Role-Specific Competencies

Sustainability strategies don’t succeed behind closed doors. One of the biggest challenges I see in Sustainability and ESG implementation? Treating it like an internal checklist. But in reality, Sustainability and ESG only works when it's built with stakeholders, and not just for them or because of them. ✅ Investors want clarity. ✅ Employees want authenticity. ✅ Regulators want transparency. ✅ Customers want values that match their own. The most effective Sustainability and ESG strategies are co-created through meaningful, two-way engagement, long before a report is published. Here’s what I’ve seen work: 👥 Engage stakeholders early – Don’t wait for feedback. Bring people into the process from the start. 🚶🏻♀️ Walk the talk – Sustainability can’t live on paper. When teams see values in action, engagement deepens. 📊 Report what truly matters – Relevance builds trust. Focus your disclosures where it counts. Stakeholder engagement is more than just a checkbox, it’s a relationship. And in times of uncertainty, those relationships are what carry your strategy forward. Ready to make your Sustainability and ESG strategy more collaborative, credible, and effective? 🔗 Learn how my advisory services can support your stakeholder-driven ESG goals: https://lnkd.in/e9CWD9Vd 🔗 Stay in the loop with Sustainability best practices-subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.fulyakocak.com Real impact starts when people feel part of the process. #StakeholderEngagement  #ESGLeadership  #SustainabilityStrategy

The most underestimated challenge in corporate sustainability? Getting people to actually care. You can have the best ESG strategy. The most sophisticated framework. The most detailed targets. But if the relationship manager doesn't know how to have a sustainability conversation with a client... if the finance team doesn't understand why a green bond or a sustainability-linked loan is structured differently... if the procurement team doesn't know what supplier due diligence actually means in a sustainability context... The strategy stays in the strategy document. The organisations getting this right share one thing in common: sustainability isn't sitting in one team. It's embedded across the whole organisation; finance, risk, investment management, procurement, facility management, with each function holding real accountability for specific sustainability targets. Not just awareness. Ownership. And of course, this level of integration only works if people in those functions are equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver. A risk officer needs to understand ESG differently than a client advisor. A procurement manager differently than a board member. It's not one training fits all. It's targeted upskilling that connects each role to its specific ESG responsibilities. The organisations getting this right aren't just training people. They're embedding it across. #Sustainability #ESGStrategy #ClimateAction

In all my conversations with executives since last year, there's no doubt about the new sustainability imperative: ROI and Value Creation. The global landscape has shifted dramatically: - New US administration reshaping policies - Cost of living pressures intensifying - EU Omnibus directive transforming reporting standards In this evolving context, sustainability without clear ROI and value creation is no longer optional—it's essential for business survival and growth. Recent research from Deloitte and The Wall Street Journal highlights that 27% of food companies achieve over 10% ROI from sustainability investments—proof that purpose-driven strategies deliver profits. But how do you quantify the full value of sustainability beyond cost savings? Two years ago, I was introduced by the great Karen L. Coyne to the Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI™) framework from NYU Stern School of Business, an great model to bridge sustainability goals with financial performance. ROSI helps companies: 1. Monetize hidden benefits like brand equity, employee retention, and supply chain resilience. 2. Prioritize high-impact strategies across industries—from healthcare decarbonization to regenerative agriculture. 3. Build CFO buy-in by translating sustainability into tangible financial metrics. The Food & Agriculture Sustainable Strategies Framework, developed with companies like Ingredion Incorporated and Anheuser-Busch, identifies 12 value-driving practices—such as reducing water use and ethical sourcing—that cut costs and boost market share. Sustainability isn't a cost center—it's a growth engine. Tools like ROSI empower leaders to: - Turn risk mitigation into revenue streams - Align sustainability goals with investor expectations - Future-proof operations against climate disruptions Let's stop treating sustainability as regulation and a checkbox, and start treating it as a value driver. 💼🌱

A recent BDO survey (article in comments) reveals that 75%+ of CFOs plan to maintain or increase sustainability investments—even in the face of potential policy shifts under a new administration. This underscores a crucial shift I am seeing with my clients: Sustainability is no longer just a regulatory obligation but a strategic business imperative. From ESG-driven risk management to long-term value creation, companies are prioritizing sustainable practices to stay competitive. The report concluded that "91% of companies working to integrate sustainability also anticipate increased revenue in 2025, compared to only 74% of other respondents, and 69% expect increased profitability, ahead of their peers at only 56%". Companies that are integrating sustainable practices into their operations and supply chains are unlocking cost savings, innovation, and competitive advantage while mitigating risks. #Sustainability #BusinessLeadership #ESG #CorporateStrategy

