Danielle Tan
Chief Operating Officer
Identify which environmental actions to prioritise by comparing impact, risk, business value, available data and feasibility.
Businesses should prioritise environmental actions that address their most significant impacts, highest operational risks and strongest opportunities for improvement. In practical terms, this may mean focusing first on energy consumption, waste, water use, emissions or material efficiency, depending on where the organisation has the greatest environmental impact and the strongest ability to make a measurable difference.
The strongest first priority is the ESG initiative most relevant to the organisation’s operations, risks and improvement opportunities.
How Should a Business Decide Which Environmental Actions Come First?
Use six practical considerations to decide where to begin:
| Consideration | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Reliable data | Do we understand the issue well enough to choose the right action? |
| Impact and complexity | Can the organisation achieve a meaningful result with manageable complexity? |
| Legal and compliance risk | Could delayed action create serious legal or operational consequences? |
| Influence | Which issues can we control or influence most directly? |
| Measurability | Can we establish a baseline and track whether performance improves? |
| Overall priority | How does the issue compare in terms of impact, risk, opportunity and feasibility? |
Choosing where to begin can be challenging. Many organisations know they need to “do more” on ESG, but the list of possible actions can feel endless: reduce carbon emissions, install solar panels, improve recycling, reduce water use, change packaging, engage suppliers, improve biodiversity, report Scope 3 emissions or buy greener equipment.
All of these may be worthwhile. However, trying to do everything at once often creates scattered activity, limited ownership and little measurable progress.
The better approach is to prioritise before you act.
Start With Your Biggest Environmental Impacts
The first question should be:
Where does our business have the greatest environmental impact?
The answer will be different for every organisation. A manufacturer may have significant electricity consumption, production waste and wastewater. A logistics company may be more concerned with fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. A food manufacturer may need to focus on food waste, water use, refrigeration energy and packaging. An office-based business may have a smaller direct environmental footprint, with more opportunity in electricity use, business travel, procurement and waste.
Environmental priorities are most relevant when they reflect the organisation’s own operations, because another company may have different impacts, obligations and risks.
A simple way to begin is to review:
| Environmental area | Examples to review |
|---|---|
| Resource consumption | Energy, water and raw material use |
| Emissions, discharges and chemicals | Greenhouse gas emissions, air emissions, wastewater, other discharges and chemical use |
| Waste and materials | Waste generation, raw material losses and packaging |
| Transport and supply chain | Fuel use, logistics and environmental risks across the supply chain |
Review which areas create the most significant environmental impact for the organisation.
Consider Environmental Impact and Business Impact Together
Effective environmental priorities connect sustainability goals with business needs.
For each environmental issue, consider two questions:
1. How significant is the environmental impact?
2. How significant is the business impact?
| Environmental issue | Environmental impact | Potential business impact |
|---|---|---|
| High energy consumption | Associated greenhouse gas emissions, depending on the energy source | Higher operating costs |
| Production waste | More waste requiring treatment or disposal | Material losses and lower productivity |
| Water inefficiency | Potential additional demand on water resources | Potentially higher water-related costs and operational risk |
These are often strong areas to prioritise because improving them can create both environmental and business value. When ESG initiatives contribute to cost reduction, efficiency or risk management, they are generally easier to gain support for and sustain.
1. Prioritise Actions With Reliable Data
Reliable information provides a clearer basis for improvement. Before choosing a major initiative, determine whether enough information is available to understand the problem.
For example, if electricity consumption appears too high, review:
• Monthly consumption trends
• Equipment with the highest electricity consumption
• Changes in consumption relative to production
• Areas of abnormal usage
Similarly, if waste is a priority, identify what types of waste are being generated, in what quantities and from which processes.
A reliable baseline makes it easier to select a meaningful action and measure the result. Understanding the current situation provides the foundation for choosing an appropriate solution.
2. Look for High-Impact, Low-Complexity Opportunities
Environmental improvement can begin with practical changes that are relatively quick to implement and easy to measure.
Examples may include:
| Area | Possible initial action |
|---|---|
| Energy | Repair compressed-air leaks, reduce equipment idle time or switch off equipment outside operating hours |
| Waste and materials | Improve waste segregation, investigate production rejects or reduce unnecessary packaging |
| Water | Adjust cleaning practices or repair leaks |
| Maintenance | Strengthen preventive maintenance to reduce inefficient equipment operation |
These actions may appear simple, but they can create useful early results. Demonstrating measurable improvement can help build management and employee support for larger initiatives later.
