Tips to Turn Tech Execs into Green Experts

You don't need a chief sustainability officer to marry business and environmental performance. Here are 12 ways to do it

By Celeste LeCompte

As the recession forces companies to slash jobs, one of the more secure positions is turning out to be that of chief sustainability officer. Companies across the board are including the job of marrying business to environmental performance among their C-level positions, the latest example being enterprise software maker SAP (SAP).

But these so-called CSOs aren't being hired just to buy green power, set up recycling programs, and offer employees the option to telecommute— they're being tasked with evaluating and improving the (environmental) performance of a company's core business. That means taking into account everything from what the company's products are and what they're made of to how they're made, used, and disposed of—and how that affects the long-term financial viability of the business and the long-term health of employees, host communities, and customers.

Sustainability initiatives, done right, have a good return on investment, and research shows that "greener" companies outperform their peers financially. But for many tech entrepreneurs in these lean times, hiring another executive isn't an option. So here are some tips to help any tech exec—from the founder to the CTO to the vice-president for marketing—become a sustainability leader:

Build The Business Case

Need some help understanding how sustainability applies to your business? Check out the Natural Step. Its Web site includes information about the framework and case studies, and it offers training and consulting as well.

Backcasting asks companies to envision their ideal future and set short-, mid-, and long-term goals toward getting there. The City of Portland has a downloadable worksheet that can be modified for businesses.

Peter Senge's book The Fifth Discipline (partially available online) is often cited as a source of inspiration for leaders working to build sustainability into their organization.

Trade Groups Can Help

While initial strategies may be obvious, moving on to higher-level issues may mean getting creative. Get involved with industry trade groups. The IEEE has a President's Initiative on Sustainability, for example. WiserEarth can help you find other existing groups. And if there's not a group in your niche, start one!