Sustainable Development Reporting | New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development (NZBCSD)

This value can be created in a number of ways, both internally and externally, and will differ between organisations.

Some questions that help to identify the business case include:

	Can we secure a competitive position through ‘sustainable’ products and services by developing a SDR?

	Can we use a SDR so that sustainable development becomes a driving force for positive changes in the thought processes of people in the organisation?

	Will the SDR be able to be used for strategic reasons, such as to get the best people?

	Can the SDR be used as a tool to support the organisation’s continuous improvement?

	Can the SDR be used as a tool for engaging in on-going dialogue with stakeholders?

	Can the SDR increase the intangible value of our organisation and our brands?

	Can we use the SDR to respond to increasing societal expectations on company behaviour? The sidebar shows generic internal and external areas where value can be created by undertaking a rigorous SDR process. Not all of these drivers are applicable to all organisations – value is generated in different ways for different organisations.

Drivers for SDR

Internal Drivers

	Motivating, empowering and aligning staff consistent with strategic objectives – especially in generating commitment towards sustainable development;

	Attracting and retaining high caliber employees;

	Driving change processes;

	Stimulating the development of necessary data/process management systems;

	Building effective management of risk;

	Encouraging innovation.

External Drivers

	Enhancing reputation;

	Enhancing community license to operate;

	Demonstrating effective management of risk;

	Growing brand value;

	Developing customer loyalty;

	Increasing market share;

	Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships through engagement and dialogue.

"The benefits are many. We have already started to use the information we have gathered to help us run our business in better ways. We are identifying risks to our business and assessing ways to transport our products more efficiently. We are cutting waste and becoming simply better at what we are doing."
ROBB DONZE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERFACE AGENCIES