Simply Sustainable

Our latest Simply Sustainable podcast with global logistics company Samskip takes a refreshingly, honest look at what real transition work feels like. Laurens Dourleijn Sustainability Manager at Samskip spoke to Simply Sustainable's Sytze Dijkstra and Nicola Stopps about the practical realities of cutting emissions in a complex multinational and multi-modal transportation industry. They reflected on the need to stay adaptable as new technology emerges and regulation changes in a sector that is highly cost-driven. In the podcast, Laurens also talks about his approach for bringing others in the organisation along on the journey, providing direction without imposing solutions. A thoughtful conversation with rich insights on what a mature sustainability function looks like! Listen to our latest episode here: https://lnkd.in/eGJDXVsJ

Sustainability is moving from the margins of business to the centre of decision-making. Our 2025 research found that sustainability professionals are increasingly aligning their work with commercial priorities, identifying the trends and risks that matter most to customers and investors. As Owen Balmont Sustainability & ESG Risk Manager at Admiral Group Plc explains "Sustainability data is no longer just useful, it is business critical." When used well, it informs growth, strengthens resilience and ensures that sustainability is embedded in strategy rather than sitting beside it. Explore how sustainability leaders are shaping integrated business strategy in our Annual Report 'Sustainability: The Job Has Changed. Again.' Download our latest report here: https://lnkd.in/e948GrQp

🚀 New Case Study: Supporting the Channel Islands Coop from baseline footprint to SBTi validation. We’re proud to have supported The Channel Islands Co-operative Society on a key step in its climate journey - the validation of its net-zero targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). 🌍 Working closely since 2024, we helped CI Coop move from establishing its baseline footprint to developing science-based targets that align with the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard and FLAG Guidance. This milestone confirms the Society’s commitment to measurable, science-led climate action, reducing emissions across operations, transport, and supply chains, and eliminating deforestation from high-risk supply chains by 2025. A true example of ambition matched by action and of collaboration driving credible progress toward net zero. Read the full case study: https://lnkd.in/e--cDeM2 #Sustainability #NetZero #SBTi #ClimateAction #SustainabilityStrategy #SimplySustainable

SBTi’s new draft is a signal to businesses: targets are no longer enough. The transition plan is now the test. The Corporate Net-Zero Standard v2.0 doesn’t just update terminology. It reshapes what credible climate ambition looks like. Here’s what the SBTi is pushing forward: 🟩 Net-zero becomes the organising principle, not a distant aspiration. 🟩 Boards must own the transition - governance is non-negotiable. 🟩 Stricter Scope 2 rules mean 100% low-carbon electricity by 2040. 🟩 New Scope 1 pathways widen the decarbonisation toolkit. 🟩 Scope 3 remains essential, with flexibility for low-impact areas. 🟩 Early neutralisers earn “Leader” status. The next step for companies is not more ambition but better plans. 👉 Read the full insight by William Bourns, Solutions Manager – Impacts and Dependencies, Simply Sustainable: https://lnkd.in/ekxduhZD If you’re considering how these updates could affect your strategy, feel free to share reflections with us. #NetZero #SBTi #CorporateSustainability #ClimateAction #ESG #SimplySustainable

In our 2025 study, 63% of respondents said compliance now drives the majority of sustainability spending and 40% listed reporting and disclosure as top priorities. Yet many still struggle with data that is incomplete or inconsistent. The next phase of progress will depend on transforming compliance data into business intelligence. When sustainability information is reliable and accessible, it stops being an obligation and becomes a decision-making tool and one that shapes investment, innovation and resilience. Explore how companies are building that capability in our new report: 'Sustainability: The Job Has Changed. Again.' Download the report here: https://lnkd.in/eKX_QQAV

Tightening resources and rising expectations... Our research shows that while only 19% of sustainability professionals saw an increase in resources this year, most organisations are now investing primarily to stay compliant. What's more a further 32% say cost pressures are making it difficult to secure investment. The result is a widening gap between ambition and capacity. This movement is forcing sustainability leaders to become more strategic. Rather than chasing every initiative, they are prioritising what truly moves the needle, from data systems that enable credible disclosures to collaboration that builds business alignment. As Stephanie Burrell, Head of Sustainability at Smart DCC, observed, “Sustainability professionals are the Swiss army knives of any organisation.” Leaders are being asked to balance reporting, stakeholder engagement and transformation, often all at once. Our 2025 Annual Report - 'Sustainability: The Job Has Changed. Again.' shows how sustainability leaders are navigating these constraints with focus and purpose. Download the report: https://lnkd.in/eegv8Btx

