by: Daniel Casteel, Managing Director of Stanton Chase Nashville and John A. Helfrich, Director, Stanton Chase Baltimore
With the current economic challenges at hand, it is now more important than ever to look at the long term sustainability of every business enterprise. Accordingly, it is no surprise that the role of Chief Sustainability Officer is the fastest growing new "C" Suite role in global corporations. In fact, the Chief Responsibility Officer magazine survey indicated that 25 percent of Fortune 500 companies expected to appoint a Chief Sustainability Officer as of January 1, 2008.
Corporate Sustainability refers to the business approach adopted by companies that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks, considering economical, environment and social needs in their strategies and practices. Corporate sustainability leaders achieve long-term shareholder value by gearing their strategies and management to harness the market's potential for sustainable products and services while at the same time successfully reducing costs and risks associated with scarcity of the necessary resources.
This forward thinking approach to business requires a new breed of chief strategist who must analyze future trends and determine organizations' long term viability in consideration of both social and environmental factors. As such, the Chief Sustainability Officer must proactively develop and implement a corporate sustainability strategy that creates a competitive advantage for their company's growth and long-term success.
This new focus is also analyzed by the investment community and is quantified and used to identify and select leading companies for investment purposes. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index looks at corporations’ strategy, financial, customer and product, governance and stakeholder, and human strategies. Corporate sustainability performance is therefore an investable concept. This is crucial in driving interest and investments in sustainability to the mutual benefit of companies and investors.
The Nashville Office of Stanton Chase International is hosting a Sustainability Conference on Friday February 13th at the Cool Springs Marriott in Brentwood, TN. The conference theme will be "Sustainability = People, Planet, Profit" and will provide the areas senior executives with useful information from industry experts on implementing sustainability programs within their organization and how this has impacted the bottom line of corporations.
Contact
Daniel Casteel
Managing Director, Nashville
Office: +1 615-242-8450
nashville@stantonchase.com
