Stepping into the role of Sustainability Lead—especially as a team of one—can feel daunting. The right questions in your first month will help you quickly understand your organization’s landscape, identify opportunities, and set a credible, actionable plan. Use this checklist as your onboarding guide for immediate impact.
Ambition, motivation, and direction
1. How would the organization like to be seen in terms of sustainability?
Is the Board aiming for industry leadership, innovation, or compliance? Understanding this shapes the ambition and actions needed for your ESG strategy.
Why this matters:
Set clear ESG goals and ensure your efforts align with leadership expectations.
2. Where is the push for sustainability coming from?
Are drivers mainly external (client, customer, or regulatory pressure) or is there an internal vision?
Is sustainability strategic for growth, or seen more as a cost or moral imperative?
Why this matters:
Understanding motivations helps build a strong business case and secure stakeholder support.
3. Have there been discussions about sustainability at Board or senior management levels?
What topics were covered? Were any commitments or next steps agreed?
Why this matters:
Reveals how strategically the organisation views sustainability, and informs your approach to senior leaders.
4. Are there any senior champions for sustainability within the business?
Who are the early adopters or influential allies?
Why this matters:
Identifying champions helps build momentum and quick wins, especially in large or decentralized organizations.
5. Has the organisation made formal sustainability commitments?
Are there existing targets or public statements on environment, social or governance issues?
Why this matters:
Integrating existing commitments avoids duplication and builds a foundation for your plan.
Systems and processes
6. How is sustainability data currently collected, if at all?
What methods or tools are used, and how reliable is the data?
Why this matters:
Understanding data maturity is key—do you need new technology for reporting, or better data practices?
7. Who owns the sustainability policy or policies, and what processes exist to ensure compliance?
Why this matters:
Identifies process gaps and overlaps, as well as opportunities for quick improvements or support to other teams.
Market positioning
8. Who are your organisation’s immediate competitors, and how are they approaching sustainability?
Have they made notable commitments, won awards, or differentiated themselves in ESG?
Why this matters:
Benchmarking helps you set realistic goals and spot gaps or opportunities to stand out.
9. What key forums or partnerships in your sector are focused on sustainability, and can you join?
Why this matters:
Being plugged into industry forums and collaborations can accelerate learning and create partnership opportunities.
10. Which existing and upcoming ESG regulations will affect your business?
Are there sector or jurisdiction-specific compliance requirements you need to consider?
Why this matters:
Early regulatory mapping ensures compliance and avoids costly surprises.
Next steps: Maximizing your impact in month one
- Prioritize these questions for your onboarding conversations.
- Document insights and share early observations with your manager or the Board.
- Subscribe to the howtoesg.org newsletter for monthly tools, checklists, and peer tips.
