Smart facts and a clear view of the future
Initial Situation
In the Swiss building construction sector, the criteria used to award contracts are shifting. The public sector is demanding ever more detailed environmental specifications. Pension funds and banks are increasingly requiring their suppliers to provide robust evidence. For a major general contractor carrying out projects worth hundreds of millions, this determines whether they gain access to lucrative contracts. Anyone unable to demonstrate compliance with the required criteria is eliminated from the selection process before the actual tender is even submitted. The requirements are becoming ever stricter. Those who incorporate them into their own business development at an early stage strengthen their position and avoid having to react under pressure later on.
Challenge
The company had the necessary substance internally: showcase projects meeting the highest environmental standards and a regional presence in the Swiss construction industry that had grown over decades. What was lacking was the strategic planning and structure needed to demonstrate this substance in the market and utilise it in a way that made business sense. Most certificates and labels today merely fulfil a formal requirement. They are obtained by many organisations, say little about actual implementation within the company and are therefore of limited use to companies and their partners. The real leverage comes from a clear strategic direction that demonstrates what the company stands for, why it does so, and what concrete benefits this brings to itself and its customers.
Solution
We have refined our strategic focus into a coherent framework, underpinned by three key areas centred on sustainable construction, regional roots and employer appeal. Building on this, we have explored individual areas of action in greater depth, clarified objectives and translated them into statements that the company can use in its dealings with clients. Internally, long-term objectives and implementation plans were drawn up in line with the corporate strategy. Externally, measures included the adoption of CO₂ targets and the development of a GRI-compliant report, tailored to the requirements of tender documents and client information. This distinguishes this specific case from most GRI reports, which focus on investors and banks. We also distilled the strategic framework into a single image. This visualisation of the strategy provides staff with a common understanding and makes it clear to clients at a glance what the company stands for.
Impact
The added value extends beyond simply meeting specifications. The very same structure that lends credibility in tender processes has an impact both internally and on the market: it raises the company’s profile amongst qualified specialists, strengthens regional partnerships and enhances its profile in cross-selling. For clients, there is also a direct commercial benefit. Energy-efficient and circular construction concepts safeguard the value and reduce the running costs of properties that will be used for decades. A market requirement thus becomes a selling point with which the company can win over its own customers.
In tenders where environmental and social criteria may be decisive, the company presents itself credibly, demonstrates its own performance and, in doing so, does not lose sight of its own corporate objectives. For contracts of this magnitude, a single award can rarely be attributed to a single criterion. However, the strategic structure, clear objectives and demonstrable approach help the company to secure and expand its position early on in this changing competitive landscape.
Nuovia's Scope of Services
- Strategic framework for sustainable construction (structuring and deepening of individual fields of action)
- Roadmap for operational implementation, including targets and measures
- Dashboard and data management for continuous steering
- Internal training and employee enablement
- GRI-compliant sustainability report
- Strategy visualisation (the strategic framework in a single image)
Frequently Asked Questions
Certifications meet a formal requirement, one that many providers now fulfil. They say little about how a company actually applies sustainability in its projects. A well-thought-out strategic approach to environmental issues, opportunities and challenges can help sharpen and communicate a company's credibility and expertise in these areas, and answer the question of what environmental and economic benefits this brings to its customer groups.
Requirements are becoming more detailed, and standard certifications such as EcoVadis are increasingly no longer enough to set a company apart. What's needed is verifiable information on climate and environmental targets and their implementation, along with evidence of the company's expertise in putting them into practice. A GRI-compliant report that is also tailored to customer requirements can be one way to provide standardised information while still standing out from the competition.
It documents targets, measures and progress in line with an internationally recognised standard. In the case described, the report was deliberately focused on the information customers actually care about ("What's in it for me and my goals?") and that tender documents ask for.
It's important to remember, though, that reporting by its nature looks back at the past. Customer engagement should therefore always be backed by strong sustainability communication that highlights the future benefits for target groups.
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