Entries by Bob Willard

5 Essential Conversations for a Winning Sustainability Proposal

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Sustainability champions need to obtain executive approval for their proposals. Executive decision-makers must to be convinced that any proposed sustainability initiative will be good for the company as well as good for the environment, society and other stakeholders. That’s their fiduciary duty.

The Sustainability ROI Workbook is a comprehensive tool that helps frame a compelling business case using quantified / monetized benefits. But it’s just a tool. Savvy sustainability champions know that the art of building a winning sustainability business case is more important than the accuracy of the numbers in the workbook. They are sensitive to the “human factor.”

Let’s suppose that you want to propose a on-site renewal energy installation at company facilities. You will need help from several departments to complete the justification for the project. There are 5 essential conversations for a winning sustainability proposal. Their tone is as important as their content. Let’s start with the tone of your conversation with the CEO.   Read More

Coming soon! 7 Enhancements to the Original “Sustainability ROI Workbook”

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We’re on a roll! I self-published the Sustainability ROI Workbook in May 2017. To expedite its use by global legions of sustainability champions, it is a free, open-source resource that is available from my website.  Over 1,600 people have already downloaded it, which is great! I have encouraged people to use this open-source resource as a foundation on which to create new versions for specific sectors or users, for other technology platforms, in other languages, and in simpler formats. I have followed my own suggestion. Based on feedback from users, conversations with chartered professional accountants (CPAs), and good ideas that keep hatching while I’m sleeping, I have created an enhanced 2nd Edition of the workbook. As of September 11, it will replace the current version and will be the new, free, open-source resource that is downloadable from my website from then on. It will include 7 enhancements to the original Sustainability ROI Workbook. Read More

“Sustainability ROI Workbook” ‒ The Backstory

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(A version of this article was originally published in Corporate Eco Forum's Weekly Briefing, June 12)

As many of you know, I just released the Sustainability ROI Workbook. It is a self-published, free, open-source Excel workbook with the most comprehensive business case for sustainability so far. My “mission impossible” goal is that by the end of 2018, the global legions of sustainability champions are aware of, and can use, a version of the Sustainability ROI Workbook as their go-to business case tool, so that they can gain approval from their CEOs and CFOs to take action on pressing sustainability initiatives. Here is the backstory to the workbook and that BHAG. Read More

Announcing: A Free 7-tool “Swiss Army Knife” for Sustainability Professionals

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I have been foreshadowing my sixth book in my blogs for a couple of years. This week, after six-months of helpful public comment on draft versions, I officially launched the “Sustainability ROI Workbook.” Yes! As a reminder, it is an “e-book” cleverly disguised as an Excel workbook. The comprehensive, fill-in-the-blanks Excel workbook is the e-book. This self-published, open-source resource is a free 7-tool “Swiss Army Knife” for sustainability professionals. Here are its seven built-in uses. Read More

12 Trillion Reasons To Be A More Sustainable Company

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(This blog was originally posted on the Sustainable Brands website.)

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define a world that promises a flourishing future for human civilization on spaceship Earth. Some companies already embrace the SDGs as their aspirational environmental and social goals. Other companies hesitate, in case attaining some or all the goals’ 169 associated targets by 2030 would be at the expense of company success. There are 12 trillion reasons why their hesitation is unjustified.  Read More

5 Reasons for Hope on Climate Change, Despite Trump

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trump-pinoccio-nose

One of the leadership paradoxes explained in The Leadership Champions Guidebook is: “Sometimes things need to get worse before they get better.” Things really got worse on the climate change file with the election of Donald Trump. However, after we overcome our shock and denial, we sustainability champions are quickly working our way through the anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance phases in Kubler-Ross’s personal change curve. Energized by 5 reasons for hope on climate change, despite Trump’s election, we are cranking up our efforts to mitigate climate destabilization and make things better. Read More

3 Weighting Factors for the Business Case for Sustainability

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ultbook-weighting-approaches

What if the financial business case for company action on a pressing environmental or social issue is not good enough? Even after estimating all the direct and indirect benefits with the help of the new Sustainability Advantage Ultbook, and rechecking all the data and assumptions used in its calculations, the return on investment looks disappointing. Then what? Don't despair. Depending on how the 3 weighting factors for the business case for sustainability are applied, the sustainability initiative may still get the flashing green light from executives. Read More