Organizational Governance Marketing & Communications

4 Reasons We Know Sustainability Is Not at a Crossroads

Whether the goal is risk mitigation or regeneration, businesses know that the planet trumps politics — and it will trump their business, too, if they don’t act.

Brand Provided | By Caleigh Farrell | Published 23 hours ago | About a 5 minute read

Image: Johannes Plenio

We’re not at a crossroads — only one road leads forward

I really hate the idea that “sustainability is at a crossroads.” That framing suggests we’re facing two equally viable paths: one that honors people and planet, and another that doubles down on unchecked capitalism and rising nationalism.

But we aren’t at a crossroads. Maybe we were for a short time in Thatcher & Friedman’s day, but not anymore. There is a clear path ahead of us, forged for us by mother nature herself.

In a recent podcast interview, Tim Mohin noted that “natural disasters in the US — many of them climate-related — over the past year resulted in approximately 2 percent of the GDP… When you’re getting into full percentage points of GDP in the world’s largest economy, it’s getting real. And the insurance industry is the tip of the iceberg in terms of market forces that will exist that will drive sustainability forward.”

Businesses aren’t facing a choice on whether to be sustainable or not. Whether the rationale is risk mitigation or regeneration, businesses are quite aware that the planet trumps politics — and it will trump their business, too, should they not act. And so they continue to increase and refine their climate ambitions, and bank on their sustainability investments.

The real question today is not whether businesses are acting — but whether they’re talking about it. And most aren’t: Mentions of sustainability on S&P 500 earnings calls have dropped a staggering 76 percent over the past three years.

And I get it — only 17 percent of CEOs feel their communications and public affairs functions are “very equipped” to keep pace with rapid economic, geopolitical and cultural changes.

CEOs are so focused on avoiding political headwinds and backlash from the anti-woke crowd that they’re ignoring the upside: Sustainability and sustainability communications are a proven growth strategy.

How do we know this?

People expect forward-thinking leadership

Over 70 percent of people surveyed in the US – across parties and generations – want companies to stay the course on both DEI and climate action [GlobeScan, Sustainability in the USA (2025)].
Again, 70 percent of US and Canadian consumers think companies should be doing more in terms of sustainability and ethical best practice [Public, Conscious Consumer Report (2025)].

Consumers are shopping their values

US consumers are more likely to say they’ve purchased a sustainable product in the last month compared (49 percent) to July 2024 (43 percent) [GlobeScan].
Over half of consumers indicate they would boycott or buycott a brand for social, ethical or environmental reasons [Public].

Sustainability drives business growth

Eco-friendly retail in the US is growing 71.0 percent faster than the conventional retail market. US consumers will spend $217 billion on eco-friendly products in 2025; projections indicate eco-friendly retail will be worth over $400 billion in 2032 [Capital One].

Values are a foundational element of brand loyalty

According to a recent Oglivy study, true brand loyalty is built on emotional resonance, shared values and authentic connections.

As Paul Polman recently put it, “The worst signal a leader can send is silence … It indicates weakness. It tells your people that you’ve given up, and it hands your critics the narrative.”

In other words, neutrality doesn’t protect your brand — it erodes it.

The message is clear: Sustainability isn’t a gamble. It’s our most powerful lever for resilience, relevance and long-term growth. The only question left is whether you’ll lead out loud — or get left behind.

3 tips for cutting through the noise — and the risk

Now, I recognize that the world of impact communications feels murky right now. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are my top tips for cutting through the noise — and the risk:

Get laser-focused. The era of vague, feel-good goals is over. To drive real impact and keep your audience engaged, focus on sustainability issues that are material to your business. Then, pick a leading priority — and communicate the heck out of it.
Ditch the jargon. Impact communications have been handcuffed by cumbersome language no one actually uses in their everyday life. Swap out terms such as “global boiling” for things people talk about at the kitchen table: “pollution,” “clean water,” “health,” “cost of living.” If it doesn’t sound like someone you trust would say it, rewrite it.
Make it personal. People care about people and planet — but their top priority is still themselves and their families. That’s not cynical; it’s human. Meet them where they are with messaging that links their values to real-life benefits including comfort, convenience, savings, peace of mind.

For more on how to move people with impact communications, you can check out Public’s recent study on the Conscious Consumer.

Caleigh Farrell

Head of Research
Public Inc.

Caleigh Farrell is Head of Research at Public Inc. — North America’s leading social-impact agency helping companies and organizations profit with purpose.

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