#9 How to make sustainability your north star?

With Zeynep Özbil, Executive Director of Global Communications at Arçelik Group-Beko-Grundig

Sustainability transformations are urgent, but also all-encompassing and ever-changing. In the face of such a challenging scenario, how can businesses make sustainability their north star?

To support holistic and sustainable transformations, companies must develop robust, fierce, and innovative business tools. Effective strategies include pursuing meaningful KPIs, involving key stakeholders, and building a CEO presence that motivates sustainable change. 

At the heart of these tasks, lies the ability to **craft narratives that inspire commitment to sustainability across every department** .Working at the intersection of communications and sustainability, Zeynep Özbil understands how to turn these insights into action.

Zeynep is the Executive Director of Global Communications at **Arçelik Group-Beko-Grundig** - a global home appliances brand that is setting the benchmark for sustainability in the industry.Her thorough knowledge on strategies to build sustainable societies also springs from years of professional experience in international organizations - such as UNICEF and the World Bank.

In this episode of the FutureReady Podcast, host Arne Kötting talks with Zeynep Özbil about developing sustainability strategies, shaping KPIs, the role of CEOs in sustainability transformations, the importance of sustainability narratives, and more.

If you're curious to **learn more about Zeynep's work at Arçelik**, check out their website here. If you’d like to reach out to Zeynep, here’sher LinkedIn. If you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a review. Or forward this show to someone who you think will love it.

This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Dhriti Kamath, Charlotte Irigoyen, Ashwerya Narula and Ana Luiza Loio. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens.

02:30 Arne and Zeynep talk about her academic background in political science and her professional experiences at UNICEF, the World Bank, and others.

04:28 Zeynep talks about how her experiences can help build partnerships with NGOs and other organizations.

05:20 On the importance of sustainability at Arçelik.

09:20 Zeynep talks about Arçeliks approach to sustainability and sustainability transformation.

12:00 On the contribution of Arçelik's CEO to sustainability transformation.

15:09 Differences in the perception of sustainability between developed and emerging countries.

16:09 On the development of a sustainability strategy at Arçelik and the role of the SDGs in that process.

22:20 Zeynep explains the role sustainability plays atArçelik.

24:08 Arne and Zeynep talk about the design and development of KPIs.

25:22 Zeynep talks about the importance of communication and sustainability narratives.

30:15 About Arçelik's Sustainability Communications Committee.

31:46 Arne and Zeynep talk about the success factors of sustainability transformations.

33:35 About fostering an internal understanding for sustainability and the biggest challenges in engaging stakeholders in sustainability.

38:44 Arne and Zeynep talk about recommendations for successfully engaging leadership teams on the issue.

42:27 Zeynep shares her ambitions as a communications leader.