Building the business case for sustainability

In an era where the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequalities are increasingly evident, affecting the financial viability of companies across the economy. This guide seeks to demystify the process of integrating sustainability into business operations, turning challenges into strategic opportunities.

This guide aims to equip finance teams and sustainability practitioners with the knowledge to turn sustainability into a strategic advantage. By understanding and leveraging the financial and intangible benefits, a business can transform sustainability challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

As sustainability rises on the corporate agenda, many businesses struggle with translating ambitions into actionable strategies. The perceived high costs of sustainable actions and the diffuse, long-term nature of inaction costs can add to this complexity. This guide from WBCSD aims to provide clarity, offering finance teams and sustainability practitioners practical steps to make a compelling business case for sustainability.

1. Clear steps to building a business case: This guide expands on five actionable steps—scoping the initiative, translating impact, identifying KPIs and data requirements, collecting data, and drafting a business case.
2. Typology of sustainability initiatives: This guide includes 16 themes and 32 opportunities categorized under climate change mitigation and adaptation, nature conservation and restoration, and social justice and equity.
3. Financial and intangible impacts: The guide links opportunities to ten financial drivers and six intangible drivers, providing 32 detailed ‘impact tables’ to support business’ decision-making.
4. Impact tables: These tables outline the specific impacts of each sustainability opportunity, guiding business in preparing a robust business case.