Guest blog: 22 Sustainability Predictions for 2022

Guest blog by Mark D Wolf: Mark is a sustainability consultant, sustainability career coach and executive coach who works with leaders to integrate sustainability into business strategy, operations, and culture. He is also the Founder & Co-Lead of the NYC Chapter of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP), the largest global professional association for leaders across the sustainability sector. He recently co-authored Thriving in the New Business Environment, Why Supply Chain Matters and has been published in the Journal of Sustainable Banking and Finance.

 

1)  Sustainability reports will be exponentially more complicated to curate

2)  Sustainability careers will continue their growth trajectory

3)  ESG is becoming the new bitcoin for large, publicly traded companies – trust and verify

4)  Finance will be a more willing, collaborative partner in the sustainability journey

5)  Sustainability leaders will have more flexibility in their sustainability candidate hiring profiles

6)  NGOs will have outsized stakeholder influence on corporations and investors

7)  Graduates from sustainability degree and certificate programs will find a large gap between their training and available openings

8)  Sustainability will become part of the job responsibilities for more employees who are not in the sustainability/CSR/EHS department

9)  Truck sales in the US will continue to grow faster than for passenger vehicles

10) Actions to turn the tide on deforestation will increase significantly

11) Chief Sustainability Officers will experience a higher incidence of burnout

12) In the US, oil and gas exploration will continue to receive tax breaks while renewable energy will largely have to pay its own way

13) Consumer data privacy protections will languish

14) Supply chain cost structure will remain in flux – shipping container costs will decline, energy costs will remain high, employee costs will increase

15) Internal combustion vehicles/trucks/transportation will increase total GHG emissions

16) Biodiversity loss will be a more urgent concern for sustainability leaders

17) Social justice initiatives will be challenging to measure vís-á-vis ESG impact

18) Many green investments will underperform their stated/intended goals

19) More climate tech solutions than ever before will launch

20) Cities will dedicate even more roadway to bicycles, scooters, and boards

21) Sustainable development success will come from NGOs and not governmental leadership

22) Meatless options will be much more broadly available in mid-scale and quick serve restaurants

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In the next few weeks you can see/hear me speaking (Zoom) to the following organizations:

     1/18 Phase 2 Careers, Silicon Valley CA: Career Pivot Into Purpose and Passion

     2/01 Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken NJ: Position Your Sustainability Career

(Both are complimentary, you are welcome to attend/share with a colleague.)

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