Integrating Sustainability: Strategies for Corporate Success

Lynessa Darko, Sustainability Manager, Diageo

LynessaDarko studied food process engineering for her undergraduate degree and chemical engineering and applied chemistry for her master's. During her work in the industry, she found herself in engineering or supply chain functions. However, she had the opportunity to take up positions of interest, such as her work with Pueblo Science, which focused on bringing STEM knowledge to underprivileged aboriginals.

This experience shifted her thinking process. Returning to work in the industry, she sought to leverage her wealth of knowledge in the corporate sphere to add value to society. This drive ultimately led her to the space within which she currently operates.

Industry Challenges

As sustainability manager, I would say some of my biggest challenges have been to switch my mindset from only focusing on the business interests and make it a society or community interest focused work output. I also had to take off my engineering or process biased hat and put on corporate social responsibility, communications, regulatory and policy as well as advocacy hats and that has been my saving grace as I have picked learnings from all my previous work engagements and positions to fill out work output.

Emerging Trends in Sustainability

The different ESG reporting tools which enable us to actually report and also check our outputs and progress made have been especially exciting to me.

“I believe having a clear strategy and plan which is properly delineated and accepted by all within the organization is the way.”

Thankfully, Diageo being a global business that is responsible and has ESG at the centre of its work makes it easier for me to work as this is mostly taken care of by the global office and cascaded to the country markets and allows us to be on point to take them up and work effectively.

Key Components of a Successful Sustainability Strategy

I believe having a clear strategy and plan which is properly delineated and accepted by all within the organization is the way. Diageo has a 10year plan called Society 2030:Spirit of progress which has clear called out pillars and targets with specific achievable goals that all markets and sustainability manager in partnership with their Corporate Directors are working to achieve and this to me is the key

My advice is, “sustainability is the now, and not the future, and as such no matter the area of study or area or job chosen, there is still room to incorporate sustainability in one’s output and it is only when all jobs and all skillsets come together for a unified front that we will see the impact we all want.”