5 minutes with… Sara Howe
What or who inspires you to act on sustainability?
Everyday I experience something that spurs me on, but the best is when I get proof that what we're doing at Tata Global Beverages is making a meaningful long-term difference. It's hard not to be inspired for example, by the conversations that are taking place on our Facebook page between some of the farmers we are supporting through our collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance and Tetley tea drinkers
How have you managed to embed sustainable thinking within your company?
It will be a while before I can answer that question, as Tata Global Beverages is a new organisation. Embedding is certainly the intention and we've laid some important foundations, not the least of which is having sustainability as part of the corporate mission statement 'life enhancing sustainable hydration'.
What is the biggest challenge you face professionally?
I see sustainability as a journey to transform our products and supply chains, so it needs a long-term perspective. The challenge is to balance this with the present short-term financial and commercial pressures.
In a consumer-focused business like ours a particular challenge is getting permission from consumers to act for the future. Traditional research and insight methodologies tend to drive responses based on their current experience and understanding. We need to find a way of showing consumers what the future might look like from a sustainability point of view. Then they can then help us design products and services fit for that future.
What is the biggest driver for change in your company?
The belief that if effectively embraced sustainability can deliver long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
What is the one piece of advice you would offer to others seeking to create change?
Without doubt you need to create what I call "ah ha" opportunities – events or moments when the penny really drops as to the business case for sustainability. Once an individual or a team sees how sustainability thinking can add value to their bit of the business, whether through cost saving or reputation building or innovation breakthroughs or whatever, they will be off and running.
What one thing have you done at your company to drive sustainability that others could replicate as best practice?
Right from the outset I've always been very clear that sustainability should be embedded within the business. To achieve this I've avoided building a large central sustainability team that could become a reason for colleagues in regional and operational roles not to develop their own sustainability programmes. It was once memorably said of me "success is when you're not necessary!" That's absolutely right – and I honestly didn't take it personally!
Do you believe business has the capability to catalyse the scale of change needed to rise to the long-term sustainability challenges?
I don't think sufficient capability exists yet as not enough organisations have embraced the business case for sustainability. But as more companies come to understand the risks and opportunities that issues like climate change, water stress, population growth, health and wealth disparity, represent, then the necessary capacity and capability building will follow.
What makes you optimistic about businesses' ability to rise to the sustainability challenge?
The number of big companies who are now seriously and credibly engaging with the sustainability agenda, setting ambitious sustainability targets and demonstrating progress towards achieving them.
What is your biggest concern about our ability to create a more sustainable world?
That too many people won't get it until it's too late.
What have you done outside of work to live a more sustainable life?
When I see one of those "10 ways to lead a greener life" type lists I can usually tick all the items, so the relatively easy and cheap things are done. Now I'm working on some bigger projects; the loft has just been insulated and the installation of a new energy efficient boiler is in the offing.
Which unsustainable behaviour are you most embarrassed about?
My current car doesn't bear much scrutiny, but I'm about to get a new one whose sustainability credentials will be vastly better. I know some readers will think why not ditch the car – but my parents are in their 80s so a bit too old to follow me on a tandem when we're out and about!
Short facts
Born: Kent
Lives: West London
Education: BSc in Food Science and Food Economics, University of Reading, Post Graduate Diploma from the Cambridge Programme for Sustainable Leadership
Career: UK and international marketing, business development and communication roles. CSR/ sustainability since 2001, first at the Tetley Group and now with Tata Global Beverages
Likes: the sea; sailing on it, walking by it, listening to it
Dislikes: litter is currently top of my list!
Book: right now I'm one of the millions hooked on Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy
Film: anything with Walther Matthau, Jack Lemmon, and Glenda Jackson – that probably shows my age
Album: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA – and I mean the album – that definitely shows my age!
Career ambition: to successfully make the business case for sustainability to as many people as possible
Life ambition: to put back more than I take out
If I wasn't doing this I would be… hopefully a much better tennis player
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