Translating Vision to Action – Next Steps for Givaudan
Skrivet av Richard Blume, maj 6, 2011 - 3:31am
New announcements by Swiss flavours and fragrances giant Givaudan show that the company is well on the way to embedding sustainability as a strategic concern across the company. Last year, we reported progress from our work together to establish an overarching strategic systems approach to sustainability. This week Givaudan launched their latest sustainability report entitled Translating Vision to Action. The report emphasizes a number of promising developments, including:
- Clear statements of commitment coming from the very top levels of the company
- Improved institutional anchoring of sustainability through ‘layers of implementation’
- Greater ownership for the work across the various functions of the company
- Progress toward the vision in areas right across the company and along the value chain in both directions.
- Use of GRI guidelines for best practice reporting of progress
The theme of this report is of particular significance as it shows Givaudan has got the order right – starting with the vision first. With so much attention to particular sustainability issues - from climate change to contaminated melamine in milk - and increasing and often-changing demands from customers, ‘being seen to be doing something’ is critical. Yet it can also put companies in a reactive mode and prompt reporting on a disconnected set of peripheral ‘good initiatives’ without getting the fundamentals in place first.
Companies need to know where they are heading using an overarching framework for sustainable business connected to a clear definition of sustainability. Givaudan should therefore be acknowledged for its 'backcasting' approach. It has set a strong vision aligned with the science of sustainability, followed now by increased emphasis on institutionalization and action to make progress in the desired direction.
Related items
- Givaudan Sustainability (Givaudan)
- Givaudan Sustainability Report 2010 and 2009 (including Third party commentary from The Natural Step).
- Givaudan senses the challenge and opportunity in getting it right (Blog post, March 2010)
- Sustainability targets more important for flavours and fragrances, Givaudan chair" (from FOODNavigator.com)
Visit our Canadian site for a good overview of how we help companies like Givaudan identify and capture the value from sustainability and then embed it within core business processes.
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