A useful quick win combines manageable implementation with a relevant environmental impact.
3. Consider Legal and Compliance Risks
Environmental priorities should also reflect regulatory and compliance obligations.
A company may have ambitious plans to reduce carbon emissions, but weaknesses in wastewater management, scheduled waste handling or compliance with applicable environmental approvals, licences or permit conditions may require attention first.
Compliance-related environmental risks can affect business continuity, reputation, customer confidence, regulatory exposure and financial performance.
When prioritising actions, ask:
Could delayed action in any area create significant legal or operational consequences?
Issues with significant potential consequences may need prompt attention. ESG can strengthen the organisation’s environmental compliance and risk management.
Find the Most Practical Place to Begin
Review current environmental concerns with Nexus Consultancy and identify an achievable starting point based on environmental impact, business urgency and available resources.
Identify Your Practical Starting Point
4. Focus on What You Can Influence
Some significant environmental issues offer limited direct control. For example, a company may want to reduce emissions across its supply chain while reliable supplier data is still developing.
A practical sequence can begin with areas where the organisation has greater control or influence, such as:
• Direct energy consumption
• Production waste
• Company vehicles
• Water use
• Internal purchasing practices
These actions can provide a foundation for supplier engagement and Scope 3 emissions work. The appropriate timing depends on the significance of value-chain emissions, stakeholder requirements and the availability of suitable data.
Prioritisation supports a realistic sequence for addressing immediate and more complex issues.
5. Choose Actions That Can Be Measured
A good environmental priority should support measurable improvement where practicable. The examples below illustrate how a broad intention can be converted into a specific target:
| General intention | Measurable target |
|---|---|
| “Become more environmentally friendly.” | “Reduce electricity consumption per unit of production by 10% within 12 months.” |
| “Reduce waste.” | “Reduce production scrap from 4.5% to 3.5% by year-end.” |
The percentages and timeframes shown are examples rather than recommended targets. Each organisation should set targets based on its baseline, significant environmental impacts, obligations, business context and available resources.
A measurable target gives the organisation something concrete to manage. It also makes responsibilities clearer and allows management to see whether performance is improving.
Measurable indicators allow the organisation to determine whether the initiative is producing the intended improvement.
6. Use a Simple Environmental Prioritisation Framework
Businesses can use a simple internal decision aid to determine where to start. This four-factor framework is a practical approach for comparing potential environmental priorities; it is not presented as a formal ISO or ESG requirement.
| Factor | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Impact | How significant is the environmental effect? |
| Risk | What consequences could arise if action is delayed? |
| Opportunity | Could improvement reduce costs or improve efficiency? |
| Feasibility | Can we realistically take action now? |
An issue that ranks highly across several of these factors is usually a strong candidate for action.
For example, high electricity consumption may be associated with material greenhouse gas emissions, depending on the electricity source. It may also contribute to high operating costs and present several feasible improvement opportunities. This combination may make it a logical priority.
Management judgement remains important when applying the framework. A serious compliance or operational risk may require priority even when the action is more complex or costly.
Focus on Two or Three Environmental Priorities
Focusing on two or three meaningful ESG initiatives gives the organisation a practical foundation for progress.
For each priority:
1. Set a baseline.
2. Define the target.
3. Assign responsibility.
4. Implement specific actions.
5. Review performance.
Once improvement is established, move to the next priority.
The objective is to demonstrate measurable improvement in environmental performance.
A useful question for management is:
Which three environmental areas could create the greatest impact this year?
The answer is often the best place to begin.
Questions to Help Your Business Choose Its Environmental Priorities
Turn Your Environmental Priorities Into Practical Action
Choosing the right environmental actions begins with understanding where your organisation has the greatest impact, what risks require attention and where measurable improvement is possible.
Nexus Consultancy helps organisations review their environmental priorities and turn them into practical management actions. Depending on the organisation’s needs, support may include:
• ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems consultancy
• ISO 14064-1 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) consultancy
• ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems consultancy
When customer requests, compliance responsibilities or resource costs require attention, a focused consultation can help the team clarify what matters now and determine the next practical step.
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