How Professional Services Firms are Prioritising Sustainability

Travel

One primary focus of professional services firms is reducing the environmental impact of business travel. This can be implemented in several ways, including planning via a budget process seeking to reduce travel, setting carbon budgets for flights by each team and organising company off-sites at specific accessible venues to regulate mileage. Additionally, some firms have developed travel reporting to measure their environmental impact, which then informs future travel planning. 

Office buildings

To reduce their carbon footprint, many companies have switched to a 100% renewable electricity supplier, as well as investing in upgraded and more efficient air conditioning systems. The move towards paperless workflows and eliminating printers is also a popular initiative.

However, as only 10% of the current corporate carbon emissions can be offset, some organisations are holding off participating until more advanced offsetting programmes become available.

Challenges in sustainability reporting

The discussion emphasised that the primary goal of sustainability initiatives is environmental responsibility, not cost saving.

Broader sustainability view

Among the wider sustainability initiatives, the group highlighted that effective collaboration within and across industries can significantly enhance sustainability efforts. For instance, addressing Scope 4 emissions - those resulting from the use of a product or service - has led to companies in the professional services sector establishing client engagement principles to guide which businesses they collaborate with. 

Global leadership and sustainability expertise

Odgers Berndtson advises firms on sustainability initiatives, including the support of boards in identifying and developing leaders with the expertise to accurately deliver these initiatives. By building on current efforts, leaders are choosing to invest in sustainable practices that align with long-term strategic goals - a critical factor in increasing stakeholder value, team engagement and reducing climate impact.

Odgers Berndtson are the first global executive search firm to have our own carbon emission reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), an independent organisation which evaluates companies’ carbon targets and provides accreditation to the targets.

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