APU is Mongolia’s market leader in soft drinks, beers, vodka and dairy products. As one of the country’s oldest companies, it is a source of national pride as well as business. As in all leading companies, sustainability and positive impact are high on the leadership agenda. Yet, sustainability runs the risk of becoming quite technical and formal. Therefore, we – together with a multidisciplinary team of APU – translated the complexity of sustainability into a strategy and narrative that ‘means something’ to their colleagues; so that everyone is able to understand and feel part of it.

We took on a high-energy, co-creative and design-thinking based approach by working in a series of compact, thoroughly prepared sprints. First, we clearly defined the success and scope of the project, coming with detailed deliverables and a clear understanding of the company’s context as well as the country itself. To fully emerge ourselves, we traveled to Mongolia to organise the second sprint; to collaboratively design the overall structure, identify commitments and co-create the input for the narrative. Lastly, we developed the strategy structure and narrative and translated ambitions into a preliminary action plan.

The result of this project is a bold & compelling sustainability strategy and narrative that is driven by engaged contributors across the company, which supports APU to redefine and achieve its aspired role in society and guide decisions and priorities in years to come.