Sustainability 2017 Roadmap
With our Sustainability 2017 Vision in place and businesses working towards their individual plans, we have started to examine in more detail our strategy for achieving the targets.
We are developing a roadmap to 2017 to facilitate and support delivery of the vision and to track progress.
Click to enlarge image
The roadmap is divided into three phases.
Phase one is underpinned by the introduction of business sustainability plans and budgets as businesses begin to set targets and establish a line of sight to what they are aiming to achieve by 2017. Metrics are established and applied to measure progress. Relevant tools are developed to ensure consistent and appropriate measures across the group. Investment in R&D, transformational technology development and incremental operational improvements begin in phase one to ensure the delivery of business benefits and new market opportunities within the 2017 timescale.
By phase two, wider improvements and step changes in manufacturing will be introduced and we would expect to see implementation of the new technologies developed in phase one. Metrics and plans will be refined and business strategies established to ensure continued development of sustainable products and operations beyond 2017.
In phase three we would expect to start to see results from the work undertaken in phases one and two. Business benefits from the introduction of new products should contribute to improved profit while step changes in manufacturing and improvements in operational efficiency should result in more efficient processes requiring fewer resources and generating fewer emissions.
We aim to integrate horizon scanning during all three phases to provide us with the feedback we need to develop our strategies to take account of any significant changes in global, political, business and economic factors. Our ability to respond and adapt to such changes is vital in ensuring we are well placed to maximise the benefits of new opportunities and to mitigate the effects of any issues that arise.
Throughout our journey to 2017, we must keep abreast of world events and the effects that countries, companies and individuals are having on the world in which we live. By 2017, we would not expect our sustainability efforts to be done. As we enter our third century of operation, the group will aspire to further improve its sustainability performance to ensure it continues to make a positive contribution to the planet in 2017 and beyond.