Only six companies out of the 65 interviewed for their 2012 report demonstrated the long-term strategic thinking Deloitte believes is necessary for business to survive in a world where ‘growth as usual’ is not an option anymore.

The research highlights the lack of consistent definitions and ambitions when it comes to ‘sustainability efforts’. A bewildering variety of emission reduction goals were cited by businesses in response to the report’s questions, with no clear strategy of how these could be achieved.

A corollory of this is Deloitte’s warning of an ‘implementation gap’ between proposed targets and actual achievements. The destination is often clear – the pathway to reach is less so.

The six best performing companies were Puma, Nike, Nestlé, Unilever, Natura and Ricoh, who all “defined a clear vision of what they attempt to achieve in a short to mid-term perspective”.

Puma’s CEO Jochen Zeitz was a vocal member of the business community at Rio+20, arguing for transparent environmental reporting and rigorous supply chain analysis. As RTCC reported earlier this month, attempts to add mandatory reporting to the final Rio+20 text were blocked by the US Chamber of Commerce and four other countries.

According to Deloitte, ‘Zero Impact Growth’ does not mean “ zero growth, zero targets for everything, the ultimate target or a doom scenario’. Rather it should be seen as a guide and the basis for an overall action plan for companies who are aiming to develop a sustainable platform.

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