04-16-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

Sustainability is maturing

The leaders of tomorrow are growing with it.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

In 2002, 45% of the world’s top 250 companies reported on sustainability. Today, 96% do. Sustainability metrics that once differentiated companies have become the new baseline. This doesn’t mean sustainability has stalled. Rather, it has matured. As geopolitical and regulatory risks continue progressing, what it means to be a sustainable business is evolving. 

For leaders guiding their companies into the future, sustainability must be more than an aspiration or a value. It’s a practical tool for operating stronger, more resilient businesses. The leaders best positioned for success are the ones integrating sustainability as a core business function, operating at the intersection of regulation, risk, and performance.

As a global leader of paper-based packaging solutions, my company has seen firsthand how embedding sustainability at the center of business decision-making can return powerful results, directly influencing operational continuity, pricing patterns, cost structures, and reliability, along with environmental benefits. For today’s leaders, the opportunity lies in turning sustainability into a strategic driver of long-term value.

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