The month of July 2023 is being full of meetings, workshops and conferences in which we are having the opportunity to listen and learn from the experience of those entities that have already used the application provided by the Registry of Socially Responsible Valencian Entities (REVSR) to submit the registration application. Following the motto of the Chair 'Listen, Reflect, Learn, Share' we published some reflections on this subject.
In all cases, they emphasize that the REVSR initiative has served them as spur to implement plans that were already on the management team's agenda, but for which no final date had been set.
The second idea they convey, on a recurring basis, is the importance of having diagnostic tools that facilitate: The identification of the entity's strengths and areas for improvement in terms of sustainability; The establishment of priorities and; The formulation of the sustainability policy.
Until now, it is not uncommon for entities involved in the development and implementation of their sustainability management systems to carry out diagnoses based on the “let’s count everything we do” approach. This practice, which leads to an ordered enumeration of the actions carried out by the entity in favour of sustainability, presents serious limitations:
- Firstly, the enumeration of actions allows us to know the effort dedicated by the entity, but not to evaluate the degree of efficiency and effectiveness of the actions executed;
- Secondly, it contributes to confusing philanthropy with sustainability, taking the part for the whole and encouraging the development of actions not integrated into the entity's ordinary operations;
- Finally, it ignores a quantified, objective and comparable assessment of the entity's level of performance.
Entities that have started the registration process point out that the REVSR provides them with a relatively simple, data-based diagnostic tool that allows them to quantify in a comprehensive, precise, objective and comparable manner the specific current state of their performance in terms of sustainability.
They also point out that the diagnosis obtained has facilitated their decision-making:
- 'Having concrete data facilitates informed decision-making on sustainability, which can lead to the implementation of more effective and efficient policies.'
- 'It has made it very easy for us to identify where we need to put the priorities of the sustainability plans for the coming years.
In conclusion, the GVA REVSR offers a simple, accessible and free tool that allows entities of all types, sizes and sectors of activity to have an initial diagnosis of the organization's performance in terms of sustainability.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the business world and requires trained professionals to lead change, help achieve social responsibility goals and comply with legal requirements regarding equality, non-financial information and carbon footprint calculation, among others.
This is why the Cátedra de Empresa y Humanismo of the University of Valencia has created the Sustainability Leaders Program: Diploma of Specialization in Corporate Social Responsibility which provides professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to design, structure and implement the social responsibility and sustainability strategies that organizations need today and tomorrow.
If you are interested in the Sustainability Leaders Specialization Diploma, fill out the following form and download the complete program.
