The Shape of Sustainability 2026
Discover the shape of sustainability – how it stands now, and where it's heading next.
25 June 2026
Insights
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Sustainability has reached an inflection point.
Pressure from regulation, geopolitics, technology and commercial delivery is reshaping expectations, while organisations hold competing views on the function’s future role and value.
For many, sustainability is facing a credibility challenge. It is often seen as a cost centre, with increasing scrutiny on its ability to deliver measurable business outcomes.
This research addresses a simple question: what does the future shape of sustainability look like?
This is not a view built on hypothesis. It reflects reality, grounded in data and the experiences of organisations operating today.
Our research brings together perspectives not only from sustainability teams, but from across the business. It highlights where sustainability is delivering impact, where it is falling short, and how it is perceived by those it needs to influence.
Register your interest to be the first to access the report and understand:
- How organisations are dealing with the rollercoaster of regulation
- The business imperative and commercial case of sustainability
- How AI is not only increasing efficiency but shaping sustainabillity itself
- Where the sustainability team collaborates well with other functions, and where there are friction points
Why this matters now
Sustainability is now a performance function. It must deliver measurable outcomes, align with financial performance and withstand increasing scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the data highlights a more complex reality:
- Internal scrutiny on cost, efficiency and impact is increasing
- A growing compliance burden that is consuming capacity and limiting innovation
- A focus on value protection, with sustainability concentrated on risk and efficiency rather than growth
- A gap between perception and delivery, with sustainability teams reporting alignment while the wider business does not see it
- Rising expectations for financial and digital capability, particularly in data and AI
Organisations that can juggle these challenges credibly will strengthen their competitive position.
Who this is for
- CEOs and executive leadership teams shaping business direction
- CFOs and finance leaders linking sustainability to performance
- Chief Sustainability Officers and ESG leads driving delivery
- Strategy, transformation and risk leaders responsible for long-term value
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