Mobilising Sustainability: What Organisations Value Most

In today’s context, where sustainability stands as a strategic imperative for organisations, it is crucial to examine the most effective practices for mobilising it internally.

Aliados’ recent LinkedIn poll on sustainability mobilisation within organisations reveals meaningful insights into professionals’ perceptions and priorities.

The answers to the question, “Which of the following actions is the most effective in mobilising Sustainability within an organisation?”, with 29 votes, were distributed as follows: Sustainability Report (10%), Organisational Capability-Building (34%), Certifications and Labels (3%), and Sustainability Strategy (52%).

The results show a clear preference for a Sustainability Strategy as the most effective action, with 52% of the votes. This indicates an understanding that a strategic, integrated approach is essential for organisational sustainability.

A well-defined strategy aligns business operations with sustainability objectives, ensuring a holistic approach that spans all departments and layers. Implementing a robust strategy can spur innovation, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen organisational resilience to environmental and social challenges.

A fundamental methodology in building a sustainability strategy is the materiality analysis, which has undergone significant changes under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Aliados, as a specialised consultancy, provides services in double materiality analysis. This process is crucial because it connects to the organisation’s ESG strategy and assesses both the company’s impact on society and the planet, and the impact of society and the planet on the company.

The second most-voted action, Organisational Capability-Building (34%), highlights the importance of developing internal competencies to promote a sustainability culture. Capability-building involves ongoing training so that employees understand and commit to sustainability objectives. This is critical for driving behavioural and operational changes that support effective implementation of the strategy.

Among several ways to build capabilities, the Sustainability Week at Superbock — organised with Aliados’ support — stands out. In this initiative, Aliados used an engaging, enjoyable approach that aligned the company’s sustainability strategy with employee capability-building. This type of event not only raises awareness, it also strengthens commitment across all levels of the organisation.

With 10% of the votes, the Sustainability Report appears as an important yet secondary tool. While preparing detailed, transparent reports on sustainable practices is vital for external communication and stakeholder trust, the poll suggests that reports alone may not be sufficient to mobilise sustainability internally. Still, they are essential to measure progress, identify improvement areas, and provide accountability to society and investors.

Aliados supports organisations in preparing these reports, ensuring they meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Reporting also drives the creation of non-financial data which, combined with a strategy aligned with the double materiality matrix, supports informed decision-making for social, environmental, and economic sustainability.

Finally, Certifications and Labels (3%) show a relatively low perception of their standalone effectiveness in internal mobilisation. While they enhance reputation and demonstrate commitment to sustainable practices, without a comprehensive strategy and capability-building, they risk being seen as superficial. However, within responsible procurement processes, they can be powerful allies in building a more responsible value chain.

Aliados provides support services for responsible procurement, helping organisations select suppliers that meet rigorous sustainability criteria. This ensures that the value chain aligns with sustainability principles and reinforces the credibility of certifications obtained.

Towards Sustainable Mobilisation

The poll results reinforce the importance of a strategic, integrated approach. Combining a solid strategy, continuous capability-building, transparent reporting, and meaningful certifications creates a robust framework that can lead organisations towards truly sustainable development.