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Anchoring sustainability in the corporate DNA: Develop your mission statement (…new)

The most important prerequisite for integrating the pursuit of greater sustainability (hereinafter referred to as “SU”) into the company’s business activities is the conviction of the company management! In many medium-sized family businesses, this is a matter of course. But I also know entrepreneurs who prefer to put the issue of more sustainable business practices on the back burner. Then the initiative of committed (often younger) employees is needed to bring SU into the company.

 

If the initiative does not come from the management, you as a committed employee should start by convincing the management and key decision-makers of the importance of integrating SU into the mission statement. I would be happy to support you in formulating well-founded arguments as to why it is advantageous for your company to promote sustainable business practices. Explain the advantages, such as improved reputation, good risk management or greater attractiveness as an employer for younger skilled workers. The best way to do this is to propose a stress test, such as the ZNU sustainability check. A first step for your management would be the “Quick-Check Sustainable Management” to quickly get a picture of the company’s self-assessment of its sustainable management. The quick check is free of charge and can be found here: https://www.check-nachhaltigkeit.de/en/ .

 

Read on to find out exactly what steps you need to take to develop a corporate mission statement that specifically includes sustainability motivations and goals.

 

  • Step 1: Once the management has been won over and convinced, let us carry out a comprehensive assessment of current business practices with regard to the SU aspects based on the results of the SU Check. Together with your management, identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of SU. As your external facilitator, I will ensure that all aspects of SU are examined, reflected upon and scrutinised.
  • Step 2: Prioritise the SU aspects that are most relevant to your company and in line with your business strategy. My role here is to ensure that the expectations and concerns of your stakeholders are considered. Through my moderation, you select those aspects that are particularly important in your mission statement (mission, vision and values) and that will also be incorporated into the corporate culture in the future.
  • Step 3: The mission describes the overall purpose and mission of the company. The company management reviews the mission or reformulates it. I moderate and scrutinise the process. Can the company’s new mission be, for example, “…we also see it as our mission to preserve the foundations of life for future generations…”?
  • Step 4: The shareholders and management team should also review the company’s vision. I would support the formulation process as an independent sparring partner. For example, could the following wording complement your company vision: “…We want to create a sustainable future in which clean energy and innovative product solutions protect the environment and raise living standards.”
  • Step 5: The existing corporate values are reviewed with the participation of (delegates of) employees. The value system of a company essentially constitutes the culture and is therefore characterised by all those involved. For example, do the following additional terms fit into your corporate value system: “Responsibility for future generations”; “Appreciation of nature”; “Sensitivity to social justice” or “Willingness to be open and transparent”? If the employees have a say in this (surveys, workshops and discussions with managers), these or similar aspects can enrich the company’s value system.

 

You can now formulate the mission statement based on the mission, vision and corporate values. Integrating SU aspects into an existing mission statement requires time, commitment and patience. It is important to ensure that the changes are sustainable and have the support of the entire organisation. The mission statement should be short, inspiring and concise in order to be easily understood and communicated. To integrate it into organisational practice, goals and strategies must now be developed. I will be happy to explain the steps towards your sustainability strategy in the next newsletters.