As more and more organisations are expected to calculate their environmental impact, they are asking themselves how to motivate and train their people and how to help them cope with fear of the complex and unknown processes they must navigate.
At BDO, we face these challenges too. BDO is a complex organisation, consisting of over 100 independent member firms spread across multiple geographies globally. This structure poses unique challenges, particularly when it comes to achieving a global commitment like net-zero, where the entire organisation must work as one.
Here, I share our journey and the insights we've gained in the hope that it can help others navigating similar paths.
The challenges
One of the main challenges we've encountered is bridging the gap between short-to-medium term business priorities where the horizon tends to stretch to no further than 3-5 years into the future, and long-term net-zero goals operating a 25-year timeline which nonetheless requires urgent action. This disconnect can make it difficult to secure immediate action on long-term climate initiatives, and is not helped by the technical complexity that comes with net-zero.
Effective communication is required to bridge this gap, and this itself is a major hurdle. Translating the intricacies of climate science and global standards for net-zero into actionable insights that resonate with business leaders is no small feat. This task is compounded by the need to emotionally engage senior leadership, who might not yet feel the immediate impact of climate change on their operations.
The sheer complexity of sustainability issues is a significant challenge, especially in the context of a large global organisation. Climate action requires the understanding of multiple technical layers, from detailed carbon accounting to decarbonisation scenario modelling and climate risk assessment, which must be underpinned by a strategic change programme that will ensure implementation across the multiple geographies.
This requires a resident team of experts in the organisation who can navigate these complexities and communicate them effectively to various stakeholders – these skills are in high demand and assembling such a team also presents a formidable challenge.
Solutions that work for us
The solutions all boil down to making climate action better understood and communicated, and through that, less daunting:
The approach I shared here has helped us navigate the challenges of the net-zero programme so far, but we are still at the beginning of the journey. As we dive into the operational complexity of decarbonisation initiatives and climate adaptation, the strength of the growing net-zero community at BDO will be increasingly important in achieving the global goal of net-zero.
At BDO, we face these challenges too. BDO is a complex organisation, consisting of over 100 independent member firms spread across multiple geographies globally. This structure poses unique challenges, particularly when it comes to achieving a global commitment like net-zero, where the entire organisation must work as one.
Here, I share our journey and the insights we've gained in the hope that it can help others navigating similar paths.
The challenges
One of the main challenges we've encountered is bridging the gap between short-to-medium term business priorities where the horizon tends to stretch to no further than 3-5 years into the future, and long-term net-zero goals operating a 25-year timeline which nonetheless requires urgent action. This disconnect can make it difficult to secure immediate action on long-term climate initiatives, and is not helped by the technical complexity that comes with net-zero.
Effective communication is required to bridge this gap, and this itself is a major hurdle. Translating the intricacies of climate science and global standards for net-zero into actionable insights that resonate with business leaders is no small feat. This task is compounded by the need to emotionally engage senior leadership, who might not yet feel the immediate impact of climate change on their operations.
The sheer complexity of sustainability issues is a significant challenge, especially in the context of a large global organisation. Climate action requires the understanding of multiple technical layers, from detailed carbon accounting to decarbonisation scenario modelling and climate risk assessment, which must be underpinned by a strategic change programme that will ensure implementation across the multiple geographies.
This requires a resident team of experts in the organisation who can navigate these complexities and communicate them effectively to various stakeholders – these skills are in high demand and assembling such a team also presents a formidable challenge.
Solutions that work for us
The solutions all boil down to making climate action better understood and communicated, and through that, less daunting:
- Having a Communicator in Chief: Effective communication is crucial in translating technical jargon into understandable and actionable insights. Having a dedicated communicator who can bridge the gap between technical experts and business leaders ensures that everyone is on the same page. This role involves organising and translating the knowledge from technical experts into a format that business leaders can understand and act upon. This helps ensure that everyone in the organisation, regardless of their technical expertise, is aligned and informed about the climate goals.
- Understanding that we don’t know what’s ahead: We often use the analogy of ‘peeling the onion’ to describe our approach to dealing with complexity. This means breaking down the layers of information step-by-step, being patient and open-minded and adapting as we uncover new challenges. It's about recognising that the path to net-zero is not straightforward and comes with a steep learning curve.
- Bringing together people in net-zero community forums: We have introduced virtual Net-Zero Forums, structured around the milestone of the global programme, where our firms can share their experiences and learn from technical experts as well as each other. These forums provide a platform for discussing challenges, sharing solutions, and fostering a sense of community. It's part of our solution for the communication challenge, and, as importantly, about ensuring no one feels isolated in their efforts.
- Being agile and adaptable: Agility is key. We recognise that the path to net-zero is not fixed and there is no blue-print solution for how we all get there; it evolves as we gain new insights and encounter new obstacles. Being adaptable allows us to pivot our strategies as needed while staying aligned with our overall goals.
- Not being afraid to take risks: Embracing a culture where learning is valued is essential. It's important to acknowledge that we are navigating uncharted territory, and setbacks are part of the process. What matters is that we grow from these experiences and refine our strategies moving forward.
The approach I shared here has helped us navigate the challenges of the net-zero programme so far, but we are still at the beginning of the journey. As we dive into the operational complexity of decarbonisation initiatives and climate adaptation, the strength of the growing net-zero community at BDO will be increasingly important in achieving the global goal of net-zero.
