Sustainability Leaders’ Series: 2026 Predictions
Access this research
Access all Corporate Sustainability Leaders content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report
Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance
Executive Summary
Regardless of the regulatory landscape, sustainability has become an operational reality: embedded in global supply chains, demanded by customers and investors, and reinforced by the rising expectation that every claim must be traceable, transparent and verifiable.
As expectations rise, executives must juggle evolving compliance requirements while proving that their initiatives deliver real operational and financial returns. Our predictions for 2026 guide is designed to help corporate sustainability leaders navigate these expectations, offering a glimpse of what to expect in the year ahead.
About the Authors
Luke Gowland
Senior Analyst
Luke is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in ESG and sustainability reporting software and financial ESG. He advises both technology buyers and software vendor and s...
Jessica Pransky
Principal Analyst
Jessica is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in providing insights to sustainability leaders and analysing ESG and sustainability reporting software. She advises ...
View Profile
Priyanka Bawa
Principal Analyst
Priyanka is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, where she leads research to enable sustainability leaders and services firms to analyse shifting market dynamics and evaluate inn...
View Profile
Callum Millard
Analyst
Callum is an Analyst at Verdantix, helping firms navigate the evolving ESG, sustainability, product innovation and product stewardship landscapes, to drive value creation and ...
View Profile
Elisa Molero
Senior Analyst
Elisa is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in supply chain sustainability. Her research covers 100 vendors in the supply chain sustainability market, supporting buye...
View Profile
Jessie Wilson
Industry Analyst
Jessie is an Industry Analyst at Verdantix, with a research agenda spanning ESG reporting, the circular economy and supply chain sustainability. Jessie has a BSc in Geography ...
View Profile
Kim Knickle
Research Director
Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...
View ProfileOther related content
Episode 30 Global supply chains are under immense stress. Whether it’s a case of sanctioned goods and impure materials or unethical labour practices, the potential for hidden ri...
27 January, 2026
2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for sustainability leaders. After a turbulent 2025, characterized by regulatory uncertainty and politicization, the focus is shifting toward...
23 January, 2026
As the EU Sustainability Omnibus Package is being finalised, join us to find out what action you need to take now, and how to prioritise in an era of rapid change. Find out: What t...
Upcoming / 24 February, 2026
Utilities are facing unprecedented grid constraints and long DER connection backlogs, driven by rapid growth in solar, EVs, and storage. Traditional systems alone struggle to provi...
Upcoming / 10 February, 2026
Episode 29 The Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) role has undergone a radical evolution. Once focused primarily on voluntary reporting, policy formation and goal-setting, today’s ...
04 December, 2025
The beginning of 2025 saw significant uncertainty surrounding sustainability regulations. Twelve months later, that uncertainty hasn’t disappeared – in fact, the year has highlight...
27 November, 2025