Accenture and the World Economic Forum Decode the “Sustainability DNA” for Companies Seeking to Deliver Value and Impact for All Stakeholders

New research from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and the World Economic Forum uncovers the capabilities that C-Suite leaders need to build sustainable organizations that deliver lasting value and equitable impact for their people, customers and wider communities.

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Shaping change through Sustainability DNA (Photo: Business Wire)

The report, Shaping the Sustainable Organization, finds that the responsible values and environmental, social and governance (ESG) intentions of companies are outrunning the ability of their organizations to deliver. To convert sustainability goals into reality, Accenture and the World Economic Forum decoded "Sustainability DNA," a set of 21 management practices, systems and processes that form the foundations of stakeholder-centricity.

“The world’s environmental and social challenges are already disrupting business today,” said Peter Lacy, chief responsibility officer and global Sustainability Services lead. “But our research with the World Economic Forum found that those who root their organization and leadership DNA in stakeholder-centricity enjoy significantly better sustainability performance and value creation. These pioneers utilize new technologies and ESG data sets to create more sustainable and resilient supply chains, systematically harness the innovative power of diversity, and drive growth by putting stakeholder needs at the heart of products, services and new market opportunities. Those who ignore this moment to position for the future risk being left behind.”

To assess the strength of Sustainability DNA in companies around the world, Accenture and the World Economic Forum created the Sustainable Organization Index (SOI), which scores nearly 4,000 companies based on market-facing evidence of ESG-supporting practices in 146 areas. Organizations in the top quartile of the SOI show significantly stronger performance compared to those with lower or less consistent scores. Specifically, companies with a stronger Sustainability DNA achieve on average a 21% increase in both EBITDA margin and environmental and societal impact.