How do you promote and advocate for sustainability in your own practice and beyond?

Bear in mind that sustainability is an incredibly broad and broadening field - so it is necessary to narrow the focus of your sustainability vision in order to ensure that you can achieve meaningful progress over your defined timeframes, with the capacity available. It is tempting to try and solve all problems at once, but it is often more advisable to solve smaller problems in sequence, applying the learning from each one to progressively improve the traction over time.

I actually disagree. I find that investigation of where you are and how you measure and communicate your current position is paramount. When sustainability initiatives fail, often skewed, ambiguous new beginnings cannot be overcome with the most well-defined goals. Where are we? How can we prove it? What should we stop, start, and continue to give us the best chance of achieving any next step? Clearly articulate the problem or opportunity for improvement. This involves identifying the specific process or area that needs attention and stating the problem in a concise and measurable way. Only from here can we measure improvement versus being doomed by repeating bad decisions, then consider sustaining.

Quand je travaille avec mes clients sur leurs démarches de réduction de leurs impacts environnementaux, je sensibilise toujours à reconnaître des actions efficaces des actions qui ont peu d’impact. Il en va de la crédibilité de l’entreprise sur sa future communication !

In my professional practice, I prioritize sustainability by integrating eco-friendly practices and minimizing waste. I advocate for sustainable choices in decision-making, emphasizing the long-term benefits for the environment and community. Beyond personal efforts, I engage in knowledge-sharing, promoting sustainable practices among colleagues. Actively participating in industry forums, I advocate for green initiatives, influencing policy discussions and encouraging a broader adoption of sustainable measures. By leading by example, sharing knowledge, and participating in larger conversations, I aim to contribute to a culture of sustainability in both my individual practice and the wider professional community.

I agree with Gina I have listed below what I feel would be appropriate steps: Assess your current situation: assessing your organization's current environmental, social, and economic impact. Identify areas where you can improve and understand the challenges and opportunities that exist. Engage stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders in the sustainability goal-setting process. The next part whilst key is fairly standard. Set a clear vision, define specific goals, prioritise goals and create actions plan, and then monitor and measure.

Consulting a client always starts with asking the right questions to understand their current goals, objectives, and processes. If the client does not have a sustainability goal, the next step includes education and why it is beneficial to add sustainability as part of their business goals, identifying the compliance requirements and the competitive advantage. These conversations lead to additional discussions and work with stakeholders and sponsors to design a sustainability strategy and a road map. The road map creates the projects necessary for the work to begin.

La transparence sera la meilleure communication à transmettre. Il n’y a pas de petites actions. Mais il faut mesurer ses propos et ne pas surévaluer une action de decarbonation par un language commercial qui pourrait faire vite basculer dans le greenwashing.

The second step in promoting and advocating for sustainability is to communicate effectively and persuasively with clients, stakeholders, and audiences. Tailor your message and style to fit the context, purpose, and expectations of each situation. Use clear, concise, and relevant language, along with data and visuals, to convey your sustainability insights, recommendations, and solutions. Employ storytelling, emotion, and logic to engage, inspire, and influence your listeners and readers. Additionally, listen actively, respond constructively, and seek feedback to enhance your communication skills and outcomes.

To communicate effectively and persuasively you need to craft messaging that speaks to the stated interests of your stakeholders (both internally and externally). Where does the sustainability vision, help reduce waste or improve operational efficiency, or build a differentiated proposition for customers? How might better reporting around sustainability improve information flow and risk management within a company or business? From an investment perspective consider whether management of climate risk could improve debt-equity ratios by reducing asset depreciation on the corporate balance sheet (in turn reducing cost of capital on commercial mortgages)

Communication is key in promoting sustainability. Utilize various platforms—social media, presentations, workshops, and community events—to share your message. Craft compelling narratives that highlight the importance and benefits of sustainable practices, using data and real-life examples to support your arguments. Tailor your communication style to resonate with different audiences, making sustainability relatable and actionable for everyone, from stakeholders to local communities.

J’utilise beaucoup LinkedIn et les newsletters pour transmettre de manière synthétique les informations sans tomber dans la dramaturgie. Une communication eco anxiogène peut amener stress et démotivation des collaborateurs. Ateliers, formations, communication régulières sur les avancées sont un gage de réussite !

