Words of wisdom — and encouragement — from GreenBiz 26
Sustainability leaders turned up to this year’s GreenBiz conference a bit battle-scarred, bruised and, yes, weary from the sea changes experienced in the space during the past year.
In his annual remarks Trellis Group Chairman Joel Makower noted that 2024 was defined by momentum; 2025 by shock and 2026 will be? Maybe a bit of both — progress continues but so does retreat. Much of his narrative centered around the fact that every great story has a moment when the hero almost fails; the story grows darker and the plot thickens. He reminded the audience that we’re only in the middle of the story and what happens next is largely dependent on how we write the next chapter. The ending is not preordained.
Sounded like a much-needed pep talk to me — something most everyone in attendance agreed they needed as well after the past 12 months. Other words of wisdom heard around the conference:
A focus on business value is imperative. Sustainability professionals are on the defensive and that needs to change. The best offense? Proving the business value of the work. Think risk and cost reduction; support for brand positioning and advertising; revenue generation from product innovation and customer preference. At a workshop on the ROI of sustainability, participants wondered if perhaps sustainability professionals had become a bit “too precious” in their quest to save the world. Perhaps it’s time to get our hands dirty and embrace profitability. Don’t walk out of board rooms saying, “They just don’t get it.” Instead, walk into the same room with business plans that provide strategic relevance and quantifiable ROI.
Mandatory and voluntary reporting can, should and will co‑exist. Mandatory reporting has been front and center in recent years but dimmed this year amid the watering down of CSRD in the EU; the litigation surrounding California climate regs; and the death (at least for now) of SEC climate disclosures. On the flip side, many acknowledge that without the specter of impending regs, investment in double materiality assessments, ESG controllerships, assurance-ready data and other initiatives might never have been made. Regardless of how mandatory reporting eventually rolls out, there was widespread agreement that voluntary reporting continues to be critically relevant to a broad range of stakeholders.
It’s more important than ever to think about who you talk to and how you talk. A comment heard repeatedly from attendees and panelists alike was that the world is a big place for many companies. Though navigating the polarized environment in the U.S. is imperative, it’s equally as important to communicate with regulators, employees, customers, suppliers and other influencers outside the U.S. who continue to prioritize sustainable progress. They need and want U.S. companies to show up, demonstrate commitment and record positive progress. Similarly, jargon-filled “sustainability speak” is no longer cutting it. If you want to win friends and influence people, then communicate in their language. Think about what incentivizes your target audience and what keeps them up at night. Then, tailor your communications accordingly.
Important work continues, even if it’s quieter. Throughout corporate America, teams are continuing to buy renewable energy certificates, fortify against supply chain risks, tackle complex Scope 3 emission footprints and pursue scores of other environmentally and socially responsible initiatives. It was heartening to hear commitment to these tasks and more remains. Yes, funding may be tight due to other corporate priorities and macroeconomic dynamics, but few attendees indicated that they have been asked to turn away from this work.
During Wednesday’s excellent keynotes, each presenter concluded their offering by answering the question, “What did you learn in 2025 that you need to apply in 2026 and beyond?” Our favorite answer came from Yalmaz Siddiqui with The Walt Disney Company who noted that it’s a very difficult time for our profession right now. His advice for thriving when the going is tough? Find what brings you joy outside of your day job and do more of it. Sounds like good therapeutic advice to us — and the recharge we need to do the considerable work ahead.
