Sustainability at a Crossroads: A Call for Global Insight

Over the past four decades, sustainability has evolved from a niche concern into a defining global agenda. From the foundations laid by the Brundtland Report to the rise of ESG, net-zero commitments, and global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the field has expanded rapidly and entered the mainstream.

Yet today, many working in sustainability sense that the agenda is entering a new phase.

​Sustainability at a Crossroads, a global consultation conducted in 2025 by GlobeScan, ERM, and Volans, explored how practitioners are experiencing this moment. Drawing on perspectives from sustainability professionals across regions and sectors, the research pointed to a period of reflection and reassessment about how progress can be accelerated.

While views differ, there is a recognition that the current approach needs to evolve to better meet the scale and complexity of today’s challenges. At the same time, this moment should not be seen as a setback, but as an opportunity to refine strategies and identify more effective pathways forward.

A System Under Strain

The research highlights a set of pressures shaping the sustainability landscape.

Many practitioners point to uneven progress and a more complex operating environment, where priorities can shift and momentum can vary across regions. Experiences differ, with some contexts seeing stronger alignment and others facing greater friction.

There are also ongoing questions about how well existing frameworks and institutions are equipped to deliver change at the required pace and scale. While they continue to play an important role, there is a growing focus on how they can be strengthened or complemented by new approaches.

More broadly, the findings suggest that the challenge is not simply one of ambition, but of coordination, effectiveness, and alignment across the actors involved in driving sustainability forward.

Where Momentum Is Building for the Next Phase of Sustainability

Despite these challenges, the research also highlights areas where progress is taking shape.

Practitioners point to a range of actions that combine potential impact with practical feasibility in the near term. These span policy and regulatory tools, financial and investment approaches, business practices that embed sustainability more deeply into operations and value chains, and efforts to engage and mobilize wider society.

At the same time, there is recognition that some established approaches may need to evolve to remain relevant and effective in a changing context, particularly where they rely on voluntary uptake or have limited scale.

There is also growing interest in more transformative ideas that could reshape how sustainability is integrated into economic and decision-making systems, even if these may take longer to implement.

Taken together, this reflects a landscape where multiple pathways are emerging, and where balancing ambition with practicality remains a key consideration.

A Community with Diverse Perspectives

The research also underlines that the sustainability community brings a wide range of perspectives on how progress should be achieved.

Different practitioners emphasize different levers for change, whether through markets, policy, technology, or societal engagement. Some focus on evolving existing systems, while others prioritize more fundamental shifts.

This diversity reflects the breadth of the field and the range of contexts in which sustainability is being pursued. It also highlights the importance of dialogue and collaboration in shaping a shared direction.

Why This Matters Now

Looking ahead, the coming years will be critical in determining how effectively sustainability goals can be advanced.

There is broad agreement that progress will depend not only on identifying effective solutions, but on scaling and coordinating them more effectively across sectors and regions.

This makes it especially important to deepen understanding of how practitioners are navigating this moment and where they see the most promising opportunities for impact.

An Invitation to Contribute

Building on this work, GlobeScan, ERM, and Volans are launching the next phase of the research: Sustainability at a Crossroads II.

This new consultation aims to better understand how sustainability practitioners are interpreting current developments, where momentum is building, and what it will take to translate insight into meaningful progress as we move toward 2030.

We are particularly interested in hearing from voices across regions and sectors that are often underrepresented in global conversations.

If you are working in sustainability or a related field, your perspective is invaluable.

We invite you to participate in the survey:
https://survey.euro.confirmit.com/wix/p146836534098.aspx?OL=5

The survey takes approximately 10–15 minutes to complete, and your responses will contribute to a broader effort to identify priorities and inform the next phase of the sustainability agenda.

Looking Ahead

The sustainability agenda continues to evolve in response to a changing world.

This is a moment for reflection, but also for renewed focus and collaboration. By bringing together a diversity of perspectives, there is an opportunity to better understand what is working, where adjustments are needed, and how progress can be accelerated.

We hope you will take part.