Business in the Community Ireland releases its Sustainability Handbook

Sustainability is the most important change management project of our time.

Transformational change is needed if we are to deliver to global commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, restoring nature, and working towards a more equal society. As with anything, the first step is to align on what the challenge is and how, by working collectively, we can have impact. Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), National Partner Organisation for CSR Europe in Ireland, recognises the pressing need for businesses to adapt and change quickly.

As Tomás Sercovich, BITCI CEO puts it “for business, there is a pressing need to adapt and change fast. How business responds to the current challenges will determine their viability for years to come.”

To address this need, BITCI has published its Sustainability Handbook to develop a common understanding of the role of business in bringing about a low-carbon economy and inclusive society.

The Handbook follows the Economic, Environment, Social and Governance (EESG) framework as used by the BITCI Business Working Responsibly Mark.

The Handbook includes best practice examples from across BITCI's membership, questions to reflect on leadership in sustainability, and draws on existing BITCI publications, academic insights from knowledge partners, and global and national insights gained through our partners - the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and CSR Europe.

The handbook will be a powerful tool in supporting businesses to understand their role as positive actors for change and areas where the Handbook can provide guidance include:

Taking credible climate action by following our 7-step process.
Addressing how to halt and reverse nature loss.
Ensuring sustainability is core to strategic purpose.
Identifying modern slavery in the supply chain.
Discovering how sustainable practices can create a positive ripple effect, improving lives and empowering communities.
Understanding the impacts of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Discovering how to make external stakeholders your best allies to address sustainability and tackle your biggest challenges

Aligning our understanding of the depth and breadth of sustainability will demonstrate that sustainability is not the role of one person or function. It must be woven across every aspect of the organisation and integrated into business strategy and operations. The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) may serve as a powerful tool for embedding sustainability in all aspects of the business.

This Handbook has been developed by the BITCI Leader Group ‘Building Capabilities’, which is co-chaired by Northern Trust and BT and with the support of member companies Accenture and AIB, BITCI sustainability specialists, academic partners at Maynooth University and the Centre for Business and Society (CeBaS) at UCD, and a diverse advisory group.

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