Let’s talk about sustainability in business—because it’s probably not getting the attention it deserves. For years, many companies have treated sustainability as an afterthought—something nice to have but not critical. They’ve kept it separate, maybe with a recycling program or a CSR report here and there. But here’s the truth: treating sustainability as a side project is no longer an option. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: when sustainability isn’t integrated into core business strategies, companies miss out on huge benefits. We’re talking about things like increased profitability, reduced operational costs, and greater resilience in a volatile market. Here’s the catch: sustainability isn’t just about doing good—it’s also about doing well. Companies that embrace it outperform their competitors. Just look at Unilever: its sustainable brands grew 46% faster than others in their portfolio. So why aren’t more companies making sustainability a priority? Maybe it’s because they don’t realize the full impact. Or they’re still treating it like an optional “nice to have.” But here’s the thing: treating sustainability as a core strategy unlocks value across the board. It helps you meet stakeholder expectations, attract top talent, and secure your business’s future. So what can you do? Shift your mindset. Think about how sustainability can fit into every aspect of your business—from supply chains to product design. Appoint leaders who are committed to driving change and start integrating sustainable practices into your daily operations. Isn’t it time we started thinking about sustainability as a core business strategy—not just a side project?

Are Your Sustainability Claims Putting Your Company at Legal Risk? Recent research reveals a startling shift: Corporate sustainability commitments, once primarily a reputational concern, are increasingly becoming grounds for litigation. A comprehensive analysis published in Harvard Business Review highlights how the landscape of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) communication is fundamentally changing. The data is compelling: With over 2,500 active climate litigation cases globally, companies face unprecedented scrutiny not just for their environmental impact, but for how they communicate their sustainability efforts. The research points to a critical emerging pattern in corporate liability. A pivotal case study illuminates this trend: The 2024 legal action against JBS USA Food Company challenged their "net zero by 2040" commitment. What makes this case particularly significant is that it targeted a voluntary sustainability pledge, questioning not the missed targets, but the viability of the implementation plan itself. The research identifies an emerging corporate response: "greenhushing." Companies are increasingly withdrawing from public sustainability discourse to minimize legal exposure. However, the analysis suggests this strategy carries significant risks: - Market position erosion as competitors maintain transparency - Reduced ability to attract investment and talent - Missed opportunities for industry collaboration - Non-compliance with emerging regulations like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive Evidence-based strategies for risk mitigation: 1. Integration of legal and communications functions in sustainability strategy development, supported by clear governance structures 2. Research-backed implementation plans preceding public commitments 3. Transparent progress reporting: Studies show 80% of stakeholders respond positively to organizations that acknowledge challenges while presenting clear remediation strategies 4. Active policy engagement to help shape the regulatory framework The research conclusively demonstrates that strategic sustainability communication isn't optional - it's a core business imperative. Success depends on balancing transparency with robust risk management protocols. Question for fellow leaders: How is your organization adapting its sustainability communication strategy in response to this evolving legal landscape? #sustainability #leadership #supplychain ___________ 👍🏽 Like this? ♻️ Repost to help someone ✅ Follow me Sheri R. Hinish 🔔 Click my name → Hit the bell → See my posts. ___________ References based on HBR analysis and current market research in corporate sustainability communications.

Is corporate sustainability still relevant in today’s CRE market? That’s what we tackled in Lecture 2 (Corporate Sustainability 101) of my University of San Diego - Knauss School of Business Sustainable Real Estate (MSRE) course. We focused on how environmental, social, and governance strategies actually show up in practice, through insurance pricing, capital access, operating costs, workforce stability, and reputation. Not ideology. Execution. A key takeaway for students: while the U.S. conversation has become polarized, ESG remains the global operating language for investors, lenders, insurers, and regulators (including IFRS/ISS) in most countries. Many firms may be strategically renaming programs in the U.S., but most large companies are still implementing the same strategies because the business case hasn’t changed. In the second half of class, students role-played a real-world negotiation where a U.S. firm had to balance conservative domestic investors with European institutions operating under binding sustainability rules. The lesson was clear: pulling back too far can mean lost mandates, lost capital, and real workforce risk. Bottom line: ESG isn’t about politics, it’s a risk management and value creation toolkit that establishes common standards and best practices to help companies implement sustainable strategies, measure performance, and communicate progress consistently. Firms that stay the course are better positioned when markets recalibrate and recover. Proud of how thoughtfully the students engaged with these discussions! In Lecture 2, students also leveraged Verdani Institute for the Built Environment | VIBE’s Corporate Sustainability Strategies Guidance Report as a core reading and practical resource to ground these discussions in real-world implementation. The report connects strategy to execution across governance, environmental, and social priorities. 🔗 VIBE Corporate Sustainability Strategies Guidance Report: https://lnkd.in/gnJ9E6hX #SustainableRealEstate #CommercialRealEstate #RiskManagement #CapitalMarkets #CRELeadership #FutureOfRealEstate #CorporateStrategy #GlobalCapital Verdani Partners

