From being a good influencer to efficient networking, the modern-day CRS professional needs a wide range of skills to be able to deliver a long-term vision and impactful change.
We discussed this topic with Anita Longley, a board level sustainability professional with over 25 years’ experience in the private and public sectors. She is currently Chair of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS), a go-to platform for anyone who wants to fine tune their CRS knowledge, learn from other members and stay up to date with the latest sustainable thinking.
A passionate advocate for collaboration and transparency, she has delivered impactful sustainability strategies and community partnerships, and is a trustee of the ScottishPower Foundation.
1. You have delivered impactful sustainability programmes over time. What are the main elements of a successful programme?
A successful sustainability programme should be central to the purpose and strategy of an organization and it must be authentic. It should focus on what’s significant to the business and encompass environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
In order to create long lasting change, companies need to understand their purpose and the impact of their activities – they have to strive towards ‘net positive’. It’s no longer enough just to use a risk-based approach, because opportunities will be missed. Corporate Responsibility is about helping companies positively engage in the process of shaping our shared future.
Leading companies set bold targets and report their progress regularly. The strategy is led by the Board, informed by effective stakeholder engagement and delivered through collaborative action. The increasing focus on ESG from the financial sector is helping to drive this change and support business resilience, as we have seen during the global pandemic.
Investors are now aiming to double their sustainable investments over the next five years.
2. The modern-day CRS professionals intend to create visible change in the company, but to do so they must gain the support of multiple decision-makers in order to make it happen. What approach would you recommend in this regard?
The first step is to set a vision that reflects the purpose of the organization and secure ‘buy in’ to that vision. Ultimately, businesses can only make progress in their ESG strategies if they convince the financial markets that they are worth the investment. This means that ESG must be a core part of board discussions.
Building capacity and understanding of the sustainability within the company will ensure effective decision making. This can be supported by integrating ESG into existing business processes, such as risk management or financial approval mechanisms.
We’ve seen a sea change in attitudes towards sustainability and the role of business. Employees can be the best advocates for change, and their interest and enthusiasm should be embraced. Employee volunteering, for example, provides opportunities to develop understanding and ensure practical support. Engaging senior managers with stakeholders, such as vulnerable customers, really helps them understand the challenges that those customers face, and how they can best be supported.
In order to influence, we need to understand what motivates people, how the business operates and when and how decisions are made. It will be different for everyone and each organization, and there’s a balance to be had between challenging and supporting. Professionals must be clear about the business benefits and offer solutions, not problems.
3. Which do you consider to be the must-have skills for a CRS professional? Which ones can be taught in time?
Now, we have an extraordinary opportunity to embed sustainability in business, and professionals have a key role to play. The Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability has developed a comprehensive framework of core competencies and guiding principles for corporate responsibility professionals. We use this framework to appoint our fellows and support individual personal development.
These include knowledge-based skills – ranging, for example, from environment to ethics and a range of ‘soft skills’, such as influencing. Professionals must develop and deliver impactful and measurable strategy, engage stakeholders effectively, work collaboratively and have strong communication skills. Corporate responsibility practitioners are in a position of trust and need to act with integrity to uphold that trust.
The sustainability profession is evolving very quickly and specialists need to understand a wide range of issues, so networking is extremely important. CRS professionals are good at sharing the best and the constantly evolving practices, we found this was particularly important during the early phase of the pandemic. Mentoring also provides an opportunity to test and develop new skills.
4. What courses, certifications or learning platforms would you recommend to any CSR aficionado?
My ‘go to’ learning platform is, of course, the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (www.icrs.info), which was established to support CRS professionals to be brilliant at what they do. We provide networking, practitioner led webinars, resources, mentoring and a competency framework. I would also recommend the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, which offers a range of courses.
