Sustainability Update

🌍 I wrote a blog called 'Sustainability Helps" in April 2023 which explained what Pernod Ricard who produce Absolut Vodka were doing to reduce its carbon footprint in Norway. This goes hand in hand with forward thinking.

"Those with drive make it to the top!" Carl Boniface

However, today we are going to take a look at another international firm that are open to change whilst poised to reach the top of the ladder:

🌍 Real Company Case: HP Inc. — Sustainability Driving Business Value

HP Inc., the global technology company known for printers and computers, has made sustainability central to its long-term strategy — and the results show that this can align with financial performance and innovation.

🟢 What HP Is Doing

• HP has set ambitious climate targets, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2025 and achieving net zero emissions by 2040.

• The company is moving toward circularity — where products and packaging are made from recycled materials and can be reused again. It aims for 75% of its products and packaging to be circular by 2030.

• HP has developed partnerships to reuse ocean-bound plastics in its products — with over 110 million plastic bottles recovered so far.

  
  

💼 Why This Matters to Boards

✔️ Cost savings & resource efficiency Using recycled and sustainable materials often reduces dependency on volatile raw material prices.

✔️ Brand & reputation enhancement HP’s sustainability leadership earns platinum scores from independent ratings, showing stakeholders consumers trust companies that take sustainability seriously.

✔️ Future-proofing the business

Investors and customers are increasingly factoring environmental performance into decisions. Companies seen as forward-thinking can attract more capital, talent, and market share.

🧠 Convincing the Board: What This Example Shows

Using HP’s success as a proof point in your argument helps you make several strong points:

• Big companies can lead on sustainability without sacrificing profits or growth.

• Long-term planning builds resilience rather than short-term cost savings.

• External ratings and partnerships (like reuse programs) create competitive advantage.

  
  

💡 Quick Talking Points for Boards

Here are concise, board-friendly lines your sustainability manager can use:

🔹 “Companies that integrate sustainability into strategy often outperform peers in risk management and innovation.” 

🔹 “Sustainability efforts open doors to new markets, and customers increasingly demand it.” 

🔹 “Leading companies — from HP to Patagonia to IKEA — show that environmental goals and strong financial performance can go hand-in-hand.” 

Sustainability as Strategy: What Global Leaders Are Proving

Sustainability is no longer an abstract moral goal or a public-relations exercise. For many global companies, it has become a core business strategy—one that drives efficiency, resilience, and long-term competitiveness.

A strong example is HP Inc., one of the world’s most established technology companies. Far from being a start-up chasing trends, HP operates in a highly competitive, cost-sensitive market. Yet sustainability sits at the center of its long-term planning.

HP has committed to reducing emissions across its supply chain, increasing the use of recycled materials, and designing products with circularity in mind. These initiatives were not adopted to “look good,” but to reduce dependency on scarce resources, stabilize costs, and future-proof operations. Today, sustainability is embedded in how HP manages risk, attracts investors, and remains relevant in a changing global economy.

This mirrors the lesson from Absolut Vodka’s investment in cleaner production: companies that act early are not taking unnecessary risks — they are reducing future exposure.

Why This Matters for Leadership Teams

For boards focused on performance and legacy, sustainability offers three clear advantages:

• Risk management: Environmental regulation, resource scarcity, and supply-chain disruption are business risks, not theoretical concerns.

• Market positioning: Customers, partners, and investors increasingly reward companies that demonstrate long-term responsibility.

• Longevity: Forward-thinking companies adapt before change is forced upon them.

Sustainability does not replace profitability. It protects it.

The Leadership Question

The real challenge facing companies today is not whether sustainability matters — but whether leadership is willing to think beyond short-term cycles. The firms that lead tomorrow are those willing to evolve today, even when change feels uncomfortable.

In this sense, sustainability is not about being “green.”It is about being prepared.

Why this works for your audience

• It respects experience instead of lecturing

• It frames sustainability as risk, strategy, and continuity

• It uses established global companies, not idealistic examples

• It aligns perfectly with the tone of my original post

Take care!

Prof. Carl Boniface

Vocabulary Focus

Sustainability Operating in a way that meets present needs without harming future generations.

Circularity / Circular economy A system where products and materials are reused, recycled, and kept in use for as long as possible.

Supply chain The full process of producing and delivering a product, from raw materials to the customer.

Future-proof To prepare a company or system so it can succeed despite future changes or risks.

Risk management The process of identifying and reducing potential problems that could harm a business.

Resource scarcity A situation where essential materials become limited or expensive.

Long-term strategy Planning that focuses on sustainable success over many years rather than short-term gains.

Market positioning How a company presents itself compared to competitors.

Stakeholders People or groups affected by a company’s actions, such as employees, customers, investors, and communities.

Legacy The long-lasting impact leaders or companies leave behind.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Why is sustainability described as a business strategy rather than a moral choice?

2. How does HP use sustainability to reduce long-term business risks?

3. What similarities are drawn between HP and Absolut Vodka’s sustainability efforts?

4. According to the text, why might sustainability appeal to board members focused on performance?

5. How can sustainability help companies deal with future regulations and market changes?

6. What does the text suggest about companies that delay sustainability initiatives?

7. Why is sustainability linked to longevity and legacy in leadership?

8. In your opinion, which argument in the text would be most convincing to older board members? Why?

   
   

Optional Discussion / Writing Task

Do you agree that sustainability protects profitability rather than threatens it? Use examples from the text to support your answer.