The first steps towards a sustainable approach

Are you convinced that sustainable entrepreneurship is for you, but don't know where to start? Here's a series of steps to get you started. Keep an eye out for our tips along the way, and let us guide you. 

​​​​Step 1: Get started

To get started on the road to sustainability, or to make your own transition, we recommend forming a team.  

If you work alone in your company (or you only have very small numbers), don't panic! There is a wide range of support available to help you move forward while receiving guidance and support.  

If your company is larger, you can set up an internal sustainability task force (also known as a sustainability committee or EcoTeam), ideally composed of members from the various business units and hierarchical levels that make up your company, in order to benefit from multiple viewpoints on the issues you address. Greater diversity in profiles (background, age, disability, etc.) will encourage the creation of innovative solutions that will be accepted by all.  

This body doesn't need to be made up of sustainability experts, but by members that are motivated and committed.  

Start by making sure everyone understands the team's purpose. To do this, make use of the "What is a company in transition?" section of this guide. 

It is important that everyone is able to express themselves freely at this task force's meetings, and that the way in which decisions are made is made clear, and that the decisions themselves are justified.  

Finally, outside the company itself, contacting competitors or neighbouring or complementary companies can prove useful: common solutions or synergies may come out of your discussions (e.g. group purchasing and sharing equipment) which could also be a source of business opportunities.

Step 2: Assess the situation

Designing your sustainable business model or integrating sustainability into your strategy will involve assessing the status of your project. With this in mind, you'll definitely find it useful to enlist the support of external organisations to help you implement your approach or find inspiring initiatives. 

There are many stakeholders out there to help you, especially in the Brussels Capital Region. Please refer to the section on "Finding support" to find out what's available.  

Scanning your activities will enable you to analyse your impact across different aspects.

• The first aspect, the one we immediately think of, is the carbon footprint. To measure it, you need to look at CO² emissions, both direct and indirect: energy (heating, manufacture of products and packaging, etc.), buildings (urbanisation, materials, etc.), transport (delivery of goods, staff), digital (data storage, manufacture of devices, marketing, etc.), food, water and waste treatment, etc.
• In terms of the indirect footprint, the choices you make regarding the service providers you decide to work with need to be scrutinised: what criteria are your purchasing procedures based on? do these companies have a sustainable development policy? are they certified? 
• Sustainability encompasses more than just the environment: social impact and good governance are other important criteria. 
  • Some companies will set themselves up as companies with a social purpose from the outset, but any company can have a positive social impact, by paying attention within their business to gender equality, diversity and inclusion, quality of life at work, ongoing training for employees, (re)employment of people facing difficulties, accessibility (prices adapted to the audience, availability of information) of the product or service offering, or local benefits. 
  • Strong governance, i.e. taking into account all stakeholders, transparency, representation and independence, will only strengthen your positive impact on society in general. 

    The procedures and practices in place as part of the company's social policy and corporate governance must be analysed. 

Once again, don't panic, you're not alone in this task!

You can call on support mechanisms, but you can also use online tools to help you with this exercise.

Questionnaires from some labels (Ecodyn, B Corp) can also be really helpful in making an initial analysis.

Step 3: (Re)Think your strategy in a sustainable way

 You (and your team) now have a clearer view of where your company stands from an environmental, social and governance point of view.  

Now it's time to think about your objectives, the influence you want to have on a societal level, and your strategy for achieving them.  

• Start with your corporate vision: where do you want to be in the medium (5 years) and long term (10 years) if you achieve your goals? Don't be scared to dream big! Your vision should be ambitious. It can make you stand out you from your competitors and help you retain talent within your company. 
  What will your customers gain if they opt for your solutions? Be consistent with the products and services you are going to offer.  
  This vision may evolve over time: we don't know what the future will bring, or what technological advances will help us.
  For example, the federal public authorities have drawn up a strategic vision for sustainable development up to 2050, which can be viewed here. 