Consider setting up specialised think tanks or roundtables to create forums for collaboration while enhancing the convening power of your practice

Sustainability is a collective endeavor that requires collaboration across sectors and disciplines. One of the first actions I take is to identify and leverage the unique strengths, resources, and opportunities that each collaboration brings.I actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders, including clients, industry partners, NGOs, and government agencies, to leverage collective expertise and resources. Through strategic partnerships and creative problem-solving, we can develop innovative solutions to complex sustainability challenges.

Strategic and creative collaboration for sustainability involves uniting diverse stakeholders - businesses, NGOs, governments, and communities - to brainstorm innovative solutions. Focus on shared goals like reducing carbon footprint, promoting renewable energy, and enhancing social welfare. Use technology and data analytics for informed decision-making, and embrace open dialogue to blend various perspectives. Foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, encouraging experimentation and celebrating small wins towards larger sustainable outcomes. This collective approach leverages unique strengths and drives impactful, lasting change.

"Alone you can go faster, together you can go further" I believe that the more your improve your skills on a project you have at heart, the more you can be precise on your support. This is why I train myself on sustainable matters every year, I contribute to group discussions to grow reliable sustainable models and I train and tutor graduate apprentices, students and medium companies on sustainable procurement, international sustainable strategy.

Il est important que cette transition se fasse dans le respect des réglementations et de la santé des collaborateurs par exemple. Un changement de processus ne doit pas amener une surcharge de travail même si celui ci est decarboné. Il faut faire attention aux transferts d’impacts et en faisant intervenir toutes les parties prenantes, le risque est plus faible.

Implementar projetos de forma sustentável e ética exige uma visão holística dos impactos ambientais, sociais e econômicos. Ao aplicar uma lente de sustentabilidade em cada fase, desde o planejamento até a execução, garantimos decisões mais responsáveis e alinhadas aos valores éticos do setor. O monitoramento contínuo é crucial para ajustar ações e maximizar resultados positivos, reforçando o compromisso com a transparência e a inovação. Integrar esses princípios fortalece a credibilidade e assegura que as soluções gerem valor duradouro, tanto para o negócio quanto para a sociedade.

Practicing sustainable actions and raising awareness about them within the teams. .. It's important that we practise what we preach. It all starts with what we do and how we take care of day to day activities. Some simple things would help reflect the changes 1. Drive less, use green transport 2. Recycle stuff 3. Think twice before shopping 4. Ditch plastic and switch to reuse. 5.     Choose organic 6.      Save water wise Walk the talk and see how others start following your vision.

Implementing projects sustainably and ethically requires a holistic approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations into every phase of project management. For instance, in my experience working with a renewable energy firm, we adopted a lifecycle assessment to evaluate the long-term impacts of our solar installations, ensuring minimal environmental disruption and community benefits. Regular monitoring and transparent reporting are essential to maintain accountability and drive continuous improvement. This approach not only aligns with ethical standards but also builds trust and credibility with stakeholders.

For example for a manufacturing company - Sustainable would be utilizing recycled materials in production processes (e.g., clothing companies using recycled plastic for insulation in jackets). Implementing energy-efficient machinery and renewable energy sources (e.g., factories installing solar panels on their rooftops). Minimizing waste through efficient production processes and responsible disposal practices. Ethical would be ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions throughout the supply chain (e.g., conducting audits of overseas factories). Implementing ethical sourcing practices to avoid conflict minerals or materials from environmentally sensitive areas. Promoting diversity and inclusion within the workforce.

Je me forme sans cesse car les connaissances évoluent sans cesse et les technologies aussi. J’ai plaisir à transmettre ce que j’apprends et surtout de façon ludique et concrète ! Les actions doivent être mesurables pour être convaincantes

Sustainability is a dynamic field with evolving best practices and innovations. As a consultant, your commitment to education is twofold. Firstly, continuously educating yourself ensures that your advice remains cutting-edge and relevant. Secondly, passionately educating your clients and stakeholders fosters a culture of continuous improvement. This isn't just about disseminating information; it's about instilling a genuine passion for sustainability that permeates decision-making at every level.

