The health, economic and social crises of recent years have raised people’s expectations about the role of business in solving global problems. While leaders hear the call to action, many find shaping more sustainable and equitable organizations presents a major challenge.
A recent Accenture survey found that relatively few stakeholders have full faith in the sustainability promises that leadership teams make. Just under half of the employees (49%) believe senior leaders “walk the talk” on sustainability “often” or “always.”
The credibility and authenticity of leaders’ sustainability commitments should be of concern. Consensus gaps erode trust in ways that can be felt across the entire enterprise and stymie efforts for change.
Accenture has identified 21 practices that deepen stakeholder relationships and embed their perspectives at the core of the business. These practices constitute Sustainability DNA and strengthen stakeholder-centricity by encouraging human connections, collective intelligence and accountability at all levels.