Per this article, HSBC has published its 2025 Sustainability Pulse Survey, and it produced the following:

• 95% of respondents see sustainability as a commercial opportunity
• 85% of respondents see sustainability as key to attracting long-term capital
• 29% of respondents expect to invest +10% of CAPEX into climate/sustainability over the next three years
• Sustainability has moved from a transition phase to early maturity and is becoming “business as usual”
• Corporations are treating sustainability as an essential part of value creation
• It has become much easier to measure/validate ROI

If you are not in step with the above, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

If you want to see a clear indicator of what separates sector leaders from the laggards pursuing them, look no further than the Bain & Company chart presented here.

Is your company certified sustainable?  If not, there is a pretty good chance we know which color your company falls under.

The fourth edition of the United Nations Global Climate Litigation Report is now available.

A few takeaways:

• 1986 – The first climate case
• 2017 – 884 cases were filed across the world
• 2020 – 1550 cases were filed across the world
• 2022 – 2180 cases were filed across the world
• 2025 – 3099 cases were filed across the world

• 64% of the 2025 cases are in the US

• 55 global jurisdictions in 2025

• 70% historical success rate for claimants

Comments:

• If you continue to hold to the belief that consumers do not care if your company is sustainable, why are companies making environmental/sustainable claims at all?

• Given that approximately 70% of CEOs admit their company is greenwashing, the 70% success rate for claimants, and the case law this is creating, don’t expect the number of cases to go down.

• The Activist playbook has changed. In the early years of climate lawsuits, activists only targeted the big guys.  But lawsuits cost money.  The 70% claimant success rate has attracted investors willing to fund cases.  But to get that money, an activist needs a resume that shows a success rate.  Big companies have deep pockets for defense.  Small companies do not have deep pockets, are usually sloppier with their false claims, are thus easier to beat, and allow the activist to pad their resume.

Story:

• Tagging onto the above comment, we know a lady who sells multi-level-marketing vitamins. She approached us via social media.  The manufacturer she works for claims it is a green company, but it does not have a certification to back it up.  It is greenwashing.  The lady has the typical MLM website, where she has her name attached to the bigger brand.  She is happily claiming she is a green company.  She has no idea she is greenwashing.  An activist contacted us, as they know what we do and saw the social media link with this lady.  They have targeted her because she is easier to beat than the manufacturer.  She is in the crosshairs and does not know it.

Recommendation:

• If you are making any kind of green, environmental, eco, sustainability claims and are not certified via a globally respected program and 3^rd party verified on same, do yourself a favor and stop. You might be in the crosshairs right now and do not know it.

If you are making claims and are not certified/verified, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

We continue to hear people say various versions of “Sustainability is coming.”

If we look at the Bain & Company chart we see that in just the past six years, Business-driven support for pursuing sustainability has increased 59%, from 34% to 54%.

In other words, rather than pursuing sustainability because they are being forced by compliance or consumer demand, over half of all CEOs are pursuing it because it makes them more money (which, of course, ties back to consumer demand; but it shows consumers are acting, not just talking).

Sustainability has past the “coming” period of its life.  It is past the Innovator and Early Adaptor phases and is well into the Early Majority phase of market acceptance.

Our tag line, “Doing the right thing can lead to a good thing!” is being followed by the majority of business leaders.

If sustainability is not a money-making tool for your business TODAY, not only are you in the minority, but you are also losing ground every day.

If you would rather not be losing ground to your competitors, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

For purposes of this question, we are not going to include the revenue-side gains that come from 7 out of 10 consumers willing to move their business to a certified sustainable company, or the margin-side gains of being able to sell product at a higher price as a certified sustainable company, or the cost of money gains of being a certified sustainable company, or the hire/retention of employees gains of being a certified sustainable company…..

We are only going to look at expense-side levers, such as energy efficiency, circular design and supply chain localization.

With those parameters, what percentage of industrial emissions could be abated today with your company enjoying POSITIVE ROI from the project?

1. 0%
2. 10%
3. 25%
4. 50%

Per this article, the answer is C – 25%.

Let’s say that again – with no revenue-side contribution, your company could reduce its carbon emissions by 25% via positive ROI projects.

An additional 32% of emissions could be eliminated via programs that might deliver a positive ROI.

That’s over 50% of your carbon emissions before we even start adding the revenue-side benefits of becoming certified sustainable and having the world’s 23^rd ranked website/blog helping you promote your certification to a sustainability-certification-starved global market.

This is change-the-world + improve-your-company kind of stuff that you can do….at a profit….if you want.

