Acting Like Our Future Matters

Climate change has been big talk for years. But now, we’re seeing big movements in climate action. Businesses are putting their money where their mouth is. They’re walking the walk, so to speak – joining competitors, communities, and families who are each doing their part to operate more sustainably.

They’ve seen the future and, well, they want it to still be there. So they’re no longer just paying attention to energy consumption and carbon emissions, they’re actively trying to reduce them. They’re no longer merely dreaming of diversity, equity, and inclusion, they’re changing policies to make them come true in their organizations. They’re done talking about net-zero goals, they’re on their way to meeting them.

Now, we can’t just pat ourselves on the back and move on. Our customers, and your customers, and their customers have inspired and instigated all this. They’ve put their collective foot down and have asked for more sustainable policies and practices. Employees are, too, happily declining to set foot on a plane if there are better, greener, safer business travel options out there.

People are pushing businesses toward greener pastures – moving them beyond corporate-responsibility promises into effective environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments. And businesses are turning their good intentions into deliberate actions.

And it’s working. 60% of business leaders say sustainability has a moderate or strong effect on long-term competitiveness and profitability. And 59% believe environmental issues are, or soon will be, material to business results.

But how do you turn your company in that direction? Or if you’ve been aiming at sustainability for years, how do you finally get enough traction to gain some ground?

A recent thought leadership piece on the subject helps shed some light on what other organizations are doing, as well as the practices your company can put into effect. This includes determining what matters most and where you can make the biggest difference. It means creating a realistic path to net-zero emissions and proving measured progress toward that goal. And it involves top management modeling sustainable behaviors as a way to steer the culture of your organization. 

It's a rich informational resource, whether you’re just getting started on sustainability, if you’re building momentum, or if you’re setting the pace for what’s next.

The piece was compiled by SAP® Concur®, but since we’re experts in technology, not sustainability, we looked to our partners and customers to see where they’re making the most impact. The findings are quite interesting, and as you’ll find out, there are a host of small, simple steps you can take to build sustainability and social responsibility into your core processes. You don’t have to right the ship all at once, in other words, to help keep the waters beneath it clear and blue.

You can’t just coast, though, either.

Your path to ESG and sustainability will be different from any other company, but the point here is progress. Just like in business: If you’re standing still, you’re losing. The difference here, of course, is that if business stops making progress toward a cleaner, greener way of doing things, we all lose.

Take a peek at the SAP Concur ebook. It’ll give you concrete steps to take, show you what’s working for similar companies and industries, and help you use tools you may already have to make it easier for travelers to make smarter, sustainable choices.

Because no business can afford to ignore its future.