Education is an ignored area when it comes to Sustainability. Majority of people think a 30min training can change and enable their workforce to understand sustainability. In reality, you need a more than e-learning modules to educate & train people. In our experience at Massivue, the real impact comes from collaborative experiential learning approaches such as workshop & Bootcamps.

Embed ‘climate action where you are’ through certified Carbon Literacy training to ensure everyone is starting from the same basic knowledge of climate science , policy and action to ensure confident and consistent sustainability communication.

The most impactful way one can promote sustainability goes beyond education and advocacy. While those are crucial elements, I see people as a powerful tool for accelerating progress through innovation. One can analyze a company's or individual's current practices and environmental footprint. Based on the data, one can generate personalized recommendations for adopting more sustainable practices. These recommendations would be tailored to specific needs, resources, and industry. Education and passion for the topic play key roles in such cases. One could also facilitate the sharing of ideas, data, and resources, accelerating the development and implementation of effective solutions (Democratization of Sustainability)

In my experience as a sustainability consultant, advocating for sustainability requires a blend of passion and strategic action. For instance, during a project with a major retail chain, we leveraged social media platforms to engage customers in our sustainability initiatives, resulting in a 20% increase in eco-friendly product sales. It's crucial to not only amplify your message but also to listen and adapt to diverse viewpoints, as this fosters a more inclusive and effective sustainability movement.

Defender a sustentabilidade com ousadia é usar sua voz para amplificar causas que realmente importam. Aproveite cada oportunidade para aumentar a conscientização e influenciar políticas que façam a diferença. Seja ativo em movimentos e campanhas alinhados ao seu propósito, utilizando sua rede para inspirar ações concretas. No entanto, é essencial respeitar diferentes perspectivas, reconhecendo que o diálogo construtivo fortalece o impacto. Somente com uma abordagem corajosa e inclusiva podemos impulsionar mudanças reais e duradouras.

"Advocate and educate" would be how I would describe this part of the process. Highlighting sustainability good practice in a positive way whilst not being judgemental, patronising or preachy is more likely to have positive results.

Advocate for policies and regulations that support sustainability goals at local, national, and global levels. Engage policymakers, participate in advocacy campaigns, and support initiatives that promote environmental conservation and climate action.

This is the step on which lies the delicate balance of all the other steps.All of us working in our individual professional capacities in the sustainability segment, no matter how much quality work we are involved in, cannot exist in silos.It is my experience that the best collaborations happen when we openly embrace and boldly advocate for our vision, goals and values for sustainability wholeheartedly - however we can.For instance,along with actively providing legal consulting for sustainability in the luxury fashion segment,I also teach IP & Tech law courses where I consciously weave the tenets of sustainability in the fabric of the course,so this value reflects throughout the course.

I think sometimes just acting on sustainability in your own (quiet) way gets people thinking about what they can do. I find them when I bring my own container, use certain cruelty free products, I often get people asking "why are you doing this" which presents the perfect opportunity to engage and share. This works way better than me telling them "why". Education and advocacy in subtle, unsuspecting ways!

Model the behaviour / strategies you're advocating. In our home, we electrified (from an oil furnace); installed a heat pump and ERV; collect grey and rain water for irrigation; use what we have on hand, or salvaged and surplus building supplies in our projects (including above mentioned heat pump and ERV); converted to induction; and grow as much food as we can. And there's always more that can be done, it's what makes life interesting!

People are influenced by other people. And practical implementation works better than theory. To see the change, share your experience with others and encourage them to take steps. If you want people to take up public transport or cycling, arrange a trip where you can take the bus or ride a bike. If you want people to opt for second hand shopping, arrange a clothes swap!

You have to listen, hear different perspectives, understand competing priorities and then find the part of sustainability that is the main hook. What really resonates and harmonizes with the client and project core values? Answer that and hang the other aspects of sustainability around a central theme or two.

In one of my projects, I faced a situation where traditional methods were insufficient to meet sustainability targets. Instead of giving up, I turned to emerging technologies and innovative practices. This not only salvaged the project but also set a new standard within the industry. It’s a reminder that sustainability is as much about adaptability and creativity as it is about planning and strategy.