If this is appealing, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

Per this article:

• Employees Expect Purpose – 2/3 of employees say their employer is not doing enough to address climate change and sustainability. Do you think they will stay with you when they have the chance to jump?
• Investors Value Transparency – Companies that act on sustainability attract more capital.
• Consumers Demand Action – Companies that can prove their sustainability claims are growing faster than their peers.
• Gain a Strategic Advantage – Becoming certified sustainable is the most ROI-positive way you can differentiate your company from peers.
• Future-Proof your Business – Becoming certified sustainable allows you to address compliance and global risks.
• Build Resilience – Certified sustainable companies are stronger, more profitable and better prepared for economic changes.
• Unlock Innovation – Becoming certified sustainable allows your company to drive growth and create innovative solutions for consumer and regulatory demands.
• Create Long-Term Value – Certified sustainable companies are simply more profitable and have higher valuations.

Not a bad group of benefits….on top of doing the right thing.

If this is appealing, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

Per this article, Sustainability = Higher Profits

• Energy cost reduction
• Waste reduction
• Cheaper access to capital
• Premium pricing
• Attracting and keeping top talent
• Driving innovation
• Improving processes
• Reducing climate risk
• Reducing regulatory risk
• Reducing reputation risk
• Reducing supply chain risk
• Winning new business from clients/customers that want sustainable vendors

And finally, after you improve your valuation via the benefits of the above….

• The majority of investors will give up to a 10% price premium for companies with a mature sustainability program

So, if you become certified sustainable, not only will you improve your profitability and valuation, but you will also get a bonus premium for having a mature sustainability program.

Not bad.

If this is appealing, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

Per this study, 68% of Americans, across all demographic groups, will pay more for sustainability.  (This is consistent with many studies over the past few years.)

Here is the caveat – trust, clarity and value determine if they follow through.  (Again, consistent with prior studies.)

• If you claim you are sustainable, but are not certified/verified, don’t expect results.
• If, due to you not being certified, your claims are confusing, again, don’t expect results.
• If your offer is simply not a good value, don’t expect results.

Net, before you say this, and all the other studies saying the same thing, are wrong, you might want to test it.

• Have your company become certified sustainable.
• Have the entity that got you certified help you craft and publish your messages.
• Make sure your offer is a competitively good value.

If being attractive to 68% of your prospects is appealing, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

Heritage Investment Group, with over $1b under management, provides wealth management and investment guidance to high-net-worth individuals, families, charitable foundations, and qualified plans. The firm has served as an independent advisor since 1993. The company has continued its environmental sustainability commitment by renewing its Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification through 2026.

The Edenark Group ISO 14001 is the world’s premier environmental sustainability certification program and allows SMEs (small to mid-sized enterprises) the ability to attain the world’s most popular environmental certification standard via a program designed and priced specifically for them.   Edenark Group also helps clients pursue carbon neutrality and ESG compliance, using the Edenark Group ISO 14001 as a foundation for long term compliance.

The program, which allows companies to progressively improve at a pace that works for their needs, helps the organization define how it interacts internally, externally, and with the environment.  It incorporates energy/waste/water, employee health and performance enhancement, community involvement, procurement and suppliers, compliance and regulations, emergency/security, and stakeholder engagement.  Benefits include creating a culture of continual improvement, stakeholder engagement, lower costs, higher revenues and profits, improved employee performance, and…… doing the right thing for the environment and current and future generations.

“Edenark Group has a 25+ year relationship with Heritage Investment Group and they are a wonderful example of what the world needs more of – an organization that produces a superior product, supports its current stakeholders, shows it cares about future generations via its commitment to sustainability certification, and makes more money due to its sustainability programs,” said David Goodman, CEO of Edenark Group.  “When an organization executes the Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification, as Heritage Investment Group is doing, it not only benefits the environment, but it also benefits its own operation,” added Goodman.

Heritage Investment Group can be reached at +1.954-785-5400

Edenark Group can be reached at +1 561.512.2257

We like this list from the Forbes Business Council of 18 reasons why sustainability can be a strategic advantage for your business:

• It can set your business apart
• It indicates long-term viability
• It enables proactive responses to industry changes
• It provides a competitive edge
• It expands your target audience
• It can narrow the divide between large and small businesses
• It enables the surrounding ecosystem to thrive
• It brings your business in alignment with clients’ values
• It demonstrates care for more than profits
• It enhances business efficiency
• It can facilitate cost savings
• It enhances brand reputation
• It provides long-term financial benefits
• It can drive operational efficiency
• It enables risk mitigation
• It centers future buyers
• It grants access to innovative tech
• It strengthens the company’s reputation

However, we would add two to the very top:

• It is the right thing to do
• It allows your company to be part of the solution

If this list looks attractive, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.