What we talk about when we talk about sustainability
Framework helps businesses become more successful by developing what we call the Sustainable Advantage: the ability to generate value by better understanding risks, implementing cost-saving efficiencies, managing finite resources judiciously, attracting and retaining talented employees, earning public goodwill, and capitalizing on new market opportunities.
It’s not an accident that the Dow Jones Sustainability Index regularly outperforms the general market. Sustainability is not a niche discipline separate from core business concerns. Rather, it’s a strategy that encompasses a range of issues integral to a company’s continued profitability in an interconnected and rapidly changing world. Ultimately, strong performance in these areas is a key aspect of modern management and an indicator of a company’s overall health.
Let’s be frank: when it comes to sustainability strategy, it’s challenging for any company to prioritize its many potential issues, define ambitious but attainable goals, commit to continuous improvement, and build deep internal consensus. As a still-maturing space, sustainability practices and standards can be confusing, varied, and rapidly evolving. Most problematically, their costs are more readily quantifiable than their many benefits.
Because we’ve been helping large organizations to integrate sustainability strategies for nearly as long as the term has been in common usage, we’ve been studying and solving these challenges for years. We’re also active stakeholders in several of the field’s leading bodies, including the Global Reporting Initiative and the UN Global Compact.
We’ve leveraged this experience to develop a proprietary 5-stage model of sustainability implementation and a comprehensive range of services, tools, and partnerships with which to guide you towards your chosen objectives at the pace suited to your own unique culture—no matter where you currently stand. In fact, we’ve successfully helped some clients move from the early stages of strategic sustainability planning to being recognized as leaders within their industries.
- We will listen. Carefully.
- We will call it as we see it.
- We will keep our eye on the big picture while paying meticulous attention to the details.
- We will ask you to examine your opportunities, risks, responsibilities, challenges, achievements, and shortcomings with an honest eye.
- We will bear in mind the difference between “ideal” and “possible.”
- We will be enjoyable to work with and help you through the tough days.
- We will hold ourselves and our work to exceedingly high standards.
Framework periodically adds staff and regularly hires paid interns and contractors. We invite you to connect with via e-mail or LinkedIn if you:
- are curious and self-directed;
- have high emotional intelligence, integrity, and quality standards; and
- want to tell us about yourself and be considered in the future.
We’re currently looking for experienced consultants who have a firm grasp of sustainability principles and two to four years of experience working with companies to develop sustainable business practices and communicate results. If you’re interested in working with us on a project basis, please contact Michelle Young.
