"A Quiet Momentum" - Trends of Sustainability in Business for 2026

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Reading today’s headlines, it would be easy to believe corporate sustainability is in retreat. Regulation is being simplified. Political narratives are shifting. Some companies are recalibrating targets. Where is the momentum of 2022–2023? But beneath the noise, a different story emerges.

The reasons for Irish businesses to act on sustainability have shifted, but not weakened. In many respects, they are stronger; more strategic and commercial.

That is what trainers Karen Deignan and Sharon Keilthy see across Ibec Academy’s two sustainability programmes.

The facts are surprisingly positive

“When we ask executives these three questions about progress on sustainability, most instinctively guess ‘no’,” the trainers observe. “But the truth is far more optimistic.”

1. Are global greenhouse gas emissions per capita now declining? [Yes, they are.]
2. Is the EU on track for its 2050 net zero target? [Yes, within one percentage point]
3. Is it possible to grow GDP while reducing emissions? [Yes – the EU is already doing it, and so is Ireland albeit more slowly.]

Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, the growth rate of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has slowed significantly. And on a per capita basis, these emissions are now falling.

At European level, GHG emissions have fallen 37% since 1990 while GDP has grown 68% –evidence of decoupling economic growth from carbon emissions.

The economics of the transition have also shifted. For example, solar has been the largest source of new electricity generation globally for three consecutive years – largely because it is now one of the cheapest options in most markets.

And corporate ambition remains strong. For example, PwC’s 2024 analysis of CDP data shows 37% of companies increasing climate ambition, only 16% slowing it.

The transition is not reversing. It is normalising.

Ireland – progress and pressure

Ireland’s picture is more complex. National GHG emissions have fallen 3% since 1990 despite strong economic and population growth. That is progress – but Ireland remains off track for 2030 targets.

For business, this creates both risk and opportunity.

Risk – because regulation, carbon pricing, supply chain scrutiny and investor expectations are not disappearing.

Opportunity – because companies that move early can secure competitive advantage.

From compliance to competitive advantage

When the Ibec Academy and SustainabilityWorks programmes launched in 2023, many participants were focused on getting ready for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which was going to make sustainability reporting mandatory for large companies from 2026 onwards.

Today, following simplification of CSRD requirements and fewer companies needing to comply, participants’ sustainability agendas are broader. Executives are asking how sustainability can help them:

• Grow?
• Strengthen tenders and win new business?
• Reduce exposure to energy price and resource volatility?
• Reduce costs?
• Attract and retain talent?
• Access finance?

The boardroom conversation has shifted from, “What do we need to report?” to, “Where is the value?” Sustainability is moving from a reporting exercise to core business capability.

And there is a growing realisation that to invest limited time and resources wisely, organisations must:

• Focus on the most material ESG issues;
• Align sustainability with core business strategy;
• Quantify risks and opportunities;
• Measure impact credibly; and
• Communicate performance clearly.

What we hear in the classroom

In Ibec Academy’s sustainability programmes, across every cohort, participants report a very positive experience – commenting on the quality of the course content, the knowledge of the trainers, the practical case examples, and the useful templates and materials.

More importantly, on average, participants’ confidence in the targeted sustainability skills doubles between pre- and post-programme surveys. They report feeling more confident explaining: the drivers of, and business case for, sustainability; topics like carbon footprinting, diversity & inclusion, climate risk and what they mean for the business; and key reporting frameworks and standards. And they feel better able to create and implement a corporate sustainability strategy and engage stakeholders.

But what matters most is what happens after the programme. Participants consistently say they will develop or refresh their company’s sustainability strategy, move from ad-hoc initiatives to measurable plans, embed sustainability into procurement, operations and business planning, and engage executive teams and other colleagues to build organisational momentum.

In short, they move from understanding sustainability to implementing it.

Sustainability is now a core business skill

Another clear shift since 2023 is who is attending these programmes. Participants are not only sustainability managers. They include operations leaders, procurement professionals, finance teams, HR leaders, engineers and CEOs.

This reflects a fundamental reality: that sustainability performance is delivered through everyday business decisions.

A moment of quiet progress

We may now be entering an era of quiet progress for corporate sustainability.

The rhetoric is softer. The compliance urgency has eased. But the structural drivers remain.

To unlock its value, organisations need a clear strategy, cross-functional understanding and practical tools to translate ambition into action. So capability is central.

Companies investing now in building sustainability capability will be better positioned – not only to comply, but to compete.

Building capability for the next phase

The Ibec Academy and SustainabilityWorks programmes are designed for this next phase. They help organisations move:

• From compliance to value creation;
• From ambition to implementation;
• From isolated initiatives to a coordinated strategy; and
• From uncertainty to confident action.

The programmes help Irish businesses get prepared – quietly, strategically and commercially – making sustainability make business sense.
By Karen Deignan, Co-Founder and Partner & Sharon Keilthy, Associate Director, SustainabilityWorks (sustainabilityworks.ie)

Upcoming programmes – book online or contact us for a quote:

• Sustainability Essentials for Business: From Strategy to Impact. 1-day online. Next date: Wednesday, 4 March. Additional date: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
• CPD Certificate in Corporate Sustainability / ESG: 1 day a week for 4 weeks. Day 1 in-person, remainder online. CPD Level 6 NFQ (5 ECTS). Accredited by Technological University Dublin. Next date starts Tuesday, 5 May. Additional date: Tuesday, 3 November 2026.

[FOOTNOTE:] Selected Sources:

• Global Carbon Budget (2024); Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit analysis
• Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions, per-capita emissions, and GDP decoupling datasets)
• Financial Times reporting on EU climate target progress (2024)
• PwC, Second Annual State of Decarbonization Report (2025); CDP data analysis (2024)
• International Energy Agency (IEA), solar capacity and STEPS projections (via BNEF and Ember)