Today we published "Structuring Corporate Sustainability for Business Advantage," our new The Conference Board report by our Principal Researcher Andrew Jones, PhD. This report—based on a survey of 70 corporate #sustainability and environmental, social & governance (#ESG) leaders at US and multinational firms—examines and shares best practices on how companies #structure and position their sustainability teams, how they interact with other business functions, and how those choices shape overall efficiency and effectiveness. •Most surveyed companies favor a “hybrid” internal sustainability structure—combining a lean central team with distributed responsibilities across business units—as it enables strategic oversight, operational integration, and efficient use of resources. •Half of surveyed firms plan structural adjustments over the next two years to strengthen sustainability coordination and alignment to allow for closer business integration, long-term resilience, and regulatory readiness. •Most companies embed sustainability into some processes but not enterprise-wide; over the next two years, survey respondents expect to integrate sustainability more deeply in functions such as finance, procurement, and risk management. •A cross-functional steering committee is the most-cited way to advance sustainability integration, but broader change management is needed to address cultural barriers and competing mandates. •The most notable sustainability talent gaps—financial modeling, change management, and data analysis—reflect the function’s shift toward core strategy and decision-making, although budget limits mean only 60% of firms plan to add roles in the next two years. https://lnkd.in/gvGFNJTM #CorporateGovernance #CorpGov #Sustainability 

Transforming corporate culture is a key step to advance corporate sustainability 🌍 Sharing here my latest article with Inc. Magazine on how companies like LEGO, Patagonia, and Unilever manage change and embed sustainability into their culture. Sustainability cannot be imposed. It requires transforming how organizations think, act, and make decisions. These companies show that change is possible when sustainability is treated as a system, not an initiative. Their experience reveals three essential elements: purpose, incentives, and governance. Each reinforces the other and together create lasting transformation. Purpose gives direction. It connects people’s daily work to a shared reason for being. When purpose drives change, decisions align with impact instead of convenience. Patagonia demonstrates this link. The company transferred ownership to channel all profits toward environmental conservation and gives employees paid time to support environmental organizations. These decisions make purpose tangible. They turn values into daily practice and strengthen credibility. Incentives shape behavior. What gets measured and rewarded becomes what matters. Integrating sustainability into performance and compensation systems helps build accountability and focus. LEGO introduced a carbon indicator tied to annual bonuses for salaried employees, embedding emissions reduction into personal objectives. This approach connects company success with environmental progress and ensures sustainability remains a shared goal across teams. Governance sustains consistency. It gives structure to purpose and incentives so they endure beyond leadership cycles. Unilever’s model shows how governance can turn sustainability into strategy. The company relies on dedicated committees, regular performance reviews, and external advisory councils to keep social and environmental goals on track. Together, these three pillars purpose, incentives, and governance create a foundation for sustainable corporate transformation. How prepared are organizations to manage sustainability with the same rigor as their core business? #sustainability #esg

Coming out of #ClimateWeek - One of the most striking themes at Climate Week 2025 was how quickly nature and water are moving from the margins of corporate sustainability to the center of business strategy. Companies like AB InBev, Salesforce, Microsoft , and Diageo are no longer treating nature as a philanthropic add-on. They’re embedding it into operations, risk management, and innovation. For AB InBev, nature-based solutions are being deployed across 36 high-risk watersheds. Microsoft is designing data centers with direct-to-chip cooling and internal water fees to fund stewardship. Diageo is integrating water into business continuity planning in water-stressed regions like Kenya and Mexico. Technology is helping scale these efforts. Acoustic leak detection tools (Here's looking at you FIDO Tech) are identifying invisible water losses with over 90 percent accuracy. Digital twins are optimizing water use in agriculture. These aren’t pilot projects, they’re operational strategies. For those of us in manufacturing-heavy industries like automotive, the implications are clear. Water risk, land use, and biodiversity are no longer distant concerns. They’re material. They affect production, community license to operate, and long-term resilience. The takeaway: if nature is part of your risk, it should be part of your strategy. #ClimateWeekNYC #WaterStewardship #NatureBasedSolutions #SustainabilityStrategy #AutomotiveSustainability #BusinessResilience