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: on the rise. And they are not shying away from it. This is clearly evident from the number of companies that apply for sustainability awards all over the world these days. The increase in number of applicants each year is an indication that companies are now ready to be examined by people outside their organisation.
A CSO’s role calls for a different skill set. He/ she has not only to be familiar with the nuances of the operations across most of the verticals in a company, but also be aware of the latest trends in sustainability development so as to pick up appropriate policies, practices and technologies and work towards deploying them profitably in the company. It’s not only about having technical skills, but also about thinking ahead.
Moumita Sen Sarma explains that it basically calls for a commitment to make a difference in the society and an interest in the subject. Knowledge of the country’s socio-economic structure, primary development issues and challenges and ability to see the linkages are key assets. She adds, “Of course, a deep knowledge of the bank’s business and its attendant challenges are crucial for being effective.”
It’s easier said than done. The work is full of challenges. The internal challenges include lack of policies, practices and precedents as well as the lack of appreciation of a CSO’s role in the office. It may be still seen as an add-on or extension of CSR by most of the staff.
Moumita Sen Sarma says, “It calls for buy-in from each individual employee to embed sustainability truly within the organisation.” To create awareness and also to have an army of dedicated volunteers, ABN-AMRO recently developed and held a training programme called Magic Hands. About 100 employees were trained in key areas of sustainable development, including poverty alleviation and microfinance, biodiversity and conservation, and climate change and carbon footprint reduction.
Saying that the relevance of sustainability for an organisation is increasingly accepted and established top down in large organisations, Malini Thadani adds, “The challenge now lies in broadening this concept across the entire organisation.” She gained the support of staff across the board by engaging them in innovative volunteering activities that allow them to participate in community development and to benefit from this professionally and personally through self-actualisation, team building and finding new business opportunities where none would have been otherwise observed by them. She adds, “This job is becoming increasingly a...
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