INFORM Opinion

Chris Matthews

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Sustainability is about trust in change

and what it can do for your business

s we lived through the frenzy of the recent General Election cam- paign, I listened intently to what all the politicians had to say. Two words, amongst many, were fre- quently mentioned – not “Brown” and “Cameron” but “change” and “trust”.

In working to embed sustain- able and responsible business practices across United Utilities, these two words resonate because they are critically important if efforts to become a more sustain- able business that delivers bottom line benefits are to succeed. Why “change” and why “trust”? First and foremost, becoming a sustainable business (and I assume most of us are not there yet) is a business change project so it demands all of the disciplines that go with managing business change. I say this because we are asking people to behave differently – and there always has to be a good reason to do something different.

So that is why implementing sustainability is all about change. It is about painting a compelling picture of the future that every one of us, whether from a business or personal perspective, wants to be a part of; it is about respect- ing that people need to move through different emotions (including rejection) before they embrace the change; it is about having a robust plan to deliver the change; and it is about communication from start to finish, engaging those in the change process.

And what better change pro- gramme to be a part of than one that offers growth and opportu- nity, new income streams and new markets, and one which safe- guards the future for our children

and grandchildren, who are our future customers.

Part of accepting the change is to have trust in where the change is taking you and to trust those that are taking you there. Consumers, for example, need to trust the brands and the compa- nies that promote the sustainabil- ity credentials of their products, and it is vitally important those companies do not abuse that trust. Trust in climate change has taken something of a battering in recent months as a result of “cli- mategate” and questions of data integrity surrounding climate change science.

While such concerns cannot be lightly dismissed, they should not erode and undermine the trust that is required to effect the change. Even if there are ques- tions about the methods deployed by some scientists, what is not in question is that we cannot continue to deplete the world’s natural resources at cur- rent levels; nor can we ignore that

there will be changes in climate that will impact our daily lives. We also cannot ignore the opportunity that exists right now to take action that will enhance sustainability and deliver business prosperity. If we can think differ- ently and more creatively, we can realise that opportunity. Rather than be embarrassed about mak- ing money out of the environ- ment, let’s celebrate the fact that responsible business practice that protects the environment adds to the bottom line.

At United Utilities, we switched from virgin materials for pipe ducting to recycled con- tent and saved 40%. A greener stationery contract saved £250,000. We generate 13% of our own energy needs, which is worth some £8M a year in avoid- ed energy purchase and incentive income. I can’t think of many businesses that wouldn’t want to reduce cost to improve margin and competitive advantage. Perhaps this is easy for a FTSE

100 business to say, but these principles apply to all the busi- nesses in every sector. But I recognise that getting started can often be the hardest step, and that is why United Utilities are proud sponsors of The Prince’s Mayday Network, the largest collabora- tion of businesses in the UK com- mitted to tackling climate change. Membership of the network, which incidentally is free to join, gives you access to a one-stop shop of advice and examples that will inspire you to embark on your own change programme to deliver sustainable practices. Look at the website at www.may- daynetwork.com and become a part of a movement that will make a difference. Trust me on this one – it is a change that you will really want to make.

Chris Matthews is head of sustainability at United Utilities.

> www.unitedutilities.com > www.maydaynetwork.com

Utility businesses, like United Utilities, see the sustainability agenda as a great business opportuntiy

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