The Value of Sustainability
The question always arises; can you deliver high performance as an organization and drive sustainability as well? Are these concepts at odds with one another, or are they inextricably linked? At Copperleaf®, we believe there’s a better way to answer this question. It comes down to understanding “what does your organization really value?” Some say: “What gets measured, gets done.” We say: “What gets valued, gets realized.”
Copperleaf helps organizations make informed decisions by quantifying value in terms of how every initiative drives the attainment of strategic goals. The Copperleaf Value Framework uses a comprehensive set of quantitative and qualitative measurements to evaluate the impacts of proposed investments and portfolios on sustainability, in conjunction with traditional financial measurements. It captures the overall strategic management decision criteria for an organization, or put simply, defines “what an organization values” beyond just financial objectives. The value framework encompasses factors related to service levels, risk categories, benefits, and financial impacts—including factors influencing stewardship and sustainability—and puts them all on a common economic scale so that comparisons and trade-offs can be made fairly and objectively.
We’ve developed a library to capture the knowledge and models used to support sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals in the decision-making process. The Copperleaf Value Model Library is an extensive collection of best practice value models that have been proven and accepted by peer organizations and regulatory bodies. Over 70% of Copperleaf’s value models capture an aspect of ESG goals! The Library includes over 200 value models, including models informed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the following areas:
- Societal
- Security
- Economic Development
- Environmental
- Human Health and Happiness
To pay more than “lip service” to sustainability and make it real, organizations need to assess the impacts of these factors directly in their decision-making process—in a quantifiable way. They also need transparency and visibility into how the portfolios of investments being made will deliver on an organization’s ESG objectives. Copperleaf provides a platform to do just that (and has been doing so for over 10 years) tailored to the needs and objectives of the organization.
The Copperleaf Decisions Analytics Solution, together with value frameworks built from the library, is helping to inform over $2.6 trillion dollars of investment in physical and digital infrastructure in the world today.
We are dedicated to advancing sustainability for our clients as well as here at home, within Copperleaf, and are proud to be a carbon neutral company for the second consecutive year. Setting our own serious commitments for how we operate is critical to our business success and fueled by our culture. For example, we are dedicated to minimizing our environmental footprint, purchase Gold Standard carbon offsets every year for the carbon generated that cannot be eliminated, and invest in carbon offsetting projects around the world. These are just some of the ways we’re advancing our fundamental purpose of building a better world, one decision at a time.
Contact us to find out how Copperleaf can help you incorporate criteria related to sustainability in your organization’s decision-making approach.