• Now think about your mission: what do you do, why and for whom? Your mission should be anchored in the present. It enables you to make your vision achievable, and will set a standard you'll be held to. 
  Use the Sustainable Development Goals to draw up your vision and your mission. They will enable you to broaden your field of reflection, join a common global approach, and later, to define indicators that are aligned with the expectations of the public authorities.
  Don't limit yourself to your product or service: think about your project's stakeholders, the community in which you operate and how you can improve their quality of life. 

• From there, draw up your own list of targets based on the SMART principle (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). 
  Be inspired by what's already out there: visit the Shifting Economy website to find out about the Brussels Capital Region's economic transition objectives and measures that affect your business sector. Discover new business models and take advantage of existing tools to design your business model in a sustainable and circular way.  

Don't hesitate to ask for support and, above all, remember that Rome wasn't built in a day! Better a small step than no step at all. Don't get bogged down by the sheer size of the task; identify the things that can be put in place quickly and at a lower cost, and start there! It's good for morale, for the planet and for your wallet!

Step 4: Set your goals

It's time to set up some markers to make sure you achieve the goals you've set for yourself.  

To do this, you'll need to determine key performance indicators (KPIs). In addition to financial and economic indicators, define some environmental, social and governance indicators. 

When doing this, think about how you're going to be able to use the data you've collected; taking time to produce a report that won't be used can be discouraging for the team.  

Equally, don't over-analyse, or you'll risk ending up with an indigestible report and taking up more of your team's time with the reporting than actually carrying out actions. 

Use indicators that allow comparison over time. 

Design your evaluation system so that your reporting is analysed regularly. 

As well as soon being a source of additional financing, obtaining a label is an opportunity to compare your company's results with the competition, and identify any threats or opportunities for your project. The B Corp label (mentioned above) and the Ecodynamic Organisation label are two labels classed as "exemplary" by the Region.  Please refer to the "Labelling"7 section of the guide to find out more about this. 

Last but not least, keep in mind that reporting is a tool for improvement, not a goal in itself. When it comes to analysis, be transparent and critical of your results.  

Step 5: Take action

Don't wait until you're an expert to take action — just get started! 

Communicate your strategy within your organisation and with your partners.  If appropriate depending on the size of your organisation, consider arranging a launch event to present your strategic plan. Don't forget that it's important for information to be communicated through all levels of the hierarchy: the decision-makers (top managers) shouldn't be the only ones involved. Use a variety of communication channels to ensure you reach as many of your target audience as possible, as well as allowing for feedback from the ground (e.g. via an idea box).

And of course, don't hesitate to make use of the various financial aids available to help you put your actions into practice! 

Step 6: Celebrate and communicate

After analysing your KPIs, you realise that you've achieved tangible results. Well, it's high time you took advantage of it! The efforts you and your teams have made should be celebrated, both within your organisation and with the outside world. 

As you've probably guessed, this communication about your results must also be sustainable. 

Sharing our successes with our employees nurtures a sustainable corporate culture. However, it's not just a question of keeping them informed, but also of finding a way to show individuals that their contribution is essential and that they are right to invest in this common project.  

Communicating your results externally is just as important, as the subject of sustainability needs to be debated more in the public space and provided with more support in order to achieve the societal sustainability goals. As a company, you have the power to inspire your users.  

The communication methods themselves can also be analysed using environmental, social and governance criteria.  The environmental impact of the chosen distribution channels, whether in person, print, digital or audiovisual, needs to be measured.  

On the social side, particular attention needs to be paid to inclusion through the choice of words or illustrations, the support provided for comprehension (e.g. subtitles, audio description, adapted font size) and the digital skills of the target audience. 

As far as good governance is concerned, pay particular attention to greenwashing: there is a legal framework that governs companies' statements to ensure that their communication on their actions in favour of the environment is clear, specific, accurate and supported by evidence.  

Step 7: And then...

Being sustainable is an ongoing process, a goal to be pursued every day. As mentioned earlier, the world is changing and we need to be able to adapt. 

To this end, it's a good idea to keep monitoring any information to make sure you keep up to date with the latest advances, regulations and aids related to sustainability, and to continue to provide training for yourself and your staff in order to increase your skills and make sustainability an integral part of your corporate culture. 

If you haven't already done so, obtaining a label to prove your exemplary character is a step that is encouraged by the Brussels Capital Region.