MIT Sloan Survey: Practicing Sustainability Yields New Competitive Advantages

The MIT Sloan Management Review and the Boston Consulting Group have just concluded a survey of 1500 corporate leaders on their sustainability practices. The findings show that while the vast majority of companies are addressing sustainability in their businesses, their implementation varies widely. Many companies are aiming for sustainable practices as a general goal, but not implementing specific policies that will take them to the forefront of innovation and make them leaders in their respective fields. The survey looked at the companies that are already putting sustainable practices into play, and found that pursuing those goals gets results:

Once companies begin to act aggressively, they tend to unearth more opportunity, not less, than they expected to find, including tangible bottom-line impacts and new sources of competitive advantage.

Those "new sources of competitive advantage" are why sustainability isn't just good for the planet. Early adoption is a huge predictor of success, and companies that create sustainable practices will become the standard-bearers in their respective industries. The survey's analysis of companies truly dedicated to sustainability found that by creating a strong business case for sustainability, these companies were able to translate their values throughout the business, creating one cohesive goal. That creates strong companies, and strong companies drive innovation.

— Matthew Faraci

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