Sustainability isn’t a department: how to make sustainability an organisation-wide priority

Many organisations want to become more sustainable. They set targets, draw up plans and assign responsibilities.

But what happens when sustainability is primarily the responsibility of just one team or department?

There is then a risk that sustainability ambitions become disconnected from the choices made on a daily basis within product development, design, procurement and operations.

Because if everyone is responsible for the outcome, but nobody factors sustainability into their day-to-day decisions, ultimately little will change.

So how do you ensure that sustainability becomes part of the way your organisation operates?

Listen to the podcast on organisation-wide sustainability

In this episode, you’ll discover how Vogel’s is seeking to embed sustainability within the organisation. Gerdi Vogels explains how the company links sustainable choices to design, product development, ESG, certification and commercial realities.

The starting point is practical:

Sustainability only really works when it becomes part of the way people make decisions within an organisation.

Watch the podcast episode or listen to it on your favourite podcast app

You can also watch it with English subtitles on YouTube.

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Episode summary

Gerdi explains how Vogel’s systematically assesses its design choices using the Designer Manifesto, why ESG is embedded across the organisation, and how commercial realities are a prerequisite for sustainable progress. A down-to-earth and practical discussion for decision-makers who wish to embed sustainability into their way of working.

This episode explores how to organise sustainability systematically within product development and business operations, using Vogel’s as a concrete real-world example.

Key insights and viewpoints

• Sustainability only works if it is supported organisation-wide
• 80 per cent of environmental impact is determined during the design phase
• Establishing principles makes sustainable choices open to discussion
• Certifications help to highlight blind spots
• Profitability is essential to continue investing in sustainability

About our guest in this podcast:

Gerdi Vogels is CEO of the family-run business Vogel’s and has been active within the organisation for over thirty years. In her role, she bridges design, entrepreneurship and sustainability, with a strong focus on impact that begins with design. In this episode, she demonstrates how abstract sustainability ambitions are translated into concrete choices in product development, governance and supply chain collaboration, without losing sight of the commercial foundation.

Also available on your favourite podcast app

• Spotify
• Apple Podcast
• YouTube (including English subtitles)