In the collective imagination of corporate sustainability leaders and consumers alike, “sustainability” often evokes greener materials, ethical labor practices, and circular design. But beneath those admirable ambitions lies a more terrestrial, and often overlooked, truth: sustainability isn’t just an ethos. It’s data. It’s process. And ultimately, it’s a supply chain challenge rooted in accountability.

When more than 270 major buyers request environmental data from 45,000 suppliers through the CDP Supply Chain program, that’s more than a headline — it’s a market signal. It tells us that emissions data, climate strategies, and credible transition plans aren’t just “nice to have” anymore; they are increasingly material in supply-chain relationships and purchasing decisions.

Across the EU, policymakers are adjusting major sustainability directives like CSRD and CSDDD to respond to concerns about complexity and implementation. Thresholds are shifting. Timelines are being fine-tuned. And depending on who you ask, the changes sound like a sigh of relief.It All Begins Here

California has effectively shifted climate disclosure from a voluntary commitment to an operational expectation. With SB 253 and SB 261, the state has drawn a line around what credible climate transparency looks like, and companies with a footprint in California now have a clearer view of what the coming years will require.It All Begins Here

For the last few years, the public conversation has swung between extremes — declarations that ESG is collapsing, predictions that sustainability is losing relevance, and arguments that companies are abandoning their commitments. But when you step inside actual organizations, the atmosphere feels very different. What’s happening is less a retreat and more a recalibration. Pressure from regulators, investors, and customers is pushing companies away from vague ambition and toward initiatives that directly improve financial performance, operational resilience, and competitiveness.It All Begins Here