CXO INSIGHT
How does the growing consumer demand for sustainability impact your strategy ?
What are the benefits of taking a sustainable approach ?
BUSINESSES SHOULD NOT ONLY CONSIDER THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THEIR BUSINESS .
Consumer demand is prominent in Europe and other developed countries but not in the Middle East . However , people are already questioning your sustainability initiatives ; they want to see the impact of your programmes and ESG reports .
We as , Fakeeh Care Group , want to be a leader in sustainability , while still pursuing medical excellence . That way , we ’ re creating awareness and , in the future , it definitely will be appreciated . Take Saudi Arabia , for example , it has a very young population . The average age is around 20 .
So , we have a huge young population and young people are more aware of environmental issues ; they are looking for companies who share this awareness and who are trying to manage energy and their operations without damaging the environment . So , we are seeing consumer demand on this front , and I expect , as a CEO , to see more demand in the future .
In future , we will have questions about the impact of our operation , and then what have we done over the last 20 years to help people and the environment ? We will be able to detail our full operations to the community and to the government , which will only benefit us . I also expect to see similar initiatives appearing globally .
Additionally , sustainability always attracts talent , talent looks for this kind of company , one with good environmental initiatives . So then to attract the best talent , CEOs should apply such principles in their operations / strategy .
What advice would you offer other organisations in your industry keen to take steps towards sustainability but uncertain where to start ?
Businesses must create an action plan , if not they ’ ll continue to harm the community and environment .
Businesses should not only consider the sustainability of the environment but also the sustainability of their business . ESG must be taken very seriously . A sustainability strategy shouldn ' t be seen as a lengthy investment , as it will be cost-efficient in the long run . x
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