Boardrooms are demanding more than good intentions. At the Sustainability LIVE Net Zero 2025 conference in London, one message was clear: sustainability communication must move beyond ethical narratives and prove commercial value.
Rosie Hopkins and I returned to Sustainability LIVE Net Zero in London this year, eager to see how conversations around corporate sustainability had evolved since 2024. The event was as well-organised and insightful as ever, packed with thought-provoking discussions that will help us guide our B2B PR clients in strengthening their brand positioning and reputation management. But one message stood out above all: making the business case for sustainability is no longer optional.
Last year, this was already a growing theme (see: How B2B brands are communicating sustainability), but in 2025, it dominated the agenda. Practically every speaker reinforced the same point – companies can no longer rely on ethical storytelling alone. In an era of economic uncertainty and shifting policies, sustainability must be framed as a business imperative, with clear financial and strategic benefits. Those that fail to do so risk losing traction with senior leaders, investors, and customers.
Adapting sustainability messaging in a shifting political landscape
Throughout the conference, participants acknowledged growing anxiety over the political climate’s impact on global sustainability initiatives. In the USA, regulatory rollbacks on environmental policies have led some companies to soften their sustainability messaging in that market. However, the consensus among speakers was that European operations remain largely unaffected, with UK and EU governments continuing to reinforce their environmental commitments.
Michael Batstone, global climate strategy manager at IFS, emphasised the need for multinational businesses to balance regional market conditions while maintaining a long-term, value-driven sustainability strategy. The takeaway? International differences in government policy mean that businesses must take control of their own messaging – aligning sustainability with business growth rather than relying on regulatory pressure to justify their actions.
Sustainability is already driving business success
For many businesses, the link between sustainability and commercial performance is clear. Companies that made strategic investments in sustainability two or three years ago are now seeing tangible financial and operational benefits. At Sustainability LIVE Net Zero, Tom Abel, director of sales and sustainable solutions at Business Stream, highlighted how these organisations are cutting operational costs, unlocking new investment capital, developing new revenue streams, and strengthening their competitive position. Far from being a financial burden, sustainability has become a catalyst for profitability and growth.
Recent data reinforces this shift. Several speakers at the conference referenced the fact that the UK’s green economy grew by 10% last year – three times the growth rate of the wider economy, contributing £83.1 billion in gross added value.
Yet, while many companies have already embedded sustainability into their business models, others are still struggling to bridge the gap between ambition and execution. For them, the challenge lies not just in taking action, but in effectively communicating sustainability’s impact in a way that secures internal buy-in and drives external engagement.
Winning leadership buy-in for sustainability
The resounding message from keynotes, panels, and fireside chats was that sustainability officers must communicate in the language of business. Expecting leadership to engage on sustainability’s terms isn’t enough – finance, risk, and growth must take centre stage in the conversation. As Gerard Gallagher, EMEAI sustainability leader at EY, succinctly put it: “Sustainability, meet your new friend capitalism.”
Olivia Ruggles-Brise, VP sustainability at BCD Travel, reinforced this point with a clear example from the hospitality sector. Rather than reporting food waste in kilograms – a metric that feels abstract to many business leaders – hotels should express it as a percentage of menu item costs. This simple shift reframes food waste from an environmental issue to a financial one, immediately making the case for action more compelling.
Several panellists also stressed that sustainability officers need to talk in terms of business cycles. While the 2050 net-zero deadline looms, in the world of business, it can feel distant – and that’s why sustainability officers must also seek to deliver near-term wins. Success with pragmatic, lower-cost initiatives with measurable impact can help secure leadership buy-in for larger, longer-term sustainability investments.
Internal communication to engage the whole business
Winning over the C-suite is just the beginning, however. Jessica Benghiat, managing director – UK of Climate Partner, stressed how sustainability officers can’t drive progress alone – they require buy-in from across the entire organisation. From finance teams unlocking grants and incentives, IT departments leveraging data for sustainability reporting, procurement improving supply chain sustainability, and HR upskilling employees with green skills, every department has a role to play.
That’s why internal communication and training are critical. Employees at all levels must understand not just why sustainability matters, but how it impacts their own work and the business as a whole. Without this alignment, even the strongest sustainability strategy risks stalling.
Making the business case to customers
And it’s not just internal stakeholders who need convincing. Sustainability must be embedded in B2B marketing strategies, because in 2025, choosing the greener option is no longer just about regulatory compliance or ethics – it’s about competitive advantage. Businesses increasingly expect their suppliers to demonstrate clear sustainability credentials, not out of goodwill, but because it impacts their own bottom line.
Sustainability messaging in PR and marketing communication must therefore evolve beyond ‘doing the right thing for the planet’ to ‘doing the smart thing for business’. The companies that successfully make this case will not only meet growing customer and investor expectations but also gain a stronger foothold in an economy where sustainability and profitability go hand in hand.
Communicating sustainability’s business value
Rosie and I left Sustainability LIVE Net Zero 2025 with a very strong and simple takeaway: companies that successfully communicate the business case for sustainability will be the ones that thrive. The event reinforced that sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a commercial necessity. From securing leadership buy-in to embedding sustainability into external messaging, businesses must translate ambition into action, and action into impact.
This aligns directly with how we support our industrial B2B PR clients at SE10 – helping them craft sustainability messaging that not only informs but persuades. Whether it’s engaging employees across global teams, using thought leadership to position brands as industry leaders, or producing compelling case studies, we ensure sustainability is communicated as a business advantage.
Ready to elevate your sustainability messaging? Contact SE10 today to discuss how we can help you communicate sustainability’s true business value.
