our UPEND™️ model
Our UPEND™ model describes our distinctive approach to developing sustainability strategies, showcasing the key elements that are different to a lot of the other strategies we’ve witnessed.
In our experience, many companies’ sustainability strategies (“ESG” to some) fall short on:
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Being based on a thorough understanding of impacts and dependencies across the value chain
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Trying to do too much, not being sufficiently prioritised to focus limited resources on the things that matter most
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Sitting separate to the company’s core commercial strategy rather than being integrated into a single strategic plan
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Following the crowd rather than charting a distinctive path
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Being difficult to get quick wins on the board and demonstrate progress with clear metrics
U
Understand
Identify (with evidence) your sustainability impacts, dependencies and exposures (including compliance changes) across the value chain.
P
Prioritise (fiercely!)
Assess the materiality of your impacts, risks and opportunities and ruthlessly align resources to the areas that matter most and make the biggest difference.
E
Embed
Make sustainability a coherent thread through your purpose, strategy, accountabilities, delivery plans, brand narrative, investor story, KPIs etc.
N
New path
Don’t be afraid to be different, to not sign up to the same pledge that everyone else is. If you’ve understood and prioritised, blaze that trail!
D
Do & demonstrate
Get some focused wins on the board, measure your impact and progress, tell your story to stakeholders and continually build from there.
