1. OUR APPROACH

Our sustainability journey

CREATING THE GREATEST IMPACT

Sustainability can be achieved in many ways. But when any area of an organisation can become a focus, how do you prioritise?

We need to make sure we deploy our resources in ways that make the most impact.

What are our areas of focus?

To approach sustainability in the most impactful way, we:

  • Identified potential areas of focus
  • Asked our stakeholders to rank their importance

Then we honed in on topics that were most important to all stakeholders in the school. As a result, we’re focusing on these key areas:

Impacting sustainability practice through research and education

  • Creating sustainability research and tools to empower leaders
  • Researching real-life sustainability challenges
  • Shaping the attitudes, mindsets so that leaders can connect purpose and profit
  • Embedding sustainability in programmes and courses
  • Influencing the mindsets of businesses, government and society

Building an accessible and diverse community

  • Making knowledge accessible via social grants, scholarships and open publications
  • Nurturing an environment where everyone feels valued

Walking the talk as a sustainable organisation

  • Adhering to transparent and ethical business standards that are reinforced by responsible internal governance
  • Acting against misconduct
  • Having sufficient diverse and sustainable income streams to preserve our independence
  • Safeguarding health and wellbeing
  • Offering colleagues opportunities for development and growth, developing a robust retention policy and attractive benefits packages
  • Reducing carbon emissions and improving our environmental footprint
“
Focus groups with employees, students, alumni and partners – as well as a widely distributed survey – helped to understand which sustainability matters are most important for Vlerick from an impact and financial perspective.
Some outcomes were expected, but it also generated new insights that helped to set priorities so that Vlerick can realise a credible and impactful sustainability approach.”
— Dirk Le Roy, Sustenuto

We identified Vlerick sustainability KPIs for each key area

Impact on sustainability practice through research and education

EDUCATION

Participant days on sustainability

RESEARCH

Output on sustainability

LEAP

Usage of gained insights in sustainability practice

Build an accessible and diverse community

EDUCATION

Scholarships & social grants

RESEARCH

Open access publications

COMMUNITY

  • Nationalities staff & participants
  • Gender balance staff & participants
  • Felt inclusion staff & participants

Walk the talk as a sustainable organisation

ENVIRONMENT

CO₂ emissions

SOCIAL

  • Talent development & retention staff
  • Health & wellbeing staff

GOVERNANCE

  • Sustainability label
  • Ethical business conduct

“

At Vlerick, we believe that sustainability is at the core of business success. Of course it includes climate change. And it goes beyond this to including diversity and acting in the interests of stakeholders.

To build competitive advantage, remain relevant for years to come and drive long-term value, it’s also imperative that organisations create social benefit.

This requires a mindset that goes beyond short-term profitability. Instead, it involves a willingness to change and transform by integrating sustainability into key business activities. This gives organisations a shared purpose, and drives engagement and innovation.”

— Robert Boute, Professor of Operations Management | Vlerick Sustainability champion