The benefits of integrating sustainable development – the process by which organizations and individuals can manage and integrate natural, human, social and economic activities in pursuit of greater prosperity – are becoming increasingly evident to businesses, public and voluntary organizations. Not only are there legislative, reputational and supply chain risks of not doing so, but there are positive benefits of putting sustainable development at the heart of how an organization works and thinks. These include improved operational efficiency and green business opportunities (estimated by the Business and Sustainable Environment Forum as worth £150 billion from sustainable procurement in the UK alone) which directly impact the bottom line. There is also increasing evidence that organisations capable of mainstreaming sustainable development are more flexible, better equipped to manage other risks, more able to attract and retain bright people, and better placed to engage their stakeholders - whether these are clients, communities, shareholders or government.
URSUS assists clients to meet these challenges in a number of ways:
- Understanding the drivers and implications of SD for an organisation;
- Stakeholder consultations using novel and effective methods such as on-line questionnaires and surveys, workshops and focus groups;
- Implementing action plans for SD reporting, project design and appraisal systems, sustainable procurement, human resource development;
- Setting targets and monitoring progress;
- Evaluating costs and benefits of SD approaches and their impact on shareholder value;
- Developing guidance manuals and training for staff.
Case Studies:
- Identifying shareholder value generated by SD including social, cultural, biodiversity, sustainable consumption and production, HSE, good governance, transparency and local economy support initiatives in the mining and metals sector, ICMM 2007.
- Organisational review and advice on regional restructuring of this organization with over 50 trusts based on detailed analysis of external policy and internal drivers, Groundwork Federation 2005-7
- Mainstreaming SD throughout corporate and investment operations including accountability and reporting, procurement, project investment, partnership development and training. emda 2007-8 ongoing
- Mainstreaming SD in project development and appraisal systems including developing a toolkit and training for over 50 staff, ONE 2006-7
- Assessing progress in delivery of SD by the public sector in two regions – the North East and the East of England
Examples of Clients:
- East Midlands Development Agency
- Yorkshire Forward
- One NorthEast
- International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM)
- EEDA
URSUS contact:
Anna MacGillivray
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Tel. 07989 554504
Stephen Owen
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Tel. 07720 416 356