Empowering Organizational Change Through Sustainability: A Journey with Evidence-Based Practices

At Change Chemistry, we are fortunate to collaborate with a wide array of industries and organizations. Our growing community includes diverse stakeholders such as chemical manufacturers, brands, business leaders, government bodies, NGOs, and academic institutions. Together, we tackle pressing global challenges and explore sustainable solutions, fostering change and promoting the adoption of sustainable chemistry.

Depending on your progress in advancing sustainability, you might already benefit from robust organizational backing or be at the initial stages. Every organization progresses uniquely in prioritizing sustainability, which is a broad and ambitious goal that can gradually become ingrained within the institution over time.

There has been a notable increase in the appointment of sustainability-specific roles, including Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) in recent years. However, despite the growing recognition of the importance of sustainability and good intentions, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the specific tasks and responsibilities associated with these sustainability-focused positions.

Sustainability represents a long-term investment for organizations and industries alike. But to truly sustain change, it must be integrated into the broader organizational fabric. Effectively embedding change within existing systems, culture, and strategic vision is essential for impactful outcomes. Incorporating change management practices into standard operations not only fosters buy-in from employees and managers but also promotes collaboration and optimizes the use of time and resources.

Evidence-Based Change Management is the science-informed practice of managing planned organizational change. In the following video, Denise M. Rousseau, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, discusses the risk of using few sources with little to no emphasis on the quality of data: https://youtu.be/54S7KG8bOlM when initiating change. Embedding change management can begin the process of institutionalizing sustainability within the organization's mission, culture, and values. The task of institutionalization is to align the changes with the organization’s current systems and infrastructure including its hiring practices, performance management, and accounting systems. Change management can address the difficult question of how making sustainability a high priority can ultimately serve to address long-term organizational needs and concerns. 

Where do we begin when it comes to re-prioritizing organizational goals? How do we invest in sustainable chemistry so that it becomes much more than a topic of discussion and a marketing tool? How can this area of change grow to become a part of an integral organizational goal for sustainability, where actions meet words?  

Addressing change requires a thoughtful approach. While change can be uncomfortable or challenging in any context, it is often necessary to tackle the most persistent and complex issues. Whether you're just beginning to strategise for sustainability or further along in your journey, discussing and navigating change is rarely straightforward or without its challenges. Let us help you with evidence-based practices and a framework for change that works. 

Change Chemistry is rolling out a Change Management framework for the Retail Leadership Council (RLC) that will be available to all members later this year. You can discover effective strategies for initiating organizational change by exploring our 10 evidence-based practices for change management. Delve into real-world examples of successful change management implementation from leading companies such as Pfizer, Patagonia, IKEA, Dow, and many others on Change Chemistry's Learning Management System, LearnUpon. LearnUpon is exclusively designed for Change Chemistry members to access a wealth of resources, including training, highlights, presentations, and recordings from our programs, events, and webinars. Navigate our comprehensive 'course catalog' to explore and enroll in free training that suit your interests and needs.