Sustainability thought leadership trends

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Hard on the heels of our recent AI and thought leadership seminar comes our next thematic deep-dive. This time we’re turning the spotlight on the evolving landscape of sustainability, focusing on its integration into core business strategies, the backlash against greenwashing, and effective audience engagement. This article synthesises our insights and highlights from our latest quadrant analysis. With this we outline several important recommendations for marketers and communications leaders on establishing authentic sustainability narratives for their brand.

The evolution of sustainability: From CSR to core strategy
Sustainability in business has come a long way since the 1950s when the idea list of bolivia cell phone numbers of corporate social responsibility (CSR) first appeared.

By 1994, John Elkington introduced the “triple bottom line,” which highlighted the importance of economic, social, and environmental value. In the early 2000s, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria started gaining attention with the UN’s “Who Cares Wins” report.

Lately, though, the media has been calling out the misuse of ESG terms and the rise of greenwashing, damaging its credibility.

The rise of greenwashing and ESG backlash
The increasing complexity of sustainability reporting and the proliferation of acronyms have led to confusion and scepticism. Media coverage has spotlighted these issues, with a noticeable decline in positive ESG mentions and a rise in greenwashing stories.

This trend shows a broader scepticism in the media, with journalists pointing out the gap between what companies say about their sustainability efforts and what they actually do.