COP30: What it means for business As COP30 closes in Belém, one thing is clear: the era of negotiation is ending, and the decade of delivery has begun. The Belém Action Agenda and Baku–Belém Roadmap have laid out frameworks for finance and implementation, but their success will depend on how businesses respond. Governments have set the direction; now it is up to the private sector to turn ambition into measurable progress. At Simply Sustainable, our 2025 report, ‘Sustainability:' The job has changed. Again.’, shows how this shift is already taking place. Sustainability teams are moving beyond goal-setting to focus on delivery- managing data, investment, and resilience as part of core business strategy. 71% of sustainability leaders told us resilience planning is their top priority for 2026. So, what should businesses do now? 🟩 Embed adaptation thinking into governance and risk planning to strengthen long-term resilience. 🟩 Use credible data to guide investment and decision-making. 🟩 Engage suppliers and employees to turn sustainability from a function into a shared capability. 🟩 Integrate resilience and climate performance into financial and operational KPIs. It is no longer about what is promised in negotiation halls, but what is delivered in boardrooms and across value chains. Read the full insight by our Chief Impact Officer and Founder, Nicola Stopps, to explore the key topics discussed at COP30 and what they mean for businesses: https://lnkd.in/epDmQQer #COP30 #Sustainability #Leadership #ClimateAction #NetZero #ESG #SimplySustainable

When sustainability connects to commercial value, momentum accelerates. In our new 2025 Annual Report, 'Sustainability: The Job Has Changed. Again.', Paul van Lennep, Chief Sustainability Officer at Stibo Systems, explains how business understanding was the turning point: “The sustainability agenda accelerated when people in the business realised that there is commercial value in sustainability.” Our research supports this detailing that customer requirements and market expectations are now shaping sustainability priorities as much as regulation and many are collaborating with sales, R&D, procurement and key suppliers to develop sustainable products and respond to market demand. The message is clear, sustainability is no longer only about compliance. Reputation and customer trust is also driving market differentiation, growth and innovation. Read the full report to explore how commercial alignment is redefining sustainability leadership in 2025: https://lnkd.in/e7CQTWZJ

SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard v2.0 - What’s Changing? On 6th November SBTi released the second draft of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard. Our team reviewed the latest updates and identified six key takeaways shaping Corporate Net-zero Strategies: 🟩 Net-zero becomes the “north star”: Companies must align near-term actions with long-term goals and publish a credible transition plan within 12 months of target approval. 🟩 Governance matters: Net-zero responsibility must sit within board structures, with oversight from the highest governing body and audit of base year emissions. 🟩 Scope 1 & 2 clarity: Separate reduction levers, with stricter Scope 2 guidance requiring 100% low-carbon electricity by 2040. 🟩 New Scope 1 pathways: Including asset-level decarbonisation and low-carbon activity targets. 🟩 Flexibility in Scope 3: Continued focus on material value-chain emissions while allowing exclusions for lower-impact areas. 🟩 Organisations neutralising emissions before 2035 will also earn “Leader” status in decarbonisation ambition. We’ll be responding to the consultation before the 8th December deadline - if you have perspectives to share, we’d love to hear them. 👉Read the full insight by William Bourns, our Solutions Manager – Impacts and Dependencies: https://lnkd.in/eZnv6R34 #NetZero #SBTi #CorporateSustainability #ClimateAction #ESG #SimplySustainable

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes of every successful event - from finding the right sustainable venue (X&WHY) to welcoming guests on the day, it all comes down to teamwork. 🌿 Last week’s Annual Report launch was no exception. Months of planning, coordination and collaboration came together for an evening full of energy, ideas and great conversations. And the biggest challenge of all? Remembering to capture a team photo in between all the organisation and networking! 📸 If you would like to read our new 2025 Annual Report, click here: https://lnkd.in/e3_wzF9D A huge shout-out to our host, Henry Unwin, our brilliant panel and all the attendees for making the evening so insightful. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to bring some of the Simply Sustainable team together and celebrate what we do best - making sustainability work! Alastair MacGregor Nicola Stopps Lia Locke Kritika Singh Joaska Mischke William Bourns Cameron Wilson Robert Franklin Rosie Pidgeon #Teamwork #Sustainability #Events #SimplySustainable #TheJobHasChangedAgain #AnnualReport #SustainabilityReport