Sustainable corporate growth isn’t just a business imperative. It is vital to our planet’s future. Angie Ison (COO and CFO), who works in the corporate sector, thinks that the collective mindset has finally shifted away from just profits and towards the broader picture of corporate sustainability.
Ison says, “nowadays, not just the government but also society at large expects corporations to uphold models that are good for the people as well as the environment.”
According to Angie Ison, environmental and societal risks have taken a more pronounced role in policy discussion.
Angie Ison says the effects of climate change are projected to have a major impact on a global scale, as much or even more than the coronavirus. In fact, both climate change and the pandemic are borne of human activity and have led to environmental degradation.
For Angie Ison, corporate sustainability is not just about protecting the environment but also a business model that works towards societal goals, and ultimately in favor of the corporation as well.
“It is about building a model that is able to achieve the growth needs of a business as well as the well-being of our people,” says Angie Ison.
Angie says that there are three key components to corporate sustainability – the environmental, the social and the economic components. She believes that companies must set high goals and work towards reaching a balance between the three.
“The Social aspect of corporate sustainability is about promoting practices that take the health, safety and wellbeing of employees, customers, and communities into account,” says Ison.
The Economic aspect of corporate sustainability pertains to developing profitable business models that can not only survive, but thrive. Angie Ison thinks that businesses might be able to achieve this by using more efficient technology, thereby cutting costs as well as reducing their carbon footprint.
“There needs to be more examples of profitable businesses excelling in corporate sustainability as it creates a template for others to follow,” says Angie Ison.
Ison thinks that in doing so, a business can secure its place in the future economy by creating long-term value. In the short run, a business’s consciousness about corporate sustainability can grow revenue, build their brand’s reputation, reduce operating and tax costs, as well as attract investors.
“A business with a strong corporate sustainability culture and practice would find it easier to acquire capital from traditional sources such as banks as well as alternative investors such as private equity and venture capital,” says Ison.
This is because investors are looking towards the future. With legislators around the world tightening their grip around the issue of corporate sustainability, businesses investing in it today stand to benefit in the short term as well as the long run.
“Many times we fail to realize that we are a part of the environment and its health is vital to ours.”
