Sustainability starts at the top: 8 ways to build real leadership for change

More than 80% of large EU-based companies are now integrating sustainability considerations into the compensation packages of senior executives, according to recent research published by professional services firm KPMG, and reported by ESG Today.

But sustainability skills are in short supply across organisations, no matter what the seniority level. So how well equipped are such leaders to really understand and leverage leadership in sustainability? 

Here are eight evidence-backed ways to help organisations embed impactful sustainability leadership in the boardroom and beyond.

1. Anchor sustainability ownership in the right roles

Sustainability leadership flourishes when ownership is clearly defined. Allocating different sustainability goals to different board members (ideally depending on personal preferences), ensures issues can be more easily aligned to specific strategies and everyday decision making, rather than issues becoming siloed with one individual. This results in greater business impact.

In our experience, reinforced by findings from McKinsey, different board roles can bring different strengths to the table:

• CEO sponsorship signals top-priority commitment and boosts visibility, internally and externally.
• COOs are well-placed to drive operational excellence and supply chain transformation.
• CFOs can integrate sustainability into financial planning and ensure ESG efforts are supported by robust ROI frameworks.
• CSOs offer the technical depth and strategic focus to align sustainability with long-term business objectives.
• CPSOs, or people-focused leaders, help embed sustainability into culture and workforce behaviour.

What matters most is that sustainability is owned, and communicated, at the highest level.

2. Frame sustainability as a value creation lever, not a cost centre

Boards are motivated by growth, risk management, and competitive advantage. So sustainability shouldn’t be pitched as a ‘nice-to-have’ or moral obligation — it should be presented as a driver of resilience, innovation, and ROI. Consider:

• Between 2010 and 2020, Unilever’s sustainable brands (e.g., Dove, Lipton, Ben & Jerry’s) grew 69% faster than the rest of the portfolio.
• Companies like Ørsted and Schneider Electric consistently outperform industry benchmarks by embedding sustainability into their business models.

This isn’t about marketing spin. It’s about making a tailored business case that speaks directly to your sector’s priorities, investors' expectations, and your own value chain.

3. Tailor your sustainability journey — and bring the board with you

Every business is on a different path. CSOs and sustainability leaders are key to identifying where their organisation stands today — and what transformation will be required to meet future goals.

Plotting a tailored roadmap, grounded in both ambition and realism, helps translate strategy into action. Crucially, it also:

• Clarifies expected impact over years, not months.
• Aligns sustainability planning with broader growth strategy.
• Helps achieve board buy-in by making the journey feel achievable, measurable, and sector-relevant.

A “paint-by-numbers” approach won’t cut it. Leaders need a plan that reflects their unique challenges, customers, and competitive landscape.

4. Align sustainability with existing business priorities

Sustainability should never be a bolt-on. Instead, it should enhance and accelerate the goals already on the leadership agenda, whether it’s expanding into new markets; improving supply chain resilience; attracting and retaining top talent; strengthening regulatory positioning; or improving brand reputation.

Sustainability can be a powerful multiplier. For example, IKEA integrated circular economy principles into product design and procurement, aligning them with cost-saving and loyalty objectives.

When positioned this way, sustainability becomes a catalyst, not a competing initiative.

5. Empower leadership through targeted sustainability learning programmes

Many boards are asking the right questions on sustainability, but lack the depth to lead confidently. And while technical teams are well-versed in sustainability frameworks, the C-suite often operates at arm’s length from the details.

This is where strategic learning can make a profound difference.

At Sustainability Unlocked , we provide:

• Expert-led, executive-level content tailored for decision-makers.
• On-demand learning that demystifies complex sustainability and ESG topics.

This builds confidence from the inside-out, so leaders can make informed decisions, drive the right initiatives at the right time, and communicate to, and inspire, the workforce in the behaviours that drive change. 

6. Use clear objectives to drive aligned action

High-performing sustainability leaders clarify what success looks like, and align sustainability efforts with overarching business outcomes. These may include: compliance and risk management; capturing new growth opportunities; shaping culture and employee engagement; and/or market differentiation.

When sustainability is embedded in board-level strategic planning, it ceases to be a siloed initiative. It becomes part of the business’s DNA, and becomes integral to achieving long-term goals.

This alignment also strengthens the case for investment in sustainability-related upskilling and transformation, by linking those efforts to measurable impact.

7. Cascade culture change through internal champions

Board-level commitment is crucial — but enterprise-wide transformation relies on mid-level managers, department heads and function leads.

These internal champions are closest to day-to-day decision-making. When equipped with role-relevant sustainability knowledge and consistent messaging, they can:

• Act as credible voices within their teams.
• Model new behaviours.
• Drive behavioural change from the ground up.

Encourage storytelling, peer learning, and early wins. When sustainability becomes part of everyday behaviours, not just policy, change takes root.

8. Make sustainability success measurable — and visible

“What gets measured gets managed” isn’t just a cliché. To truly embed sustainability into performance culture, it needs to be linked to accountability structures and incentives. 

• Executive KPIs tied to sustainability outcomes (see above).
• Board-level reporting dashboards.
• Learning metrics that demonstrate capability-building, skills growth and business impact. At Sustainability Unlocked, we advocate a holistic measurement framework — including giving full visibility around Learning Hours, Net Promoter Scores and engagement metrics that assess business impact.

Sustainability success doesn’t start in the compliance team or end with a report. It starts with leadership — informed, committed, and aligned — driving real culture change from the top.

For CSOs, Heads of Sustainability and executive sponsors, the opportunity is clear: position yourself not just as a subject matter expert, but as a strategic enabler of business growth and resilience.

You don’t have to go it alone

Sustainability Unlocked exists to support this mission. Co-created with the world’s leading experts, our learning platform demystifies sustainability and turns it into practical, boardroom-ready capabilities.

Because the companies that earn the right to thrive tomorrow are the ones shaping the future today.

Want to see what strategic sustainability learning looks like in action? Book a demo of Sustainability Unlocked and discover how we support the world’s most ambitious organisations to lead sustainability with confidence.

Discover more

🎥 Watch a clip from the video What Do Sustainability Leaders Do, in which Wayne E. Mayer, Ph.D., a Strategic Sustainability Consultant and CEO of When Everything Matters, considers how today’s sustainability leaders must inspire action, challenge conventions and find innovative solutions to pressing environmental and social issues.

🔗 Watch the whole video to learn how sustainability leaders drive change and engage people within an organisation.