“Sustainability is at the heart of our vision”
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Cpl, the global provider of talent solutions to startups, multinationals, and SMEs in every sector, has recently published its 2023 Sustainability Strategy and Report.
This marks the second year of the report, a place for the company to capture all its sustainability efforts, covering 14,000 staff and operating in 13 countries, and reflect on how far they have come.
Lorna Conn, CEO at Cpl, explains: “Sustainability is at the heart of our vision. Our delivery of transformational talent solutions and experiences must be beneficial not just to our clients and candidates but also to the environment in which we work.”
“We are committed to operating a sustainable business across five core Sustainable Development Goals, deeply ingrained in our operations.”
The execution of Cpl’s sustainability strategy is led by a core team that actively works across all areas. This team is made up of key members of Cpl’s Executive Team, the Sustainability Steering Group, and the GreenWorks Committee.
The Cpl Sustainability Steering Group was established in 2021 and consists of the key senior stakeholders across the business that run its sustainability and governance projects.
Speaking on Cpl’s leadership approach and how this has enabled them to successfully integrate sustainability into its business strategy, Lorna says:
“Expertise and strategic acumen remain crucial in business, but there is also a need for empathy, compassion, the ability to communicate openly and transparently and to make good decisions.”
Lorna believes that leaders who can understand and connect with their teams on a human level are not just desirable but also critical.
She explains:
“Empathy allows leaders to comprehend the unique concerns and aspirations of their employees, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty.
Compassion enables them to provide support during difficult times, building trust and camaraderie.
Open and transparent communication cultivates an environment of trust where employees feel valued and informed, empowering them to contribute their best.”
Lorna feels sustainable leadership is much more about individuals than traditional leadership and integrates the health and well-being of people and society into the needs of the business. Sustainability also plays a significant role in Cpl’s client relationships.
This is because their clients want to work with organisations that put sustainability at the forefront of their business. Cpl believes sustainability issues will and should play an increasingly important role in the long-term success of all companies.
It is not enough to look to others to implement change; rather, we should look at what we can do.
We are seeing increasing demand for sustainability coming down the line from our clients through tenders, compliance surveys, and more direct responsible business surveys.”
When asked about how to breathe life into sustainability reporting and implementing actions, Lorna shares that Cpl is a people business, and they place people at the heart of everything they do. They believe that by working together, they can create a ripple effect that positively impacts all those who interact with the company.
“While data is important, it’s not the focus area. Our people created our sustainability strategy, considering our entire value chain and the communities we work in.
To us, sustainability reporting is more than a box-ticking exercise; we report voluntarily because we believe that by sharing our progress, challenges, and achievements, we can inspire other organisations to do the same.”
One of Cpl’s strategic pillars is being ‘Future Ready’, which is linked directly to the environment and the ecosystems in its sustainability strategy.
Lorna shares why Cpl has chosen five primary SDGs to focus on: “When analysing the results of our double materiality, it was clear the five areas we have chosen as our SDGs would have the most impact in terms of sustainability and our business.
It was also clear these areas would resonate with our people and communities. The SDGs that were easiest to implement were the social ones like SDG 8 of Decent Work.
”Within this pillar, their core Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is Climate Action, committed to reducing their environmental impact and raising awareness. Their overarching target to become net zero by 2045 is a huge driver for their action plan, a plan which shares their 30+ targets across 5 SDGs.
She adds: “The most challenging SDG to implement was Goal 13 of Climate Action. However, our GreenWorks Committee has done a fantastic job getting people involved in initiatives and activities throughout the year.
Cpl also took a huge leap forward in 2023, expanding its data collection to include 10 of the 13 countries where it operates.
Lorna explains: “We also conducted a materiality assessment on our Scope 3 emissions and included all material Scope 3 categories in our data collection. Collecting our emissions data across our 45 offices has been a huge project for Cpl due to the dispersed nature of our offices.”
She says: “To overcome this challenge, our reporting pillar is developing a custom report that will make this task much easier.”
Another initiative Lorna feels has made a massive impact has been Cpl’s BeProud Cafés, which were shortlisted for several awards last year.
Launched in March 2022, over 30 cafés were held on a wide range of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics spanning menopause, men’s health, LGBTQI+, parenting, cultural awareness, and more.
The cafés generally boasted an attendance of between 40 and 70 people and offered a safe space for people to share and learn without fear of saying something wrong.
Cpl believes in the transformative power of deep, meaningful relationships and actively promoting inclusive leadership and equality at work.
In 5 years, they hope to be on track to meet the KPIs laid out in their sustainability report and transform people’s lives for the better.
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