Commercial sustainability is no longer just the responsibility of the Sustainability Manager or CSO. Creating and supporting a business culture that empowers sustainable healthy growth, has to be integral to the day-to-day decisions and actions of every member of your team. Businesses who get it, are leading the way on innovation, and are already reaping the rewards of an engaged team, an inspired customer base, an integrated supply chain and interest from investors who are looking to capitalise on the early entrants in tomorrow’s low carbon economy. But how do businesses make the transition?

In this article, Sarah Evans, co-founder of Cogent Action Limited argues businesses who under invest in Net Zero do so at their peril, for it represents a wonderful and very timely opportunity for meaningful reinvention and recreation, at a time when economic challenges, geopolitical tensions and social discourse are threatening to change the game.

In the tumultuous journey toward addressing the climate crisis, one question looms large: Is there reason for optimism? It is a question that often stirs strong and conflicting emotions in climate circles and more generally in society, especially in the face of recent rollbacks in global and national net zero commitments and trajectories. However, amidst the turbulence, there is hope - a beacon fuelled by the increasing role that businesses, collaboration and Generation Z are playing in the fight to slow climate warming and biodiversity loss.

In the wake of stark warnings from the IPCC, the imperative for global nations to expedite climate action has never been more urgent, and with more than 60 countries heading to the polls in 2024 - including major players like the US, UK, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and Russia - it's widely expected that climate concerns will feature prominently in party manifestos.