Who have we worked with?
Our clients come in all shapes and sizes from retail giants such as Tesco to the United Nations! We are delighted to work for anyone who wants to embrace sustainability. Each client was unique in terms of their characteristics, challenges and aspirations.
We have supported the Carbon Trust on a number of assignments and are the behavioural change advisor to the London Green 500 (Made up of some of London’s largest and most prestigious organisations). Our role is to assist and mentor them through their carbon reduction programmes.
Selected case studies:
Tesco
What was our client trying to achieve?
Tesco are one of the leading companies in the field of energy reduction. Several initiatives had been undertaken over the years mostly involving capex. The next stage and most challenging was that of employee engagement. Tesco wanted its staff to take personal responsibility for reducing its energy use.
What did we do?
Sustainable Advantage was brought in as behavioural change experts in the field of sustainability and specifically energy reduction. We were tasked with identifying which behaviours were contributing the most to energy inefficiency and to create a behavioural change plan that would engage and educate the employees with a view to changing daily routines and behaviours.
The Results
Five key behaviours were identified as contributing to a significant energy usage, in fact £17.4m! Sustainable Advantage’s costs were a fraction of this (what a pity!).
HSBC Private Bank
What was our client trying to achieve?
To understand the relevance of sustainability to the private bank and to align this with what HSBC were doing as a global organisation.
What did we do?
1-to-1 interviews with CEO and senior leaders globally, analysis of findings, facilitated Executive team workshop, development of sustainability ‘Roadmap’.
The Results
A sustainability Roadmap that adhered to what HSBC were doing as a group but tailored to the unique characteristics of the Private Bank. Set in motion by the top team but filtered down and embraced by the entire organisation.
Bayer CropScience
What was our client trying to achieve?
Bayer wanted to assess the status of sustainability performance and aspiration within the organisation. They also wanted to identify critical institutional challenges and have group-wide buy-in as to the recommended way forward creating a Group Sustainability Strategy.
What did we do?
Review of policies and processes, one to-one interviews with CEO and global team, analysis of status and needs, facilitated session with Executive team on challenges and next steps for embedding sustainability. We also ran a two day workshop for the top 100 of Bayer CropScience’s global business resulting in wide scale staff engagement and alignment in sustainability strategy. We ran a similar process – Water Workshop for Bayer CropScience.
The Results
Alignment on critical issues and institutional capacities needed to embrace sustainability more holistically. Agreement on next steps for development and delivery of a sustainability ‘Roadmap’.
TJX Europe
What was our client trying to achieve?
TJX Europe is the parent company of TK Maxx, and has 250 stores in Europe. They are a leader in their sector for carbon reduction and sustainable business practices. Having completed a number of technical improvements and actions they wished to engage their Managers and Associates (employees) to become fully supportive of the changes and in the process to help reduce the company’s energy consumption, waste water usage and to increase the company’s recycling levels.
What did we do?
We were asked by the Carbon Trust to lead this work. Reporting to a steering group of senior managers we researched the organisation, developed and piloted a programme to train Bright Green Team Champions in every location, and through them, engaged with the Associates to make behavioural changes to reduce energy consumption and increase recycling etc. We have produced a DVD, training materials, posters, and stickers and have run teleconferences to support the Champions.
The Results
We are currently on target to help each store to reduce energy consumption and waste by 14%, amounting to a cash saving of an average of £7,500 per store. Once we roll this out across their European business the company will see savings of £1.8 million per year.
Carbon Trust NHS Carbon Management Programme
What was our client trying to achieve?
NHS Trusts were seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and also to reduce the cost of their energy bills. The Carbon Trust wanted to encourage Trusts to have a progressive Carbon Management Plan in place which would be owned by each Trust Board.
What did we do?
Working closely with our technical delivery partners AEA, we led the change management and engagement work. Using two of our associates who are former NHS Trust Chief Executives, together with our practice lead we worked both at the Strategic Director level and also facilitated opportunity workshops with representatives from every department and function within the Trust. In addition to coaching and facilitation we acted as programme managers for local energy and facilities managers, through a series of meetings, audits, opportunities workshops and prioritisation sessions. We also helped draft and shape each Trust’s Carbon Plan to ensure Board level buy in and relevance.
The Results
Each Trust we worked with on average has identified £500,000 of savings together with 4000 tonnes of reduced CO2 emissions. They now all have on-going Carbon Management Strategies and Programmes.
Punch Taverns
What was our client trying to achieve?
Punch Taverns wanted to engage with the tenants of 1000 pubs in the Punch Taverns chain with materials which had been tested and proven to be effective in helping publicans to quickly introduce cost and carbon-saving measures. We worked with the Energy Manager to design, develop and pilot a range of materials.
What did we do?
Using the company’s own branding guidelines and style, Sustainable Advantage designed and produced materials to engage, entertain and inform. These included a DVD, a fun and interactive Pub Quiz, training worksheets and exercises, posters and specially created ‘Tips Jars’ which included the collected wisdom of participants to the ½ day programme, run in pubs throughout the country to groups of up to 20 participants.
The Results
The programme encouraged publicans to make technical and behavioural changes to produce average savings of £2,000 per year per pub (about 15% of their annual take home proceeds).
Nova Scotia Renewable Energy Strategy
What was our client trying to achieve?
To identify options for meeting 2015 and 2020 renewable energy targets and assess key economic, environmental and social implications for further study.
What did we do?
Scenario planning workshop with multiple (60+) stakeholders including utility companies, environmental and social NGOs, community groups, regional government, researchers and Dalhousie School of Business.
The Results
Identification of five technically feasible options for meeting targets and their corresponding key economic, environmental and social implications for further study. This ultimately resulted in policy decision by the Nova Scotia Government.
