Sustainability Audit FAQ
Over the past week, I have been exploring the first step that most businesses take when choosing to become more aware of their sustainability as well as their social, ethical and environmental impact. The first step is usually a baseline assessment. This post covers important background info on this process such as: how long this takes and what types of questions are asked. For a basic introduction to Sustainability Audits, click here.
You can also choose to do a comprehensive or targeted audit. Targeted audits may focus on one specific area at a time, perhaps one of strategic importance, and go further in-depth than a comprehensive review often allows. Whichever you decide, the goal of an Audit is usually to give a business a clear overview of “where you are now” before deciding on longer-term strategy and goals. To decide where you are going, it helps to know where you are first.
Although for many people the term “sustainability” relates specifically to the environment, Sustainability Audits are rarely restricted to environmental impact. Their purpose is usually about becoming a more responsible company and “doing good”. It is for this reason then that they usually cover the spectrum of Corporate Responsibility which includes examining your contributions and impact on: social, ethical and environmental areas.
1. Internal social: how much your internal culture supports and empowers employees
2. External social: how does your business do more than just “take” profit by giving back to your community and the world around you
3. Internal environmental: how safe, sustainable and responsible your practices within your business
4. External environmental: how does your business affect the environment more broadly now and in the future
5. Systems: what processes have you set up to regularly evaluate and report on these areas as well as transparency of information and decisions
1. Integrity: You are a business who wants to do your best in the world and for the world.
2. Ethical: You are as aware of your social and environmental impact as you are of your profits.
3. Transparent: You share accessible information about your impact as well as that of your suppliers.
4. Responsible: You can prove that you have done what you say you have and meet your goals.
5. Committed: You have a clear sustainability strategy that is long-term and goes beyond improving sales.
6. Honest: You tell your Sustainability story in a way that is truthful covering both your strengths and areas needed for improvement.
1. Do you have an Employee Handbook? How accessible is this to employees? Is it aligned with a sustainability strategy as well as health and safety?
2. Do you give back to your community? Are your employees supported to individually or collectively give back? How is this recorded and is this done on paid company time?
3. Do you know how much waste your business produces? If you produce an actual product, what happens to them when they are finished with or become obsolete? Do you offer a recycling program or customer guidance on dealing with your product at the end of its life cycle?
4. Do you have a system and yearly schedule of regular evaluations and reporting with regards to your sustainability practices? Are these practices formally embedded in your corporate structure or are they related to individual effort and enthusiasm which could be lost or change over time?
5. Who do you share information about your sustainability practices with? Are employees able to contribute to this data? How easily accessible is this data - and at what level - to your customers?
How long does a Sustainability Audit take?
This first depends upon exactly what you decide to examine in your Audit and who will be carrying it out. You can do a brief checklist Sustainability Audit in-house that has little depth but will give you an indication of where you stand in a couple hours. However, most are more involved and take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months depending on the depth of the Audit, if you have a Consultant or in-house group carrying this out and how large your business is. In a previous post, I explained why and how many businesses set up Green Teams and what they do in relation to assessment and monitoring your sustainability.You can also choose to do a comprehensive or targeted audit. Targeted audits may focus on one specific area at a time, perhaps one of strategic importance, and go further in-depth than a comprehensive review often allows. Whichever you decide, the goal of an Audit is usually to give a business a clear overview of “where you are now” before deciding on longer-term strategy and goals. To decide where you are going, it helps to know where you are first.
Although for many people the term “sustainability” relates specifically to the environment, Sustainability Audits are rarely restricted to environmental impact. Their purpose is usually about becoming a more responsible company and “doing good”. It is for this reason then that they usually cover the spectrum of Corporate Responsibility which includes examining your contributions and impact on: social, ethical and environmental areas.
"Litchfield" by HerryLawford is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Which areas does a Sustainability Audit cover?
The main areas a typical Sustainability Audit covers generally focus on: employees, your community, the environment and governance. In a previous post, I compared 3 different approaches to “breaking down” the different areas of Sustainability Audits. I focused on 3 of the most influential approaches. Although they all differ in the number of categories and what exactly their focus is, they all examine your impact on the following:1. Internal social: how much your internal culture supports and empowers employees
2. External social: how does your business do more than just “take” profit by giving back to your community and the world around you
3. Internal environmental: how safe, sustainable and responsible your practices within your business
4. External environmental: how does your business affect the environment more broadly now and in the future
5. Systems: what processes have you set up to regularly evaluate and report on these areas as well as transparency of information and decisions
What are key assumptions behind Sustainability Audits?
There are a number of key assumptions behind Sustainability Audits.1. Integrity: You are a business who wants to do your best in the world and for the world.
2. Ethical: You are as aware of your social and environmental impact as you are of your profits.
3. Transparent: You share accessible information about your impact as well as that of your suppliers.
4. Responsible: You can prove that you have done what you say you have and meet your goals.
5. Committed: You have a clear sustainability strategy that is long-term and goes beyond improving sales.
6. Honest: You tell your Sustainability story in a way that is truthful covering both your strengths and areas needed for improvement.
"That is the Question" by cogdogblog is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Typical Sustainability Audit Questions
Typical questions in a Sustainability Audit aim to map out what you are doing currently. Therefore, they often ask questions to get the following types of information:1. Do you have an Employee Handbook? How accessible is this to employees? Is it aligned with a sustainability strategy as well as health and safety?
2. Do you give back to your community? Are your employees supported to individually or collectively give back? How is this recorded and is this done on paid company time?
3. Do you know how much waste your business produces? If you produce an actual product, what happens to them when they are finished with or become obsolete? Do you offer a recycling program or customer guidance on dealing with your product at the end of its life cycle?
4. Do you have a system and yearly schedule of regular evaluations and reporting with regards to your sustainability practices? Are these practices formally embedded in your corporate structure or are they related to individual effort and enthusiasm which could be lost or change over time?
5. Who do you share information about your sustainability practices with? Are employees able to contribute to this data? How easily accessible is this data - and at what level - to your customers?
