin the process of identifying goals with sustainability and how they intersect with the business.
- Third, identify current practices that affect environmental or social effects of business.
After that, a company has to develop metrics to quantify emissions, waste, energy use and the like, and to measure progress forward.
“The most important step is the first one, deciding that you want to tackle sustainability,” he said.
“It can be overwhelming and it takes fortitude, but there is a logical process if you look at each part of your business separately.”