31 July, 2026

Can eight sustainability leaders solve complex human rights challenges in 60 minutes? Probably not. But bringing them together might be one of the fastest ways to make progress.

That’s exactly why we created the Sustainability Leaders Panel (SLP): to identify and share insights from the coalface of corporate sustainability. This week, we brought together sustainability and human rights practitioners from eight businesses for a peer group discussion to discuss what it really takes to make human rights happen. One thing was clear: failing to safeguard human rights doesn’t only affect people, it also creates resilience, legal and reputational risks for companies. But how are sustainability leaders turning awareness into meaningful action?

While policies and commitments are increasingly well established, the discussion reflected the realities of translating these commitments into meaningful action with lean teams, competing priorities and limited visibility across complex value chains. Data was also identified as a challenge, but participants noted that the real difficulty often lies not in gathering more information, but in making sense of what already exists and using it effectively to drive action.

Despite these challenges, the discussion also highlighted what helps organisations make progress. Building support beyond sustainability teams emerged as a critical success factor, whether through internal champions, raising awareness, or equipping colleagues with the confidence and tools to act. Frameworks and regulation, including the Modern Slavery Act and B Corp, were also seen as useful mechanisms for creating momentum, accountability and a shared language across the business.

Our key takeaway? Tackling complex challenges is better when sustainability leaders get together to share experiences, challenge assumptions and learn from one another. The discussion also reinforced that progress depends on building support beyond sustainability teams, investing in knowledge-sharing and upskilling, and empowering colleagues across the business to play a role in safeguarding human rights.

Interested in joining future SLP conversations? Or already part of the SLP and have a pressing issue you’d like to explore with peers? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at emmal@good.business.

By Sarah Forero