Middle Management Is the Key to Sustainability

While the executive in charge of the sustainability function plays the starring role in any social or environmental initiative, its success often depends on an organization's hidden heroes: its critical midlevel team leaders. But how this group drives sustainability will vary with a company's sustainability maturity. In their work the authors have identified four levels of it and goals and actions that are appropriate for middle managers at each one. At level one, lagging and skeptical, middle managers should focus on getting sustainability on the agenda by exploring customer demand, gathering outside perspectives, and finding easy wins. At level two, building a base, the goal is to develop capabilities and start to embed sustainability into core processes. At level three, accelerating, middle managers increase the speed and scale of efforts through internal councils and by increasing transparency and rethinking business activities. At level four, leading, middle managers strive to build lasting sustainability infrastructure and set up transformative partnerships in their sectors or value chains. With the right skills and priorities, the unsung champions of sustainability can drive progress within companies at any level and across industries.