Global professional services firm Deloitte announced the launch of Sustainability Fusion, a new framework and toolset aimed at enabling companies to measure and communicate the financial value of sustainability investments.
According to Deloitte, the new solution comes as many organizations face a challenge in fully aligning their sustainability goals with financial performance, and often need a clearer way to translate environmental impact into traditional financial metrics, as they face increased expectations to quantify how sustainability initiatives contribute to risk management, cost savings, and long-term business value. Deloitte noted that sustainability investments are currently often assessed through compliance and reporting frameworks, which are designed for objectives other than evaluating business value and investment performance.
Bill Marquard, Sustainability Fusion co-lead, Deloitte Consulting LLP, said:
“Organizations need this framework now more than ever as sustainability and finance leaders are increasingly expected to quantify sustainability investments. When sustainability and finance are equipped to speak the same language, they’re able to unlock cost savings, reduce risk and generate new commercial pipelines seamlessly.”
In addition to the new Sustainability Fusion framework, digital tool and service offering, Deloitte also launched an AI-enabled, web-based evaluator, which uses the framework to map sustainability initiatives, based on entered project parameters, to core financial levers.
Key capabilities of the new solution highlighted by Deloitte include the ability to evaluate sustainability investments using standard financial principle, including cost, revenue and risk, translate sustainability assumptions into cash-flow impacts, and create an repeatable, enterprise-wide approach to prioritize and compare investments.
Laura Bryce, Sustainability Fusion co-lead, Deloitte Consulting LLP, said:
“When organizations can clearly articulate the financial value of sustainability investments, they can make decisions with greater confidence, move more quickly on priorities, and build competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic business environment.”
Deloitte said that the new solution was built in collaboration with global non-profit organization Aspen Institute, following collaborative workshops convened by the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program, including more than 25 leaders from corporations, NGOs and independent advisers.
Felicia Davis, Sustainability Programming lead at the Aspen Institute’s Business & Society Program, said:
“As a convener of leaders across sectors, the Aspen Institute is uniquely positioned to bridge perspectives between sustainability and finance. This collaboration with Deloitte builds on insights from our network to help organizations move from intention to action, aligning sustainability investments with the financial realities that drive business decisions.”
Click here to access Deloitte’s Sustainability Fusion framework.
