From Strategy to Action: How Sustainability Drives Profit with Chris Workman

In the latest episode of MetaPod, host Ron Crabtree and guest Chris Workman discuss how sustainability drives profit. With his extensive experience in sustainability and supply chain management, Chris offers his thoughts and advice on transforming sustainability from a compliance burden into a profitable business strategy.

What are Sustainability and ESG?

Sustainability is often misunderstood as a costly compliance requirement. Chris redefines it as a strategic tool encompassing three pillars, also known as ESG:

• Environmental: Managing carbon emissions, natural resources, and waste.
• Social: Focusing on employee retention, community impact, and stakeholder relations.
• Governance: Ensuring effective leadership, transparency, and risk management.

Chris compares sustainability to lean principles, emphasizing that waste – whether in materials, energy, or human resources – is an area ripe for improvement and profitability. He offers three key insights for turning sustainability into profit within organizations. 

Environmental Strategies: From Audits to Action

Chris highlights simple yet impactful steps organizations can take to reduce costs and improve efficiency. For example, energy audits often reveal opportunities for savings through LED lighting, efficient equipment, or better insulation. These changes, such as installing quick-close doors in cold climates, can deliver payback in less than a year. 

Solid waste audits are another opportunity for savings. By identifying materials like paper backing or scrap wiring being discarded, businesses can find buyers willing to pay for these byproducts, turning waste into revenue streams.

Social Sustainability: Retaining Talent and Building Community

It may be surprising, but employee retention often depends less on compensation and more on workplace culture. According to Chris, the two key drivers of retention are positive relationships with supervisors and a sense of being valued and welcomed. 

By focusing on onboarding processes, supervisor training, and fostering a sense of belonging, one organization reduced turnover from 50% to 15% in just two years. This saved on hiring costs while also improving morale, productivity, and safety. 

Governance: Building Transparency and Confidence

Effective governance sets the stage for success by providing clear roles, responsibilities, and decision-making frameworks. Chris stresses the importance of clearly defined delegation of authority and transparent processes. When employees know where to turn for approvals or guidance, it empowers faster, more confident decision-making, ultimately driving organizational efficiency. 

Why Sustainability Matters to Consumers

One compelling insight from the episode is the growing consumer demand for sustainability. Chris shares that over 60% of surveyed customers prioritize sustainability when making purchasing decisions. This highlights the importance of not only adopting sustainable practices but also communicating them effectively to customers.

Actional Advice for Businesses

Chris offers a straightforward approach to integrating sustainability into business strategy:

1. Assess Your Baseline: Conduct audits to understand your current environmental impact, employee retention rates, and governance gaps.
2. Prioritize Areas for Improvement: Identify high-impact, low-cost initiatives, such as reducing energy consumption or streamlining waste management. 
3. Leverage ESG Benchmarks: Compare your performance to industry peers to identify strengths and opportunities for growth.
4. Integrate Sustainability into Planning: Make sustainability a core part of your annual business strategy, rather than a standalone initiative. 

Connect and Learn More

Sustainability doesn’t have to be an unfunded mandate. As Chris emphasizes, it is a tool to drive continuous improvement, reduce costs, and create value for customers and stakeholders. If you have questions or would like to further discuss how sustainability drives profit, you can connect with Chris on LinkedIn or reach him via email at [email protected]. 

MetaPod offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise for operational executives and organizations seeking to optimize their operations and supply chains, as well as common challenges such as digital transformation, the forever labor shortage, and doing more with less. Listen and subscribe today for more insightful and engaging discussions on operational excellence, leadership, growth strategies, and organizational transformation.