Step-by-step guide to sustainability planning : how to create and implement sustainability plans in any business or organization

Sustainability is now the greatest business imperative, yet how do you actually develop and implement a sustainability plan if you aren't an expert?From the authors of the award-winning handbook The Business Guide to Sustainability comes this highly practical guide to designing and implementing a customized sustainability plan in any business, organization or government department of any type and scale.This step-by-step guide explains how to create a sustainability plan and sustainability report. Each chapter has two vital sections. The first contains background reading, tips and case examples to help you be successful. The second presents a set of methods each with step-by-step instructions and a selection matrix to help choose the best methods. The book also contains sample worksheets and exercise materials that can be copied for organization-wide use.

Author Notes

Darcy Hitchcock and Marsha Willard are authors of The Business Guide to Sustainability, winner of Choice Magazine's Outstanding Academic Title award for 2007. Their firm, AXIS Performance Advisors, is based in Portland, Oregon. They both teach in Bainbridge Graduate Institute's MBA in Sustainable Business and the executive management team for the International Society of Sustainability Professionals.

Alan AtKisson

List of Figures, Tables and Boxes	p. ix
Foreword	p. xiii
Acknowledgements	p. xv
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations	p. xvii
Introduction	p. xix
Who should read this book?	p. xxi
How this book is structured	p. xxi
Definition of terms used in this book and process	p. xxiii
Sustainability plans versus assessments what's the difference and which do you need?	p. xxiii
Sustainability assessments	p. xxiii
Sustainability planning	p. xxiv
When you need both	p. xxv
Resources: Broad sustainability assessment tools	p. xxvi
Tailoring a planning process to your needs	p. xxvi
Fast track to a sustainability plan	p. xxvii
Variations on the process for more advanced organizations	p. xxix
1 Preparing for Change	p. 1
Concepts and case examples	p. 1
Keys to success in any organizational change initiative	p. 1
Special considerations for sustainability initiatives	p. 6
What to do before creating a sustainability plan	p. 7
Resources	p. 10
Methods and instructions	p. 10
Readiness assessment	p. 11
Lessons from the past	p. 11
Stages of implementation assessment	p. 12
Champion assessment	p. 13
Strategies for system change	p. 14
2 Refining the Business Case	p. 17
Concepts and case examples	p. 17
Right action, wrong reason?	p. 19
Why organizations pursue sustainability	p. 20
Resources for making the business case	p. 21
Methods and instructions	p. 22
Worldwide trend cards	p. 22
Swot analysis	p. 34
Long-term sustainability strategy	p. 34
3 Creating the Vision of Sustainability	p. 37
Concepts and case examples	p. 37
Hierarchy of frameworks and tools	p. 40
Long-term visioning	p. 44
Tips for establishing a vision	p. 45
Resources	p. 47
Methods and instructions	p. 47
Framework-based visioning	p. 47
Threats and opportunities	p. 48
Backcasting	p. 49
New business models	p. 51
4 Identifying Impacts and Priorities	p. 53
Concepts and case examples	p. 53
Multilevel approach to analysing impacts	p. 54
Look beyond the obvious	p. 54
Reveal new sources of process inefficiency	p. 54
Go beyond your gates	p. 55
Tips for getting the most out of your impact analysis	p. 55
Resources for reporting and metrics	p. 56
Methods and instructions	p. 56
High-level impact assessment	p. 56
Aspect-and impact-weighted criteria assessment	p. 59
Process mapping	p. 62
5 Developing Sustainability Metrics and Reports	p. 65
Concepts and case examples	p. 65
Fundamental principles	p. 66
Should targets be realistic or audacious?	p. 69
Linking your metrics to your framework	p. 69
A shortlist of critical metrics	p. 72
Data traps to avoid	p. 72
Narrow down your list of metrics	p. 73
Tips on designing graphs	p. 73
Resources related to reporting and metrics	p. 75
Methods and instructions	p. 77
Sustainability scorecard	p. 78
Metrics worksheet	p. 78
Sustainability report template	p. 79
6 Developing an Implementation Strategy and Choosing Projects	p. 83
Concepts and case examples	p. 83
Developing a long-term plan to reach sustainability	p. 83
Making decisions regarding where and how to start	p. 85
Developing a system for choosing projects	p. 85
Managing the load	p. 88
Tips for choosing projects	p. 89
Resources	p. 90
Methods and instructions	p. 90
Long-term project plan	p. 90
Opportunity finder	p. 94
Stakeholder assessment	p. 94
Weighted criteria chart	p. 97
7 Developing Effective Management Systems	p. 99
Concepts and case examples	p. 99
Four elements of a management system	p. 99
How do an EMS and SMS differ?	p. 101
Signs that you need a better management system	p. 102
Different ways of achieving the same ends	p. 102
Tips for creating a management system	p. 106
Resources	p. 106
Methods and instructions	p. 108
Sustainability policy	p. 108
SMS improvement opportunities	p. 109
SMS process summary	p. 110
Gap analysis	p. 110
Formal management review	p. 114
8 Determining the Structures Needed to Manage the Effort	p. 115
Concepts and case examples	p. 115
Sustainability director/coordinator responsibilities	p. 115
Steering committee responsibilities	p. 117
Teams	p. 119
Resources	p. 124
Methods and instructions	p. 125
Sustainability structure	p. 125
Responsibility list	p. 126
Team pre-launch	p. 127
Team review agenda	p. 129
Critical incident analysis	p. 130
9 Informing and Involving Employees	p. 131
Concepts and case examples	p. 131
Sharing information	p. 131
Eliciting input and participation	p. 134
Training on sustainability	p. 135
Special challenges regarding the topic of sustainability	p. 137
Tips	p. 138
Resources	p. 140
Methods and instructions	p. 141
Communication plan	p. 141
Training plan	p. 143
Lesson plan	p. 143
Everyday choices	p. 143
Impact assessment	p. 147
Personal sustainability assessment	p. 147
References	p. 153
Appendix 1 Troubleshooting Tips	p. 157
Appendix 2 Team Pre-launch Handout and Worksheet	p. 163
Index	p. 169

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