(s)ustain-ability?

Architectural render of Eco Park, Forest Green Rovers' planned new stadium. https://www.fgr.co.uk/eco-park/

Suddenly, everywhere I look, I see signals that sustainability’s momentum is shifting. Yes, political headwinds have changed. But if sustainability had truly been embedded – woven into the core of how businesses operate – would it really have shifted so easily? The easy tailwind, the era of unquestioned enthusiasm, was always going to be tested. Now, we’re seeing who was in it for the long haul and who was simply riding the wave.

And let’s be honest: the signs of this shift have been here for a while.

Sustainability became the trend to follow. Every company learned how to talk a good game. But when everyone’s talking, authenticity gets drowned out. Greenwashing. Empty ESG-certified funds. The countless companies that raced to announce “Net Zero by 2050” without a plan, only to be caught out when real scrutiny arrived.

So is sustainability responsible for its own unravelling? Did it attract too many suitors – some committed, others opportunistic – until no one could tell the difference anymore? Maybe.

But is this really the downfall of an empire? One so swift it barely left a trace? No, I don’t think so.

Because sustainability – small ‘s’ at least – is here to stay.

Why? Because at its core, it’s ethical business. And while ethics doesn’t always win in the short term, history shows that businesses that align with societal values tend to outlast those that fight them. When the tide shifts, companies that have embedded ethics – not just marketed it – are the ones that remain standing.

Sustainability didn’t emerge out of nowhere. In the corporate world, it grew out of corporate social responsibility, which itself evolved from the simple principle that doing business ethically – treating employees well, building trust with customers, managing resources responsibly – isn’t just about reputation; it’s about long-term success. Happier employees, loyal customers, a more resilient organisation.

Sport is no different. Some organisations have recognised this and built sustainability into their identity. Forest Green Rovers, for example, didn’t just adopt sustainability as an initiative, they made it fundamental to who they are. A vegan menu, a stadium powered by renewables, electric team transport, and sustainability education for players and staff. Sustainability isn’t a side project for them; it’s embedded. And it works.

Others, however, have treated sustainability as a branding exercise, quick to showcase their commitments when the wind was behind them, but just as quick to deprioritise them when pressure mounts. We’ve seen it in major sporting events rolling back commitments, in sponsors quietly dropping sustainability pledges when profitability is threatened. If sustainability were truly ingrained, would it be so easy to abandon?

Yes, we still have work to do in measuring sustainability’s effectiveness. And it’s fair to ask: does the economy truly reward resilience, transparency, and trust?

Not always; not in the short term, at least. Right now, businesses that prioritise efficiency at all costs, avoid scrutiny, or sideline sustainability might see immediate financial gains. That’s the reality of quarterly earnings pressures and political headwinds. But we’ve seen this before – companies that ignore ethical concerns in pursuit of short-term wins often thrive… until they don’t.

The challenge isn’t whether sustainability is valuable, it’s proving it in ways that businesses and investors can’t ignore. The lack of clear, standardised metrics has left too much room for greenwashing, bad data, and misaligned incentives. But that’s changing. Stronger reporting standards, better impact measurement, and advances in AI and data processing are making sustainability more quantifiable than ever.

But measurement alone isn’t enough. Sustainability must also demonstrate its contribution, not just to business goals, but to society, to communities, to the Sustainable Development Goals. Sport, and society more broadly, cannot afford to be passive recipients of external frameworks. We must develop meaningful, robust, and credible systems of our own, ones that allow us to recognise and celebrate those who genuinely adhere to and strive towards these principles.

The question isn’t just whether businesses will be rewarded for doing the right thing, it’s whether they’ll be ready when the tide inevitably turns.

Because at some point, the tide always turns.

So I’m standing firm.

When I started on this journey in 2007, it was because I’d felt the power of sport – my lifelong ally – to effect real change. To shape individuals, communities, and society. To benefit current and future generations. To, as one person once put it, leave the world a little better than I found it.

And that still holds true.