As I converse with Accenture clients about their approach to sustainability, I’ve encountered what I would call a mountain range of companies on the sustainability maturity curve. Near base camp are organizations watching from the sidelines, in some cases questioning the science and wondering if the green fad will pass. Further up the trail are enterprises that are beginning to embrace sustainability-driven opportunities. Typically, these organizations have a chief sustainability officer and an assortment of quick and easy green initiatives underway (think compact fluorescent light bulbs, double-sided printing, HVAC improvements, carpool incentives and so on), generally coupled with a green image campaign.

Halfway up the mountain, I’m talking to vice presidents of corporate responsibility, whose organizations have harnessed the first wave of improvements from going green; now these executives are looking for the next level of energy savings, environmental benefits and return on investment. Driven by environmental regulations and the high cost of oil, these companies are investigating ways to revamp product life cycles, reconfigure supply chains and rethink logistics. All of these initiatives are complicated, cross-functional, and involve both system and process changes. Incidentally, this falls squarely in Accenture’s sweet spot.

So what kind of company is within reach of the sustainability summit? To continue the metaphor, I’d call these expedition leaders, organizations that are embracing sustainability as a business opportunity with competitive advantage and a spectacular view of the future. Executives at these enterprises are recasting business models, products and services to address a burgeoning new market with sustainability at its core. A few of the many examples include Tesla Motors, SunPower and a new offering from Accenture and the Smart Building Alliance (SBA) called SMART Buildings, an energy management capability that provides a suite of data-focused services to optimize building operations and costs.

Where is your company on the sustainability maturity curve? How will you outfit it for what could be a tough climb to the top?