For the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing practical tips for making strong business case for sustainability.

Today, I’m going to unveil my secret weapon. But before I do, let’s recap:

#1 Meet people where they are. Use recognizable language and meet their level of understanding.

#2 Understand and appreciate differences in perspective. Don’t assume that Sally over in facilities and Glenn in HR are going to perceive how sustainability can benefit their company in the same way.

#3 Identify and leverage sustainability drivers to align your ESG consulting services with what is driving the client to seek help, and the secondary drivers not yet apparent to them which is the topic of today’s note.

Alright, on to my “secret weapon” . . .

This is a tactic that has led to more yeses than no’s — and it is leveraging something I call the value trifecta.

The value trifecta is a company’s customers, vendors and competitors and it’s where you can find secondary drivers

I use this strategy to improve the chances that the business case I have formed using the previous steps is iron clad.

When I’m interested in working with a client – regardless whether they’ve come to me or visa versa – I research their value trifecta to see what I can uncover.

First, I research companies that represent my target’s largest customers.

If I have exact company names, great, but it’s not necessary as long as I know what size and sector they serve. 

I note if they’ve published a report and if so, I glance through it looking for bold commitments that require supply chain involvement.

Since they represent a key customer for my target, I can point to examples such as a sustainable purchasing policy, reporting requirements, GHG reduction goals or other ESG best practices.

Next, I look at their own suppliers and vendors to see if I can find mention of supply chain disruptions, volatile costs or other potential risks related to where they source critical materials and services.

At this point, it may seem counterintuitive to look downstream, but if my target is worried about its supply chain and wants its vendors to reduce ESG risk, then the opportunity to lead by example becomes part of the business case.

Last, I take a look at competitors and industry associations to assess whether my target is leading or lagging.

Knowing who’s doing what in the industry sector, especially if it’s timely, can demonstrate that investments are being made by others in ESG – or illustrate the ability for your target to lead the way.