I want to increase my earnings

Companies that make a commitment to sustainability perform 15 per cent better than their competitors - even during difficult times. This is according to a survey by international consulting firm AT Kearney: "Green" Winners.

This is partly because companies that think sustainably exhibit leadership and farsightedness. If a company has got to grips with sustainability, it will often also have got to grips with other important aspects of its business, such as sales, logistics, planning, human resources and innovation.

Investors have noticed this – they can see that sustainability pays.

Not enough to pretend
However, the survey also found that companies investing in sustainability solely to improve their image do not enjoy the same success in attracting investors.

Three areas
To increase your earnings potential, you could focus on one of the following three areas:

  • How can we market what we do?
Article: Market your green message (Danish)
  • How can we set a new agenda that will transform the market?
  • How can we ensure that we stand out enough from our competitors?

It is a good idea to consider a decision to work on sustainable innovation as a strategic move. You can draw inspiration for how to implement your strategy from the 'CSR staircase':

  1. Who decides?
  2. Focus your efforts
  3. Formulate targets
  4. Draw up a plan