Our thinking

Results of the sustainability leaders panel research

27 June, 2025

The Sustainability Leaders Panel, which we run in partnership with our friends at Echo Research and Mishcon de Reya, provides a forum to explore and share the highs, and lows, of managing sustainability in large companies. Twice a year, we invite senior sustainability leaders working in-house to share their experiences via the panel. 

This week, we were delighted to welcome members of the panel who were in town for London Climate Week to a breakfast event hosted by Rathbones where we looked at the findings from the latest wave of research (which you can read here), which focused on the way in which boards are engaging with sustainability.  

The good news is that, despite the headwinds, boards’ engagement for sustainability remains undimmed. Our panellists tell us that the measured and thoughtful work of making progress on material sustainability issues continues: Notably, just 12% of respondents told us that they expect their board’s level of ambition around sustainability will decrease in the year ahead, with 37% saying they expect it to increase. Even while boards are facing significant short-term pressures and in many cases rethinking what and how they communicate, particularly in the DEI space, there is clearly still appetite to learn more, innovate and make closer connections between sustainability and value creation.  

At the event, the discussions were wide ranging, touching on how to balance action and communication in a world where the political climate is becoming more hostile, the value in making allies of colleagues in risk and audit, and seeing regulation as a carrot as well as a stick. The main point of consensus was the necessity of meeting boards on their terms, using language that resonates intellectually, emotionally and practically, and emphasising the role sustainability can play in building business resilience, managing risk and creating long term value. Sustainability can often seem complex, dry or abstract. In reality, it’s none of those things – it’s vital, engaging and speaks to things that matter to all of us. Including boards.  

If you would be interested in joining the panel, or would like to discuss the findings in more detail, do get in touch!  

By Claire Jost