Why Sustainability In Business Is Entering A More Operational Phase

InnovationSustainabilityWhy Sustainability In Business Is Entering A More Operational PhaseByJamie Hailstone,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Jamie Hailstone is a U.K-based reporter, who covers sustainability. Follow AuthorApr 28, 2026, 05:06am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.(AUSTRALIA OUT) Generic businessmen walking into a boardroom meeting, 20 April 2005. AFR Picture by ERIN JONASSON (Photo by Fairfax Media via Getty Images via Getty Images)Fairfax Media via Getty ImagesThe era when sustainability was the top of every business agenda appears to be over, at least in certain parts of the world.Numerous corporate announcements about carbon neutrality, net zero and ESG have come and gone, leaving many in the sector feeling a but jaded and lost.But scratch beneath the surface and sustainability is still there. Other issues like AI might be the buzzword of the moment, but it is still embedded across many corporations, which are now grappling with extreme weather events, driven by climate change. EY’s global vice chair (assurance), Marie‑Laure Delarue, said recent events are helping boardrooms focus on resilience, security and sustainability, in an interview. Delarue added sustainability, in particular is now shifting from a “compliance exercise” to something far more strategic and embedded across a business, operations and supply chains. And she said while a lot of focus has been on carbon in recent years, there is a growing a growing shift towards focusing on nature impacts. “Overall, businesses are starting to realize we are much more constrained by natural resources than we previously thought,” Delarue told me. “Water stress has become one of the most pressing issues in many economies. It's already been the case in the Middle East and South Africa, but now we have companies in Europe who are telling us they had to briefly s...