4 Corporate Sustainability Trends for 2025
Sustainability is a dynamic space. It’s moving faster than ever, and companies who put it front and center have the opportunity to drive change and change culture. We’d know — it’s our mission to help them get there! Here at The CSO Shop, we’ve identified four trends heading into 2025 that will help you build a future-fit strategy.
Culture-Shifting Communications
At Climate Week NYC this past fall, we witnessed multiple panels focus on the importance of storytelling as a tool for driving behavior change and action. To stand out, your communications need to be rooted in human-centered, empathy-driven narratives, while also highlighting the direct impact of our planetary tipping points, backing up stories with data-driven facts, and including clear calls to action.
Dig Deeper: We’re inspired by Climate Basecamp, a non-profit bringing together cultural figures and scientists to make conversations about climate change accessible (special shout-out to their Save the Flavors initiative as a standout, lighthearted example of climate storytelling). The Music Sustainability Alliance is a multi-stakeholder initiative working to combat the climate crisis through collective action aimed at reducing the industry’s impact on natural resources. They’re activating both the industry and its fans, through creative storytelling. And finally, we always appreciate Reconsidered’s weekly newsletter, which translates sustainable business news in a “real talk” way, as well as tech platform Stickerbook, which builds bite-sized sustainability training to engage and empower employees.
Leveraging AI to Drive Sustainability Progress
AI has the power to accelerate sustainability goals by offering more accurate metrics through enhanced tracking and robust data analysis — essential for meeting time-bound climate targets and for more informed decision-making. Companies with supply chains can also adopt AI solutions to support increased sourcing transparency. While the environmental impact of artificial intelligence must still be addressed, many experts believe it’s “soon to be a net-positive” in advancing sustainability.
Dig Deeper: Our client Noble AI, which solves complex chemicals, materials, formulations and energy problems through data-efficient, science-based AI, is a standout example of how AI can be used in service of sustainability goals. Softly is another startup we love, that is leveraging AI to support sustainability claims brands are making, as well as FRDM and MuirAI who use AI to address human rights risks and scope 3 emissions across the supply chain.
(Real) Brand Authenticity
On a global scale, we’re seeing enhanced legislation around green claims, notably updates to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides for the Use of Environmental Claims, the EU Green Claims Directive, and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority anti greenwashing rule. With increased regulation and consumer scrutiny over greenwashing, the concept of “purpose-driven brands” is being put to the test.
If companies want to go beyond compliance, and truly connect with their customers, they need to take a strategic look into how they incorporate purpose into every aspect of their business, from their operations to their culture.
Dig Deeper: Aora México, Cork Collective, and Future Origins are examples of mission-driven brands that authentically embed purpose into how they show up in the world. Whether through their operations or objectives, everything these organizations do ties back to their mission of having a positive impact on the planet in their own unique ways.
Radical Collaborations
2024 saw the emergence and strengthening of collaborative alliances and multi-stakeholder initiatives (a collective action approach that brings together multiple value chain actors to solve complex problems) across different sectors. These structures are creating meaningful opportunities for companies to not just contribute to systems-level solutions, but to drive market signals that will deepen relationships with business partners, suppliers, non-profits, government and other potential allies.
Dig Deeper: Notable examples of recent collective action include the coalition behind the New York Fashion Act and the formation of the Music Sustainability Alliance. We also appreciate the space that Sustainable Brands and Trellis creates for business and brand leaders working towards a sustainable future. And with technology support for collaboration from companies like MetaImpact, there has never been an easier way to collaborate! On an individual level, communities like Women in ESG, the Girls Club Collective and the Reconsidered Change Hub are all the more necessary for our collective success.
Looking Forward to 2025
If you’re looking to level up your sustainability strategy in the year ahead, leveraging these trends can help you get ahead of the curve and ensure your approach is future-fit. The CSO Shop can help with fractional sustainability services that meet you where you are. When you’re ready, you can get in touch with us here.