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Standards |
Working with cross-functional leaders to identify metrics based on external mandates and internal business needs to track performance; align on approach to calculate metrics; and define what, where, and how data will be collected to calculate metrics. |
Collection |
Coordinating collection of data from across the organisation across functions, business units, third parties, etc., and coordinating approaches to simplify and automate collection overtime. |
Reporting |
Designing and building internal and external reports to meet defined requirements with flexibility to evolve as needs shift over time. |
Performance Management |
Providing insight and business collaboration to track performance, identify improvement opportunities, and drive accountability against sustainability commitments. |
Collaboration |
Engaging with internal and external stakeholders to understand their reporting and performance management requirements and continuously improve processes. |
But just as with any new initiative, you’ll need guardrails for development.
Some to keep in mind include:
No matter how mature your organisation may be, the idea of a sustainability command centre doesn’t change. Instead, it can enhance and enable your organisation’s sustainability strategy execution by becoming more embedded into the fabric across all functions. What does change? The sustainability command centre’s focus. See below for more.
Survive |
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Strategy |
Drive cross-functional connectivity and consistency with a focus on internal and external sustainability reporting. |
Process & Technology |
Establish a clear understanding of what the work is, where it is performed, and by whom to enable a coordinated sustainability reporting approach. |
Talent & Delivery Model |
Identify cross-functional command centre members and establish roles and responsibilities to maintain alignment and execute against sustainability goals. |
Governance, Risk & Compliance |
Establish governance model and corresponding decision-making processes to enable cross-functional collaboration. |
Data & Analytics |
Establish cross-functional data standards and collection approach; define data sovereignty over essential ESG data. |
Drive |
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Strategy |
Track performance toward goals and coordinate operational improvements to execute sustainability strategy. |
Process & Technology |
Identify improvement opportunities across operational processes and technology enablement to help achieve sustainability targets. |
Talent & Delivery Model |
Coordinate sustainability service delivery across the value chain; identify opportunities to simplify and centralise delivery. |
Governance, Risk & Compliance |
Embed risk management and controls that incorporate sustainability considerations to proactively identify key sustainability risk areas across functions. |
Data & Analytics |
Organise automation of data collection, cleansing, and attribution; sustainability data mapped with other strategic data. |
Thrive |
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Strategy |
Establish a feedback loop to demonstrate impact of sustainability strategy execution to help set and shape future sustainability strategy and commitments. |
Process & Technology |
Embed sustainability considerations in enterprise business planning across finance, supply chain, commercial, human resources, etc. |
Talent & Delivery Model |
Enhance business collaboration across functions to proactive identify strategic and operational initiatives that drive enterprise value. |
Governance, Risk & Compliance |
Provide mechanism to look across sustainability issues to identify whether they are linked to any thematic risks and/or trends. |
Data & Analytics |
Enable cross-functional insights based on integrated sustainability data and take action to influence sustainability strategy. |
Organisations shouldn’t incorporate sustainability just to meet reporting requirements or public expectations, although those are important., Driving sustainability is the right thing to do, both for business and the world. And if sustainability measures can be a catalyst for better, more efficient, more profitable, and more equitable organisation, then that can be good for everyone. A sustainability command centre can offer a real opportunity for finance to lead the way in sustainability; by building sustainable, cross-functional practises on the inside, finance may be able to help achieve more than what they ever thought possible. Think about that space launch: when systems work toward a common goal, the end result can give us a new perspective on the future—and it can also change the world.