2020 – 2030: The decade of strategy implementation

Categories: All articlesPublished On: 3.02.2022

The year 2030 is a milestone in many corporate strategies. By that year, the greenhouse gas reduction and energy efficiency goals in the Paris Agreement should be reached, as well as the broad sustainable development goals outlined in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

So, it comes as no surprise that most corporate strategies are closely linked to climate and sustainability goals. Here are some examples from German multinationals:

  • RWE: “Growing Green: 50 bn Euro, 50 Gigawatt capacity in renewables energy until 2030”
  • ON: “Connecting everyone to good energy”
  • Bayer: “Health for all, hunger for none”
  • Volkswagen: “New Auto – Mobility for Generations to Come”
  • Covestro: “Sustainable Future – drive sustainable growth and become fully circular”

Such strategies are ambitious, and time is short. In 2020 we participated in a UN Global Compact forum to discuss whether the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is achievable (“2030 Agenda – Are we running out of time?”). At the time, we concluded that companies were in the midst of a decade of strategic implementation, requiring fast and adaptive action to implement their strategies. Today, we remain convinced that companies would only be successful through 2030 if they can implement their strategies flexibly, adaptively and quickly, rather than endlessly refining their long-term conceptual strategy. We understand flexible, adaptive implementation as:

  • Breaking down overall strategy implementation into several smaller implementation projects, rather than complex multi-programs
  • Breaking down long-term strategic goals into short- to mid-term goals and milestones
  • Adopting an iterative project approach with short intervals and regular impact and result tracking
  • Developing pragmatic and effective “80/20” solutions – final or workarounds – rather than spending a long time searching for the perfect solution
  • Adjusting flexibly in response to setbacks or new insights

The often-quoted “agile project management” approach provides a useful framework for iterative strategy implementation projects, as long as it isn’t applied too dogmatically.

As experts for strategy implementation, acondas supports clients in bringing their strategies to life. We have the experience and tools to help our clients translate their strategy to fit their organizational requirements, initiate and plan implementation projects, apply traditional and agile project management approaches, and ensure successful change and stakeholder management. We are supporting many projects with the goal of implementing 2030 strategies, e.g., in transitioning to renewables energies, mobility and digitalization. If you have any questions regarding our project and service offering, feel free to reach out to us at: info@acondas.com, www.acondas.com, acondas GmbH | LinkedIn

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