The endorsement of sustainability by the board and management of Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) as one of four corporate business strategies in 2007 gave the charter to the sustainability team to embed sustainability into all aspects of the business. Whilst many organisations adopt a corporate sustainability policy, SKM focuses on implementation throughout the business and embedding sustainability in core activities.

With around 6,500 employees in over 12 countries, working across multiple disciplines, this is not a simple task. Key to successful implementation is:

• Influencing attitudes, behaviours and actions around applying sustainability to the core business 
• Leading change in a practical and realistic way 
• Influencing staff to do things differently

A consistent challenge for many organisations is the gap between policy and practice. Whilst the strategic intent can be well documented, it often remains a responsibility of the corporate strategy team. The translation from rhetoric into core business and daily activities is often weak. Implementation can be inconsistent, and staff ownership can be limited.

Challenges

The challenges SKM faced in implementing the sustainability change program included those specific to sustainability and those that relate to any change program within a large organisation. These included staff perceptions and organisational issues such as:

• Sustainability is a “greenie” issue 
• It’s too complex – what does it really mean? 
• It’s just a fad and will disappear in five years 
• Our clients don’t want it 
• There is no burning platform or crisis to trigger the need for change 
• The way we do things has worked for years – why change? 
• Ensuring the relevance to diverse groups, including scientists, engineers, planners and administrative staff 
• Getting the right balance between technical and general information 
• What program design will actively engage people – and change behaviours? 
• What mix of initiatives (structural, processes, information, awareness) is essential to effect change across the organisation? 
• When is a targeted approach best – against going broad and fully inclusive?

These challenges indicated that the program’s main focus should not be on imparting technical or factual information about sustainability, but on how to connect sustainability in a meaningful way to various groups and disciplines throughout the organisation. Effective use of “softer skills”, such as communication, influencing and facilitation, became increasingly fundamental to the program’s success.

The approach

SKM’s program addressed these challenges systematically and deliberately and was structured around four major activities.

1) Awareness program: rEvolutions

rEvolutions was the initial awareness raising platform for SKM staff to build understanding and support, and create a common understanding of what sustainability meant at SKM and its relevance to them. This four-hour program was designed and delivered in four languages across 10 countries, with over 4,000 staff participating. It was structured around four modules:

• What does sustainability mean at SKM, and why are we doing this? 
• What is SKM doing – how are we “walking the talk”? 
• How do I apply it to my projects? 
• What does this mean for me and my role?

In response to evidence that showed staff preferred problem solving and application, rather than factual content, the program focused on interactive activities. rEvolutions also aimed for clarity and simplicity by omitting jargon and developing simple, practical materials.

SKM invested in its staff to deliver the program and provided training to senior staff with credibility amongst their peers and an aptitude for facilitation. This investment in staff facilitation provided multiple benefits, including the program having greater impact, and staff developing skills that would benefit their professional development. This included more effective design and facilitation of workshops and confidence in managing activities with their teams.

Multiple participant surveys were conducted to enable the program to be progressively evaluated and its impact presented to the board, which justified the investment and demonstrated tangible progress and achievement.

2) Maintaining momentum

A series of “maintaining momentum” activities were delivered to keep sustainability front of mind, provide constant practical stories of successful applications, and prompt reflection. Activities included emailing follow-up stories to participants and facilitating lunchtime discussion sessions about practical steps and tools to apply sustainability to client projects.

A significant part of these sessions involved discussing sustainable outcomes without necessarily mentioning the term “sustainability”. A broader understanding of and approach to strategic and operational risk, long-term value, the changing social, environmental and legislative context for projects, and the link to business resilience all contributed to developing greater confidence to have more effective conversations around sustainable outcomes. The essence of this – how to discuss sustainability in a way that is meaningful and relevant – included thoughtful choice of language and context.

3) Practical application at scale: Sustainability by Design

Staff feedback consistently highlighted an interest in how to apply sustainability, not just the what and why. Tools and approaches that were practical, easy to apply, and relevant to all projects, regardless of size, discipline and geography, were sought.

Nine months after the rEvolutions sessions were launched, the third phase of the program commenced. It was designed around six simple but effective tools delivered within a well-structured process. They were relevant to all projects and represented a way of strategic, holistic and integrated thinking that challenged staff to go beyond a “business as usual” or “managing impacts” approach.

These tools were delivered by senior members of the sustainability team to senior leaders and influencers in the business as they have considerable influence over project decisions, business investment and client relationships. Gaining this group’s support was essential to more widespread adoption.

Again, the focus was practical, rather than theoretical or conceptual. Senior staff from various disciplines relished the challenge to apply their professional skills to real projects, and to deliver outcomes that were innovative but achievable.
The response to this highly targeted initiative was extremely positive. Over 400 senior influencers across the business have now participated in a workshop.

4) Hard wiring into business systems

Although building awareness and support through these activities was the main focus of the program, there was also a complementary role for formalising sustainability into business systems and procedures. Over the past two years, this parallel activity has been increasingly integrated into:

• Managers’ performance KPIs 
• SKM’s procedures for delivering large capital projects 
• Winning work 
• Planning around prospects, proposals and client relationships

As with all procedures and systems, they can be complied with superficially, or via a more thoughtful and considered approach. They require careful construction and a level of accountability that encourages robust application and avoids a “ticking the box” approach. As a leading corporate strategy, sustainability has to be reflected in corporate systems, otherwise it is susceptible to voluntary and discretionary involvement, and a lack of serious intent and accountability around implementation.

© Sinclair Knight Merz
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