Why sustainability is good for business

As businesses do we focus enough on sustainability?

Based on what's posted on LinkedIn I would say probably not. Content on business growth and personal growth (and oddly Yoga) are what seemingly attract business owners and managers .

In fact this post on stopping plastic pollution which appeared in my feed stood out so much it got me writing this blog.

There is more evidence out this week that New Zealand businesses aren't doing a good enough job in being seen to be active in regards to sustainability - despite it being a major issue for consumers.

In fact the Colmar Brunton survey Better Futures shows the issue of plastic pollution is an even bigger worry than the cost of living for consumers and more of them are taking action.

In fact 4 out of 10 New Zealanders are highly committed to living a sustainable lifestyle and they want to hear more from businesses.

7 out of 10 Kiwis are unable to name a brand that is a leader in sustainability."

Despite the fact that sustainable choices and actions are firmly on the agenda of New Zealanders, the survey shows that 7 out of 10 Kiwis are unable to name a brand that is a leader in sustainability.

For businesses it's more than just about marketing and brand  - it also makes good business sense to be sustainable.

McKinsey show that sustainable businesses actually perform better than their counterparts and that developing a corporate culture of sustainability may be a source of competitive advantage for a company in the long run.

High-sustainability companies perform better with higher return on assets and equity."

They show that high-sustainability companies did better with respect to return on assets (34 per-cent) and return on equity (16 percent).

Obviously many businesses have sustainability objectives in their strategies and nearly 500 are members of the Sustainable Business Network which is the largest and longest-standing organisation dedicated to sustainable business in New Zealand.

Done correctly, sustainability and the digital transformation of businesses should go hand-in-hand.

Atamai's digital benchmarking uses a holistic model to take a whole-of-business approach to digital transformation.

Our approach is based on tried and true principles to drive sustainable outcomes.

Businesses just cannot afford to not be part of this conversation.